Press Release: Commission takes legal action to improve protection of birds and habitats and halt biodiversity loss in the EU

A screening carried out by the European Commission showed that a large number of Member States had not correctly implemented the EU’s Birds and Habitats Directives. The Commission therefore launched infringement procedures against thirteen Member States over violations of the Birds Directive, and against a further eight Member States over their implementation of the Habitats Directive. These two Directives aim at ensuring a high level of protection for birds and animals, and their respective habitats throughout the EU. Unfortunately, a high number of the infringement cases opened by the European Commission for bad implementation of EU law in the area of environment, relate to these Directives. With its actions, the Commission was hoping to improve significantly this situation.