Case C‑47/23

European Commission

v

Federal Republic of Germany

Judgment of the Court (Third Chamber) of 14 November 2024

(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(2) – Appropriate steps to avoid, in special areas of conservation, the deterioration of natural habitats – Habitat types 6510 (lowland hay meadows) and 6520 (mountain hay meadows) protected by the Natura 2000 network – Loss of area – No specific surveillance of natural habitats – General and structural failure – Article 4(1) – Proposal by each Member State of a list of sites indicating which natural habitat types and native species the sites host – Regular updating of information relating to those sites)

1. Actions for failure to fulfil obligations – Subject matter of the dispute – Determination during the pre-litigation procedure – Consideration of events which took place after the delivery of the reasoned opinion – Conditions – Facts of the same kind and constituting the same conduct as those referred to originally

   (Art. 258 TFEU)

2. Actions for failure to fulfil obligations – Application initiating proceedings – Statement of complaints and pleas in law – Formal requirements – Identification of specific complaints – Objection of inadmissibility based on the lack of precision regarding the scope of the obligations stemming from EU law – Question concerning the substance of the case – Rejection of the objection of inadmissibility

   (Art. 258 TFEU; Statute of the Court of Justice, Art. 21; Rules of Procedure of the Court of Justice, Art. 120(c); Council Directive 92/43, as amended by Directive 2013/17, Art. 6(2))

   (see paragraphs 51, 52)

3. Environment – Conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora – Directive 92/43 – Special areas of conservation – Obligations of the Member States – Obligation to avoid the deterioration of natural habitats and species’ habitats – Failure to fulfil obligations – Burden of proof borne by the Commission – Scope – Not necessary to establish the existence of a cause-and-effect relationship between the action or inaction of the Member State and a deterioration or significant disturbance caused to the habitats or species

   (Council Directive 92/43, as amended by Directive 2013/17, Art. 6(2) and Annex I)

   (see paragraphs 83-97, 102-106, 110-117)

4. Environment – Conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora – Directive 92/43 – Special areas of conservation – Obligations of the Member States – Transmission to the Commission of a list of sites indicating the natural habitat types and the sites of Community importance justifying the designation of special areas of conservation – Scope – No obligation regularly to update the data submitted

   (Council Directive 92/43, as amended by Directive 2013/17, Arts 2 to 4(1), second subpara., 9 and 17; Commission Decision 2011/484, recital 4)

   (see paragraphs 131-142)

See the text of the decision.