24.8.2020 |
EN |
Official Journal of the European Union |
C 279/12 |
Judgment of the Court (Seventh Chamber) of 2 July 2020 (request for a preliminary ruling from the Verwaltungsgericht Wien — Austria) — IE v Magistrat der Stadt Wien
(Case C-477/19) (1)
(Reference for a preliminary ruling - Conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora - Directive 92/43/EEC - Article 12(1) - System of strict protection for animal species - Annex IV - Cricetus cricetus (European hamster) - Resting places and breeding sites - Deterioration or destruction - Areas which have been abandoned)
(2020/C 279/17)
Language of the case: German
Referring court
Verwaltungsgericht Wien
Parties to the main proceedings
Applicant: IE
Defendant: Magistrat der Stadt Wien
Operative part of the judgment
Article 12(1)(d) of Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora must be interpreted as meaning that the term ‘resting places’ referred to in that provision also includes resting places which are no longer occupied by one of the protected animal species listed in Annex IV(a) to that directive, such as the Cricetus cricetus (European hamster), where there is a sufficiently high probability that that species will return to such places, which is a matter for the referring court to determine.