22/08/2006 (Agence Europe) - Significant progress was accomplished in the transposition of Community legislation on nature protection in the new EU Member States but there are still shortcomings, notes the Commission in a press release published in July. Overall almost 11% and 12% of territory in these Member States are protected by the “Habitats” directive. However, disparities still exist: the “Birds” directive, the level of territorial protection only reaches 3% in Malta and 8% in Poland but is 25% in Slovenia. For the “Habitats” directive the level of protection is 4% in Poland and more than 31% in Slovenia.