Brussels, 05/07/2006 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has launched infringement procedures against several Member States for failing to respect Community legislation on the protection of nature.
Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark and Slovakia have infringed arrangements on two key pieces of legislation in this area. A letter of formal notice has been sent to each of them for violating the “Birds” directive (79/409/EEC) and for not sufficiently implementing the “Habitats” directive (92/43/EEC on the protection of natural habitats, wild fauna and flora).
Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, Poland and the United Kingdom will receive a letter of formal notice for violation of the “Birds” directive. Three Member States - Malta, Poland and Slovenia - have been called back into line for failure to fully implement the “Habitats” directive.
“Only the correct and swift implementation of these directives can halt the loss of Biodiversity by 2010. Member States must act quickly in order to ensure the proper protection of birds and habitats on their territory,” said environment commissioner Stavros Dimas.