According to the EU court in Luxembourg, Germany has failed to take adequate protective measures for various Natura 2000 sites. After years of legal proceedings and warnings, European fines now loom.
The European Court finds that current German efforts are insufficient to protect endangered habitats and species. This concerns, among others, the Bavarian natural areas but also applies to other regions.
Part of the underlying problem is that certain aspects of nature and landscape policy fall under the authority of the states, while the federal government in Berlin is held accountable by Brussels. This has previously occurred with German violations of the European Nitrates Directive and German fertilizer policy.
The ruling of the European Court of Justice underscores the importance of complying with EU nature conservation laws. The Court ruled that Germany and Bavaria have not fulfilled their obligations to preserve and restore biodiversity in protected natural areas.
This legally binding judgment will likely lead to a revision of nature conservation policy in Germany. Berlin must also increase efforts to preserve the country’s natural wealth.
One of the areas receiving special attention is the Fichtelgebirge in Bavaria. Bayerns Landesbund für Vogelschutz (LBV), a nature conservation organization, emphasized that the state of Bavaria has also failed in protecting habitats in FFH areas. The Court has now demanded that Germany and Bavaria immediately take additional measures.
In response to the ruling, the German government indicated it will take the judgment seriously and implement measures to comply with the EU nature conservation directives.
Germany is now expected to work on strengthening its efforts to protect and restore endangered habitats and species in protected natural areas, aiming to preserve biodiversity for future generations.