# C_2006048EN.01000202.xml

| 25.2.2006 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 48/2 |
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JUDGMENT OF THE COURT

(Second Chamber)

of 10 January 2006

in Case C-98/03: Commission of the European Communities v Federal Republic of Germany( 1 )

(Failure of a Member State to fulfil obligations - Directive 92/43/EEC - Conservation of natural habitats - Wild fauna and flora - Assessment of the implications of certain projects on a protected site - Protection of species)

(2006/C 48/04)

Language of the case: German

In Case C-98/03 Commission of the European Communities (Agent: U. Wölker) v Federal Republic of Germany (Agents: M. Lumma and C. Schulze-Bahr) — action under Article 226 EC for failure to fulfil obligations, brought on 28 February 2003 — the Court (Second Chamber), composed of C.W.A. Timmermans, President of the Chamber, C. Gulmann (Rapporteur), R. Silva de Lapuerta, P. Kūris and G. Arestis, Judges; A. Tizzano, Advocate General; M. Ferreira, Principal Administrator, for the Registrar, gave a judgment on 10 January 2006, the operative part of which is as follows:

| 1. | By failing, in respect of certain projects carried out outside special areas of conservation within the meaning of Article 4(1) of Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora, to require compulsory assessment of the impact on the site, in accordance with Article 6(3) and (4) of that directive, whether or not such projects are capable of significantly affecting a special area of conservation;
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by authorising emissions in a special area of conservation, irrespective of whether they are likely to have a significant effect on that area; —
by derogating from the scope of the provisions concerning the protection of species in the case of certain non-deliberate effects on protected animals; —
by failing to ensure compliance with the criteria for derogation set out in Article 16 of Directive 92/43 in the case of certain activities compatible with the conservation of the area; —
by retaining provisions on the application of pesticides which do not take sufficient account of the protection of species; —
by failing to ensure that legislation on fishing contains adequate bans on catches, the Federal Republic of Germany has failed to fulfil its obligations under Article 6(3) and Articles 12, 13 and 16 of Directive 92/43. | — | by authorising emissions in a special area of conservation, irrespective of whether they are likely to have a significant effect on that area; | — | by derogating from the scope of the provisions concerning the protection of species in the case of certain non-deliberate effects on protected animals; | — | by failing to ensure compliance with the criteria for derogation set out in Article 16 of Directive 92/43 in the case of certain activities compatible with the conservation of the area; | — | by retaining provisions on the application of pesticides which do not take sufficient account of the protection of species; | — | by failing to ensure that legislation on fishing contains adequate bans on catches, |
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| — | by authorising emissions in a special area of conservation, irrespective of whether they are likely to have a significant effect on that area; | | | | | | | | | | |
| — | by derogating from the scope of the provisions concerning the protection of species in the case of certain non-deliberate effects on protected animals; | | | | | | | | | | |
| — | by failing to ensure compliance with the criteria for derogation set out in Article 16 of Directive 92/43 in the case of certain activities compatible with the conservation of the area; | | | | | | | | | | |
| — | by retaining provisions on the application of pesticides which do not take sufficient account of the protection of species; | | | | | | | | | | |
| — | by failing to ensure that legislation on fishing contains adequate bans on catches, | | | | | | | | | | |

| 2. | Orders the Federal Republic of Germany to pay the costs. |
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( 1 )  OJ C 146 of 21.06.2003.

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