The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has warned Poland that if the country doesn't\u00a0immediately cease its active forest management operations in the\u00a0Bia\u0142owie\u017ca Forest,\u00a0it will face penalties of at least \u20ac100,000 per day.<\/p>\n
Back in 2007, the\u00a0Natura 2000 Puszcza Bia\u0142owieska site was designated by the EU Commission as\u00a0a site of \u2018Community importance\u2019 due to the presence of natural habitats and the habitats of certain animal and bird species. That site is also a special protection area for
\nbirds under the Birds Directive.<\/p>\n
Moreover, the Bia\u0142owie\u017ca Forest is one of the best preserved natural forests\u00a0in Europe, characterized by large quantities of dead wood and ancient trees, some of which are\u00a0centuries old.<\/p>\n
In 2016, as a response to\u00a0an outbreak of Spruce Bark Beetle, the\u00a0Polish Minister for the Environment
\nauthorized an increase in logging in the Forest District of Bia\u0142owie\u017ca. Thus,\u00a034 000 hectares of dead trees and trees affected by the beetle infestation, were removed from the\u00a0total surface area of 63 147 hectares. Only that\u00a0the Commission, on 20 July 2017, brought an action against Poland for\u00a0failure to fulfill its obligations\u00a0under the Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive because of the negative\u00a0impact on the\u00a0maintenance of favourable conservation conditions for natural habitats<\/p>\n
On Monday, 20th of November, it ruled that the ban should stand until a final ruling on the substance of the case is delivered, which is expected at some point next year. However, it added that active forest management operations that are strictly necessary and proportionate in order to ensure public safety should be allowed to continue.<\/p>\n
Poland also has to\u00a0send the commission details of all measures that it has adopted in order to comply with the order within 15 days.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Now, the\u00a0Commission\u00a0argues that, subsequent to Poland being notified of the order of the Vice-President of the Court of\u00a027 July 2017 requiring that certain operations be temporarily suspended, those operations have\u00a0continued, in breach of the interim measures imposed.<\/p>\n
Poland\u2019s environmental ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent after working hours in Warsaw.<\/p>\n
Now, the ECJ is expected to rule on the substance of the case next year. The decision on interim measures does not prejudice the outcome of the main proceedings.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has warned Poland that if the country doesn’t\u00a0immediately cease its active forest management operations in the\u00a0Bia\u0142owie\u017ca Forest,\u00a0it will face penalties of at least \u20ac100,000 per day. Back in 2007, the\u00a0Natura 2000 Puszcza Bia\u0142owieska site … Continue reading