Case C-66/23, Elliniki Ornithologiki Etaireia and Others: Judgment of the Court (First Chamber) of 12 September 2024 (request for a preliminary ruling from the Symvoulio tis Epikrateias – Greece) – Elliniki Ornithologiki Etaireia, Syllogos Diktyo Oikologikon Organoseon Aigaiou, Perivallontikos Syllogos Rethymnou and Others v Ypourgos Esoterikon, Ypourgos Oikonomikon and Others (Reference for a preliminary ruling – Environment – Directive 92/43/EEC – Directive 2009/147/EC – Conservation of wild birds – Conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora – Classification of a territory as a Special Protection Area – Classification species – Temporary horizontal measures applied uniformly to all Special Protection Areas – Failure to adopt individualised management plans)
Date: 2024-09-12
Institutions: Court of Justice
Subjects: Greece, bird, environmental impact, impact study, industrial project, protected area, protected species, protection of animal life, protection of plant life








C_202406227EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2024/6227


28.10.2024






Judgment of the Court (First Chamber) of 12 September 2024 (request for a preliminary ruling from the Symvoulio tis Epikrateias – Greece) – Elliniki Ornithologiki Etaireia, Syllogos Diktyo Oikologikon Organoseon Aigaiou, Perivallontikos Syllogos Rethymnou and Others v Ypourgos Esoterikon, Ypourgos Oikonomikon and Others


(Case C-66/23,
                (1)
Elliniki Ornithologiki Etaireia and Others)

(Reference for a preliminary ruling - Environment - Directive 92/43/EEC - Directive 2009/147/EC - Conservation of wild birds - Conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora - Classification of a territory as a Special Protection Area - ‘Classification’ species - Temporary horizontal measures applied uniformly to all Special Protection Areas - Failure to adopt individualised management plans)
(C/2024/6227)
Language of the case: Greek

Referring court

Symvoulio tis Epikrateias

Parties to the main proceedings


Applicants: Elliniki Ornithologiki Etaireia, Syllogos Diktyo Oikologikon Organoseon Aigaiou, Perivallontikos Syllogos Rethymnou, Politistikos Syllogos Thronos Kleisidiou, KX, and Others

Defendants: Ypourgos Esoterikon, Ypourgos Oikonomikon, Ypourgos Anaptyxis kai Ependyseon, Ypourgos Perivallontos kai Energeias, Ypourgos Agrotikis Anaptyxis kai Trofimon

Operative part of the judgment







1.


Article 4(1) and (2) of Directive 2009/147/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009 on the conservation of wild birds and Article 6(2) to (4) of Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora
must be interpreted as requiring Member States to establish, for each special protection area, individual conservation objectives and measures for all bird species listed in Annex I to Directive 2009/147 and regularly occurring migratory species not listed in that annex and their habitat. In doing so, Member States are responsible for defining priorities according to the significance of those measures for achieving conservation objectives in respect of all those species.










2.


Article 4(1) and (2) of Directive 2009/147 and Article 6(2) to (4) of Directive 92/43
must be interpreted as meaning that the requirement to carry out an environmental assessment of a project under Directive 2011/92/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 2011 on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment, as amended by Directive 2014/52/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014, does not affect the scope of the obligations under those provisions.






(1)  
            OJ C 173, 15.5.2023.


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2024/6227/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)