European Commission decided on Thursday 4 June to refer Slovenia to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failure to comply with requirements of the ‘birds’ directive (Directive 2009/147/EC), which requires Member States to designate special protection areas in order to protect wild birds.
Slovenia has not classified the most suitable areas of its marine waters, notably the Gulf of Osrednji Tržaški, as special protection areas for the Mediterranean shag.
The Commission sent a letter of formal notice to Ljubljana in June 2021, followed by a reasoned opinion in July 2022.
The SIMARINE LIFE project, completed in 2015, had nevertheless made it possible to identify and confirm areas suitable for protection of the species in the Slovenian coastal area, including in the gulf. According to the Commission, Slovenia still has not designated enough marine protected areas, either in number or in surface area, to guarantee the protection of this species. The Commission therefore considers that efforts by the Slovenian authorities remain insufficient and justify referral to the Court of Justice. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)