18.12.2010

Official Journal of the European Union

C 346/3

(Case C-535/07)

(Failure of a Member State to fulfil obligations - Directives 79/409/EEC and 92/43/EEC - Conservation of wild birds - Incorrect designation and inadequate legal protection of special protection areas)

2010/C 346/04

Language of the case: German

Parties

Applicant: European Commission (represented by: R. Sauer and D. Recchia, Agents)

Defendant: Republic of Austria (represented by: E. Riedl, E. Pürgy and K. Drechsel, Agents)

Intervener in support of the defendant: Federal Republic of Germany (represented by: M. Lumma and J. Möller, Agents)

Re:

Failure of a Member State to fulfil obligations — Infringement of Article 4(1) and (2) of Council Directive 79/409/EEC of 2 April 1979 on the conservation of wild birds (OJ 1979 L 103, p. 1) and of Article 6(2), in conjunction with Article 7, of Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (OJ 1992 L 206, p. 7) — Failure to designate, as a special protection area, an area appropriate for the conservation of bird species (‘Hanság’) and incorrect delimitation of another area (‘Niedere Tauern’) — Failure to ensure that the special protection areas already designated enjoy legal protection in accordance with the requirements of Community law

Operative part of the judgment

The Court:

1.Declares that:

—by failing to classify the Hanság site in the Province of Burgenland as a special protection area, and to delimit the Niedere Tauern special protection area in the Province of Styria, correctly in accordance with ornithological criteria, under Article 4(1) of Council Directive 79/409/EEC of 2 April 1979 on the conservation of wild birds,

—by failing to provide legal protection in accordance with the requirements of Article 4 of Directive 79/409 and Article 6(2), read in conjunction with Article 7, of Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora for the Maltsch, Wiesengebiete im Freiwald, Pfeifer Anger, Oberes Donautal and Untere Traun special protection areas in the Province of Upper Austria and the Verwall special protection area in the Province of Vorarlberg,

the Republic of Austria has failed to fulfil its obligations under those provisions;

2.Dismisses the action as to the remainder;

3.Orders the European Commission, the Republic of Austria and the Federal Republic of Germany to bear their own costs.

(1) OJ C 51, 23.2.2008.