EU Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC - Natura 2000 SAC Designation and Appropriate Assessment Framework

What EU Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC - Natura 2000 SAC Designation and Appropriate Assessment Framework requires

Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (Habitats Directive) is the cornerstone of EU nature conservation law, together with the Birds Directive (2009/147/EC). It requires Member States to designate Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) as part of the Natura 2000 ecological network. Any plan or project likely to have significant effects on a Natura 2000 site must undergo Appropriate Assessment (AA) under Article 6(3). The AA is only passed if the competent authority can ascertain that the plan or project will not adversely affect the site's integrity. Under Article 6(4), if adverse effects are confirmed, imperative reasons of overriding public interest (IROPI) may justify a derogation with compensatory measures.

Pillar: Sustainability & ESG · Authority: European Commission - DG Environment, Nature and Biodiversity · Version: 1.0.0 · Last updated: 2026-05-10

Primary source: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A31992L0043

SHA-256 integrity: 6f76ab2c23eaf2db8cb8faf4d32e4cae910d9ae4d0d09ebac5687324826ab36a

Primary Citations — 7 traced to source

• Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p.7) - Art.3 Natura 2000 network, Art.6 conservation and protection of SACs, Art.12 strict species protection, Art.17 conservation status reporting
• Directive 2009/147/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the conservation of wild birds (Birds Directive, codified) - SPAs as part of Natura 2000; Art.4 SPA designation; complements Habitats Directive in forming Natura 2000 ecological network

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