31.7.2010   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 209/7

Judgment of the Court (Fourth Chamber) of 10 June 2010 — European Commission v Italian Republic

(Case C-491/08) (1)

(Failure of a Member State to fulfil obligations - Directive 92/43/EEC - Conservation of natural habitats - Wild fauna and flora - Sites of Community importance - Tourism complex ‘Is Arenas’)

2010/C 209/09

Language of the case: Italian

Parties

Applicant: European Commission (represented by: D. Recchia, acting as Agent)

Defendant: Italian Republic (represented by: I. Bruni, Agent, and G. Aiello, lawyer)

Re:

Failure of a Member State to fulfil obligations — Infringement of Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (OJ 1992 L 206, p. 7) — Sites of Community importance — Site ‘Is Arenas’ — Development of a golf course.

Operative part of the judgment

The Court:

1.

Declares that, having regard to the tourism and property complex ‘Is Arenas’, which affects the site ‘Is Arenas’;

—

by failing to adopt, before 19 July 2006, date when the site ‘Is Arenas’ was included on the list of sites of Community importance, preservation measures which, having regard to the conservation aim of Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora, are suitable for the purposes of preserving the relevant ecological interest represented at national level by the proposed site of Community importance, and in particular by failing to prevent an activity likely seriously to endanger the ecological characteristics of the site; and

—

by failing to adopt, after 19 July 2006, appropriate measures to prevent the deterioration of natural habitats in respect of which that site of Community importance was designated;

the Italian Republic has failed to fulfil its obligations under Council Directive 92/43 and, more specifically, with regard to the second plea in law, Article 6(2) thereof;

2.

Orders the Italian Republic to pay the costs.

(1)  OJ C 44, 21.02.2009.