Austrian organisation International Friends of Nature reported that since the end of June 2007 the European Commission (EC) has taken numerous European Union (EU) member states to the European Court of Justice for failing to respect EU environmental law, after they first ignored written warnings. Germany, Austria and Poland are being taken to the European Court of Justice for failing to implement the EU Birds Directive for Natura 2000 environmental network of sites. The EC said those countries have not designated sufficient special protection areas.

Meanwhile, eight of the 10 member states that joined the EU in 2004 are each being sent their first warnings over failure to implement the Birds Directive. This means that all but Estonia of the EU-10 are in legal trouble over bird protection. In addition, the EC sent an initial warning letter to Cyprus for not complying with the Birds Directive hunting provisions, it has already sent the same to Malta.

Back in Bulgaria, on August 9 the citizens protesting for full implementation of Bulgaria’s Natura 2000 network stood in front of the Cabinet building during the ministers’ weekly session. The environmentalists insist on protection of the sites that are currently in part of the Natura 2000 area in Bulgaria, and of those postponed for inclusion until October 2007.