On Thursday, 24 June, the Court of Justice of the European Union condemned Spain for infringing nature conservation directives—the ‘Habitats’ (92/43/EEC) and ‘Birds’ (2009/147/EC) Directives—that require it to protect groundwater bodies and natural habitats, such as temporary Mediterranean ponds, in the Doñana natural area in Andalusia (case C-559/19) (see EUROPE B12179A32).
Outside these protected areas are the most important European growing areas for soft fruit,...