Filenews 16 June 2021 - by Angelos Nikolaou
Faced with two new procedures for infringement of EU law for the protection and management of nature and biodiversity, the Republic of Cyprus.
The Federation of Environmental Organisations of Cyprus (OPOK) is talking about systemic challenges for the protection and management of nature and biodiversity in Cyprus, due to the inadequate application of the Habitats and Birds Conservation Directives, as well as the Regulation on the prevention and management of the introduction and spread of invasive alien species.
OPEC is deeply concerned that the European Commission has initiated two new procedures for infringement of EU law on nature protection and management. The two new infringement procedures concern the incorrect application of Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992, on the conservation of natural habitats as well as of wild fauna and flora (Habitats Directive), Directive 2009/147/EC (formerly Directive 79/409/EEC) of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009 on the conservation of wild birds (Birds Directive), and Regulation (EU) No 1782/2003 1143/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 October 2014 on the prevention and management of the introduction and spread of invasive alien species.
Especially with regard to the poor implementation of the Habitats and Birds Directives, OPOK points out that the Republic of Cyprus is now faced with three existing infringement procedures, concerning the inadequate definition of the Natura 2000 Network, as well as the inadequate protection and management of Natura 2000 areas.
The systemic challenges – i.e. the serious, timeless, recurring and/or generalised gaps and problems – facing Cyprus in terms of nature protection and management are:
- Inadequate definition of the land and sea areas of the Natura 2000 Network.
- Inadequate submission to An Appropriate Impact Assessment (Special Ecological Assessment) of several projects and projects.
- The failure to establish a legally binding regime for the protection and management of Natura 2000 areas through the adoption of the necessary decrees.
OPOK recommends the implementation of a series of measures to address the important challenges for the protection and management of nature and biodiversity currently facing the Republic of Cyprus:
- Completion of the process of defining protected areas and integrating them into the Natura 2000 Network.
- Completion of the process of declaring all Sites of Community Importance in Special Conservation Zones.
- Establish conservation objectives and management measures for all Special Conservation Zones and Special Protection Zones.
- Make sufficient resources, human and financial, available to achieve the necessary conservation objectives and management measures, as well as to enforce the applicable rules within protected areas, including through systematic checks and the imposition of appropriate fines.
- Organisation of a wide-ranging awareness-raising campaign for stakeholders and the general public on the Natura 2000 Network and its ecosystem services.
- Continue efforts to improve the Due Impact Assessment (Special Ecological Assessment) process, ensuring that all projects and projects likely to have significant impacts are subject to an appropriate, adequate and timely assessment, that the best available data are used and that consultations and decisions are transparent and accessible.
