Order of the President of the Court of 10 December 2009 – Commission v Italy

(Case C-573/08 R)

Application for interim measures – Interim measures – Conservation of wild birds – Directive 79/409/EEC – Derogations from the system of protection

1.                     Application for interim measures – Interim measures – Conditions for granting – Prima facie case – Urgency – Serious and irreparable damage – Cumulative nature – Weighing up of all the interests involved (Art. 279 TFEU) (see paras 11-12)

2.                     Environment – Conservation of wild birds – Directive 79/409 – Implementation by Member States – Derogations from the general system of protection – Conditions for granting (Council Directive 79/409, Art. 9(1) and (2)) (see paras 15-16, 23-24)

3.                     Application for interim measures – Interim measures – Conditions for granting – Urgency – Serious and irreparable damage – Burden of proof placed on the applicant (Art. 279 TFEU) (see paras 17-18, 25-26)

Re:

Failure of a Member State to fulfil obligations – Infringement of Arts 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 13 and 18 of Council Directive 79/409/EEC of 2 April 1979 on the conservation of wild birds (OJ 1979 L 103, p. 1) – Incorrect transposition – Derogations – Requirements.

Operative part

The Court:

1.

Orders the Italian Republic to suspend the application of Article 4(1) of the Law of the Regione di Lombardia No 24 of 30 July 2008 regulating the derogation system provided for by Article 9 of Council Directive 79/409/EEC on the conservation of wild birds, pursuant to Law No 221 of 3 October 2002 (Disciplina del regime di deroga previsto dall’articolo 9 della direttiva 79/409/CEE del Consiglio, del 2 aprile 1979, concernente la conservazione degli uccelli selvatici, in attuazione della legge 3 ottobre 2002, n. 221), as amended for the hunting season 2009/2010 by Law No 21 of the Regione di Lombardia of 16 September 2009;

2.

Reserves the costs.