22.2.2021

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 62/17

(Case C-659/20)

(2021/C 62/20)

Language of the case: Czech

Referring court

Parties to the main proceedings

Applicant: ET

Defendant: Ministerstvo životního prostředí

Questions referred

1.Does ‘breeding stock’, as defined by Commission Regulation (EC) No 865/2006 (1) laying down detailed rules concerning the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97 on the protection of species of wild fauna and flora by regulating trade therein, include specimens that are the parents of specimens bred by a given breeder, even though that breeder never owned or kept them?

2.If the answer to the first question is that such parent specimens do not constitute a part of the breeding stock, are competent bodies authorised to verify, in examining compliance with the condition set in Article 54(2) of Commission Regulation (EC) No 865/2006, consisting of the establishment of stock legally and, at the same time, in a manner not detrimental to the survival of wild specimens, the origin of those parent specimens and to infer on that basis whether the breeding stock has been established in accordance with the rules set out in Article 54(2) of the Regulation?

3.In examining compliance with the condition set out in Article 54(2) of Commission Regulation (EC) No 865/2006, consisting of the establishment of stock legally and, at the same time, in a manner not detrimental to the survival of wild specimens, can further circumstances of the case be taken into consideration (in particular, good faith in the transfer of the specimens and the legitimate expectation that trading in their potential offspring will be permitted, and potentially also the less stringent legislation applicable in the Czech Republic prior to the country’s accession to the European Union)?

Language of the case: Czech

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ECLI:EU:C:2021:140