Failure to assess impact of wind farms raises EC’s ire
The European Commission announced Wednesday it would initiate infringement procedures against Greece for insufficiently examining the impact of wind farms.
According to the announcement, the Commission has decided to reopen the issue after almost a decade. Greece is accused of failing to comply with the Habitats Directive when siting wind farms, which requires all plans and projects likely to have a significant impact on Natura 2000 sites to undergo an appropriate impact assessment.
It said the existing plan for renewable energy was adopted without an impact assessment, which means the projects are being approved in noncompliance with EU legislation.
“The Commission has decided to issue a reasoned opinion to Greece, which now has two months to respond and take the necessary measures. Otherwise, the Commission may decide to refer the case to the Court of Justice of the European Union,” it said.
