Case C‑432/21

European Commission

v

Republic of Poland

Judgment of the Court (Second Chamber) of 2 March 2023

(Failure of a Member State to fulfil obligations – Environment – Directive 92/43/EEC – Conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora – Article 6(1) to (3), Article 12(1)(a) to (d), Article 13(1)(a) and Article 16(1) – Directive 2009/147/EC – Conservation of wild birds – Article 4(1), Article 5(a), (b) and (d) and Article 9(1) – Forest management based on good practice – Forest management plans – Aarhus Convention – Access to justice – Article 6(1)(b) and Article 9(2) – Examination of the lawfulness, as regards the substance and procedure, of forest management plans – Right of environmental organisations to bring an action)

1. Actions for failure to fulfil obligations – Subject matter of the dispute – Determination during the pre-litigation procedure – Application initiating proceedings containing a clerical error as regards the provisions concerned

   (Art. 258 TFEU)

   (see paragraphs 32-35)

2. Environment – Conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora – Directive 92/43 – Conservation of wild birds – Directive 2009/147 – Need for clear and precise transposition – National legislation imposing good forest management practices – Assumption that the forest management based on those good practices complies with the national provisions transposing those directives

   (European Parliament and Council Directive 2009/147, as amended by Directive 2013/17, Arts 4(1), 5(a)(b) and (d), and 9(1); Council Directive 92/43, as amended by Directive 2013/17, Arts 6(1) and (2), 12(1), 13(1)(a) and 16(1))

   (see paragraphs 64, 66-68, 70-76, 79-85, 87, 104-110, 114, operative part 1)

3. Actions for failure to fulfil obligations – Application initiating proceedings – Statement of complaints and pleas in law – Formal requirements – Coherent and detailed statement

   (Art. 258 TFEU)

   (see paragraphs 155, 156)

4. Actions for failure to fulfil obligations – Right of the Commission to bring judicial proceedings – To be exercised at its discretion

   (Art. 258 TFEU)

   (see paragraph 162)

5. Environment – Conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora – Directive 92/43 – Authorisation for a plan or project on a protected site – Forest management plans – Right of environmental organisations to bring an action against those plans

   (Aarhus Convention, Arts 6(1)(b) and 9(2); Council Directive 92/43, Art. 6(3))

   (see paragraphs 165-178, 182-187, operative part 2)

See the text of the decision.