Introduction

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1. Introduction

Article 6 in Context

.. P       H D  

B D       

BeforeaddressingArticle6indetail,itisworthrecallingitsplacewithintheoverallschemeofDirective

92/43/EEC5(hereinaerreferredtoastheHabitatsDirective)aswellasthatofDirective2009/147/EC6

(hereinaer referred to as the Birds Directive) and its relationship with a wider legal context.

The f‌irst chapter of the Habitats Directive, comprising Articles 1 and 2, is entitled ‘Def‌initions’. It sets out

the aim of the Directive which is to ‘contribute towards ensuring bio-diversity through the conservation

of natural habitats and of wild fauna and f‌lora in the European territory of the Member States to which

the Treaty applies’7. It also provides a general orientation for the implementation of the Directive,

referring to the need for all measures taken pursuant to it to be designed to maintain or restore

certain habitats and species ‘at favourable conservation status’8, while, at the same time, referring to

the need for measures taken pursuant to the Directive to ‘take account of economic, social and cultural

requirements and regional and local characteristics’9.

The main specif‌ic requirements of the Habitats Directive are grouped under the two subsequent

chapters. The f‌irst is entitled ‘Conservation of natural habitats and habitats of species’ and comprises

Articles3to11.Thesecondisentitled‘ProtectionofSpecies’andcomprisesArticles12to16.

The ‘Conservation of natural habitats and habitats of species’ chapter addresses the establishment

and conservation of sites designated for habitat types and species of Community interest listed in

Annexes I and II to the Directive. These sites, along with sites classif‌ied under the Birds Directive,

formtheNatura2000 network(Article3(1)).Withinthischapter,Article6containsprovisionswhich

governtheconservationandmanagementofNatura2000sites.Seeninthiscontext,Article6isone

of the most important of the 24 articles of the Directive, being the one which most determines the

relationship between conservation and other socioeconomic activities.

Thearticlehasthreemainsetsofprovisions.Article6(1)dealswiththeestablishmentofthenecessary

conservation measures, and focuses on positive and proactive measures to maintain or restore

the natural habitats and the populations of species of wild fauna and f‌lora at a favourable status.

Article6(2)makesprovisionforavoidanceofhabitatdeteriorationandsignicantspeciesdisturbance.

5OJL206,22.7.92,p.7.

6OJL27,26.1.2010,p7,directiverepealingDirective79/409/EEC.

7Article2(1).

8 Article 2(2). The term ‘Favourable Conservation Status’ is def‌ined in Article 1(e) and 1(i) and refers to the conservation status of the species or

habitat types of Community interest across their natural range within the EU.

9 Article 2(3).