REGULATORY · MARKET STRUCTURE · EU
EU court fines Portugal on biodiversity
Change
On 2026-03-05, the EU Court of Justice fined Portugal €10m and ordered €41,250 per day until it complies with a 2019 order to protect designated biodiversity sites under EU environmental law.
Why Now
The EU Court of Justice imposed a €10m fine on Portugal for failing to comply with EU environmental laws requiring biodiversity protection. The court also ordered Portugal to pay €41,250 per day until it complies with a previous court order from 2019. The daily fine is calculated as €750 for each of 55 sites the court said had still not been protected. The daily penalty is reduced by €750 per day for each site brought into compliance. The court described the infringements as particularly serious and persistent.
Impact
- • €10m fine is payable by Portugal.
- • €41,250 per-day penalty applies until compliance with the 2019 court order.
- • Daily penalty is set at €750 per day for each of 55 sites and decreases by €750 per day per site brought into compliance.
Who Recalculates
- • National environmental regulators and ministries
- • Protected-area and conservation site managers
- • Public finance and budget authorities
Source
Topics
Law & Public Safety Court Rulings Climate & Environment Conservation Environmental Regulation