Press Release: Portugal: Commission takes legal action for breaches of EU environmental law

The European Commission was pursuing legal action against Portugal for breaches of EU laws on protection of the environment in six separate cases, 14 January 2005. The EU laws in question concerned nature conservation, water and impact assessment. Among other things, these laws were aimed at ensuring that important wildlife sites are safeguarded and water resources protected. In three cases the Commission was taking Portugal to the European Court of Justice. In the other three cases, Portugal would receive final warnings, the last step before Court action.