An issue that has been widely occupied by the public sphere in our country in recent years is the issue of zoning. wind farms within or near protected areas, decide to (re)open h European Commission. Yesterday the country was sent a reasoned opinion on non-compliance with Community legislation and was given a period of two months before the country is referred to the European Court of Justice. This development is expected to set off a chain reaction as the creation of a new zoning system for renewable energy sources dragged on, while the authorities have been repeatedly accused by environmental organizations and agencies across the country of “unreservedly” facilitating the creation of new wind farms, even in extremely sensitive environmental areas.

According to an announcement yesterday, the European Commission has decided to reopen the issue after almost a decade (the warning letter was sent in 2014). Greece is condemned for not complying with the Habitat Directive when siting wind farms, according to which all plans and projects can have a significant impact on the environment. Natura 2000 territories they must undergo a proper impact assessment. “The existing plan for renewable energy called “Special Spatial Planning and Sustainability Framework for Renewable Energy” was approved without prior impact assessment. This means that projects are being approved on the basis of a plan that is not in line with EU law,” the commission said in a statement yesterday.

“The Commission sent a warning letter to Greece in July 2014. Since then, the plan has not yet been reviewed or subjected to an appropriate impact assessment, as required by the Habitat Directive. Despite the Commission’s offer of technical support, the project review process has not yet been completed. Therefore, the Commission decided to send an informed opinion to Greece, which now has two months to react and take the necessary measures. Otherwise, the Commission may decide to refer the case to the Court of Justice of the European Union,” he concludes.

Greece has two months to take the necessary measures and comply with the Community Directive.

This development occurs as a result of many different complaints. First, the conservation organization WWF recently sent a letter to the Commission requesting that Greece be referred to the European Court of Justice for insufficient protection of Natura 2000 territories. Fragmentation of Natura territories in favor of zoning development activities. As well as various complaints from local organizations about the placement of many new wind farms in protected areas. Also in 2020, the Hellenic Ornithological Society, along with other organizations, reported to the European Commission a systematic violation of EU law regarding the licensing and installation of wind farms. The Commission pointed out not only the lack of a new institutional framework for the placement of renewable energy sources, but also the imperfect application of the legislation on the “proper assessment” of the environmental impact, the status of which our country deliberately underestimated.

However, sources at the Ministry of the Environment yesterday noted that a new special zoning for renewable energy should be considered within the next month, while it is believed that in this way the issue will be closed before the Commission.

Two more cases

At the same time, the Commission initiated the procedure for violation of Community legislation by our country (sending a warning letter) in two more cases. Because it did not comply with the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, according to which it was supposed to complete and submit programs of measures for the protection of the seas and the sustainable management of their resources by the spring of 2022. And because it did not complete the review of both flood risk management plans and river basin management plans.