8.8.2022

Official Journal of the European Union

C 303/5

(Case C-661/20) (*)

(Failure of a Member State to fulfil obligations - Directive 92/43/EEC - Article 6(2) and (3) - Conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora - Directive 2009/147/EC - Article 4(1) - Conservation of wild birds - Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) - Forest management strategies - Emergency felling - Appropriate assessment of their implications - Natura 2000 sites - Special protection areas designated for the conservation of the capercaillie - Absence of measures to prevent the deterioration of habitats and of special conservation measures in certain areas)

(2022/C 303/06)

Language of the case: Slovak

Parties

Applicant: European Commission (represented by: C. Hermes and R. Lindenthal, acting as Agents)

Defendant: Slovak Republic (represented by: B. Ricziová, acting as Agent)

Operative part of the judgment

The Court:

1.Declares:

—by exempting forest maintenance programmes and modifications thereto, emergency felling and measures to prevent threats to forests and to eliminate the consequences of damage caused by natural disasters from the obligation, in the event that they are likely to have a significant effect on Natura 2000 areas, that they be subject to an appropriate assessment of their implications for the relevant areas in view of the conservation objectives of those areas;

—by failing to take appropriate steps for the prevention of the deterioration of the habitats and of significant disturbance in the special protection areas (SPAs) designated for the conservation of the capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) (SPA Nízke Tatry SKCHVU018, SPA Tatry SKCHVU030, SPA Veľká Fatra SKCHVU033, SPA Muránska planina-Stolica SKCHVU017, SPA Chočské vrchy SKCHVU050, SPA Horná Orava SKCHVU008, SPA Volovské vrchy SKCHVU036, SPA Malá Fatra SKCHVU013, SPA Poľana SKCHVU022, SPA Slovenský Raj SKCHVU053, SPA Levočské vrchy SKCHVU051 and SPA Strážovské vrchy SKCHVU028);

—by failing to adopt the special conservation measures applicable to the habitat of the capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) in the SPAs designated for its conservation in order to ensure its survival and reproduction in its area of distribution (SPA Nízke Tatry SKCHVU018, SPA Tatry SKCHVU030, SPA Veľká Fatra SKCHVU033, SPA Muránska planina-Stolica SKCHVU017, SPA Volovské vrchy SKCHVU036, SPA Malá Fatra SKCHVU013 and SPA Levočské vrchy SKCHVU051);

the Slovak Republic has failed to fulfil its obligations under Article 6(3) of Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora, read in conjunction with Article 7 thereof, Article 6(2) of Directive 92/43, read in conjunction with Article 7 thereof, and Article 4(1) of Directive 2009/147/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009 on the conservation of wild birds;

2.Orders the Slovak Republic to pay the costs.

(*)

Language of the case: Slovak.

ECLI:EU:C:2022:140