Habitats and Birds Directives
Advocate General Kokott issued an opinion last week indicating that Italy had breached the Habitats and Birds Directives by authorising developments at a ski resort that resulted in the destruction of habitats designated as special protection areas under the legislation.
In particular, the natural habitats of the black grouse were destroyed by the development. The authorisation for the development was granted without an adequate assessment of its potential impact, and the alternatives to the development were not examined properly.
The case is available in French at the following link.