Publication - May 26, 2009
Greenpeace herewith files an official complaint with the European Commission asking it to enforce Community conservation laws in relation to the protection of
Mediterranean seagrass meadows. Greenpeace provides documentation that shows that French, Greek, Italian and Spanish authorities have violated community law by failing to provide adequate protection for seagrass meadows.
Author: Saskia Richartz
Executive summary: In particular, Greenpeace argues that the authorities of respective countries have:
- failed to comply with Articles 3 and 4, as regards the identification of the geographical extent and ecological representativity of posidonia meadows within their territory;
- failed to submit relevant candidate sites in accordance with Article 3 and 4 for the list of sites of Community importance;
- failed to protect posidonia meadows, in the absence of site proposals, site designations and, where sites have been designated, in the absence of full and effective management; and/or
- failed to comply with Article 6, and in particular Article 6(4) provisions relating to the carrying out of plans or projects in spite of a negative assessment of the implications for the site, and the application of compensatory measures, which should be applied only after an opinion of the Commission has been delivered.
Num. pages: 27
complaint-to-the-european-com