EU's Court of Justice fines Portugal €10m and orders daily penalties for failing to protect biodiversity
Change
EU's Court of Justice fined Portugal €10m and imposed a running penalty of €41,250 a day — calculated as €750 for each of 55 unprotected Natura 2000 sites — until those sites are brought into compliance with the EU Habitats Directive.
Why it matters
Portugal must establish formal legal protections and management plans across designated Natura 2000 sites to meet obligations under the EU Habitats Directive. Implementing those protections will require rapid changes to national and regional conservation administration and land‑use decision processes.
Implications
- • Portugal's Ministry of the Environment must complete site designation and adopt management measures for the affected Natura 2000 sites to halt the accrual of daily penalties.
- • Management authorities for the designated Natura 2000 sites must prioritise and deliver concrete conservation measures at each site because each site brought into compliance reduces the daily penalty by €750.
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Topics
Policy & Regulation Court Rulings Conservation Environmental Regulation