Germany a new action before the European court of justice threatens. Brussels accuses the Federal States, to manage protected areas bad.

In the bird protection area "Large bog" collected in lower Saxony, rare birds such as blueberry Chen photo: Imago Images / BIA

BERLIN taz | While the environment Secretary of state Jochen Flasbarth in India with the local government and civil society on the protection of global biodiversity, advises, life, Germany, home of blue letters from Brussels. The EU Commission criticises the Federal Republic of Germany is implementing the requirements for the conservation of nature.

In a "reasoned opinion" is the name of it, for the nature conservation Natura 2000 areas lacked sufficient goals, detailed and measurable Protection. In addition, six countries have violated the Transparency requirements; therefore, you inform the Public sufficiently about what is allowed in the Natura 2000 areas, and what is not, and how they should develop. The Commission criticized how the 4.606 German protected areas will be managed, and looks to have a serious impact on the quality and effectiveness of protection measures.

Natura 2000 areas in Europe a network of habitats for endangered wild animals and plants. Legal basis the FFH-Directive (Flora-Fauna-Habitat) is.

a "reasoned opinion" to the Commission, the Federal government must respond within the next two months and explain how the grievances, wants to eliminate. You have not convinced the Commission is in danger of being another of the proceedings before the European court of justice (ECJ), as in the case of high Nitrate levels in the groundwater, in which Germany was condemned, and still seeking solutions to them.

"the fact That Germany is responsible for this in the case of Natura 2000 for years, is well-known," says the agricultural policy spokesman of the Greens in the European Parliament, the government and the country tried to the issue and sit it out, because they wanted to avoid Trouble with farmers and forest owners.

"national parks are not to be used economically"

According to Markus Wessel, head of nature policy at the Federal environment and nature conservation (BUND), to put the competent länder, regions, the EU requirements are quite different. "Wherever staff for Natura 2000 was established, and it is in the country clear and sufficient financial resources to put under responsibilities there, it runs better than it used to, so for example in Thuringia or Baden-Württemberg," says Wessel. "Where the States have delegated the responsibilities without the support of the local authorities, the nature conservation often down the drain," says Wessel.

According to a report by the Federal Ministry of environment by the summer of 2019, on the status of species and habitats protected under the habitats Directive of the EU, there are problems, especially in the agricultural areas. They were "mostly in a bad state," wrote the Ministry.

Diana Pretzell, the nature conservation organisation WWF, is responsible for biodiversity policy, calls for: We need a plan of action for our protection areas: "you are the silverware of our nature, for we bear the responsibility." In national parks and core zones of biosphere reserves, the economic exploitation must stop, in other habitats areas, such as heathland, a the necessary management take place, such as grazing by sheep. It is important that pesticides in protected areas in the future would no longer be used, so Pretzell.

Meanwhile, Berlin is expected in terms of nature conservation already in new Trouble. The particularly sensitive "types of country" rich green in this country is threatened in such a way that the EU Commission has asked the Federal government in an alarmed letter to clarify how the state of the "lean hay Meadows and mountain hay Meadows" should be improved; the level of escalation is the "reasoned opinion".