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Council Directive 92/43/EECShow full title

Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora

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EU Directives are published on this site to aid cross referencing from UK legislation. Since IP completion day (31 December 2020 11.00 p.m.) no amendments have been applied to this version.

  1. Introductory Text

  2. Definitions

    1. Article 1.For the purpose of this Directive: conservation means a series...

    2. Article 2.(1) The aim of this Directive shall be to contribute...

  3. Conservation of natural habitats and habitats of species

    1. Article 3.(1) A coherent European ecological network of special areas of...

    2. Article 4.(1) On the basis of the criteria set out in...

    3. Article 5.(1) In exceptional cases where the Commission finds that a...

    4. Article 6.(1) For special areas of conservation, Member States shall establish...

    5. Article 7.Obligations arising under Article 6 (2), (3) and (4) of...

    6. Article 8.(1) In parallel with their proposals for sites eligible for...

    7. Article 9.The Commission, acting in accordance with the procedure laid down...

    8. Article 10.Member States shall endeavour, where they consider it necessary, in...

    9. Article 11.Member States shall undertake surveillance of the conservation status of...

  4. Protection of species

    1. Article 12.(1) Member States shall take the requisite measures to establish...

    2. Article 13.(1) Member States shall take the requisite measures to establish...

    3. Article 14.(1) If, in the light of the surveillance provided for...

    4. Article 15.In respect of the capture or killing of species of...

    5. Article 16.(1) Provided that there is no satisfactory alternative and the...

  5. Information

    1. Article 17.(1) Every six years from the date of expiry of...

  6. Research

    1. Article 18.(1) Member States and the Commission shall encourage the necessary...

  7. Procedure for amending the Annexes

    1. Article 19.Such amendments as are necessary for adapting Annexes I, II,...

  8. Committee

    1. Article 20.The Commission shall be assisted by a committee.

    2. Article 21.(1) Where reference is made to this Article, Articles 5...

  9. Supplementary provisions

    1. Article 22.In implementing the provisions of this Directive, Member States shall:...

  10. Final provisions

    1. Article 23.(1) Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations...

    2. Article 24.This Directive is addressed to the Member States.

    1. ANNEX I

      NATURAL HABITAT TYPES OF COMMUNITY INTEREST WHOSE CONSERVATION REQUIRES THE DESIGNATION OF SPECIAL AREAS OF CONSERVATION

      1. Interpretation

      2. 1. COASTAL AND HALOPHYTIC HABITATS

        1. 11. Open sea and tidal areas

        2. 12. Sea cliffs and shingle or stony beaches

        3. 13. Atlantic and continental salt marshes and salt meadows

        4. 14. Mediterranean and thermo-Atlantic salt marshes and salt meadows

        5. 15. Salt and gypsum inland steppes

        6. 16. Boreal Baltic archipelago, coastal and landupheaval areas

      3. 2. COASTAL SAND DUNES AND INLAND DUNES

        1. 21. Sea dunes of the Atlantic, North Sea and Baltic coasts...

        2. 22. Sea dunes of the Mediterranean coast

        3. 23. Inland dunes, old and decalcified

      4. 3. FRESHWATER HABITATS

        1. 31. Standing water

        2. 32. Running water — sections of water courses with natural or...

      5. 4. TEMPERATE HEATH AND SCRUB

      6. 5. SCLEROPHYLLOUS SCRUB (MATORRAL)

        1. 51. Sub-Mediterranean and temperate scrub

        2. 52. Mediterranean arborescent matorral

        3. 53. Thermo-Mediterranean and pre-steppe brush

        4. 54. Phrygana

      7. 6. NATURAL AND SEMI-NATURAL GRASSLAND FORMATIONS

        1. 61. Natural grasslands

        2. 62. Semi-natural dry grasslands and scrubland facies

        3. 63. Sclerophillous grazed forests (dehesas)

        4. 64. Semi-natural tall-herb humid meadows

        5. 65. Mesophile grasslands

      8. 7. RAISED BOGS AND MIRES AND FENS

        1. 71. Sphagnum acid bogs

        2. 72. Calcareous fens

        3. 73. Boreal mires

      9. 8. ROCKY HABITATS AND CAVES

        1. 81. Scree

        2. 82. Rocky slopes with chasmophytic vegetation

        3. 83. Other rocky habitats

      10. 9. FORESTS

        1. 90. Forests of Boreal Europe

        2. 91. Forests of Temperate Europe

        3. 92. Mediterranean deciduous forests

        4. 93. Mediterranean sclerophyllous forests

        5. 94. Temperate mountainous coniferous forests

        6. 95. Mediterranean and Macaronesian mountainous coniferous forests

    2. ANNEX II

      ANIMAL AND PLANT SPECIES OF COMMUNITY INTEREST WHOSE CONSERVATION REQUIRES THE DESIGNATION OF SPECIAL AREAS OF CONSERVATION

      1. Interpretation

        1. (a) Annex II follows on from Annex I for the establishment...

        2. (b) The species listed in this Annex are indicated:

        3. (c) Symbols

      2. (a) ANIMALS

        1. VERTEBRATES

          1. MAMMALS

            1. INSECTIVORA

              1. Talpidae

            2. CHIROPTERA

              1. Rhinolophidae

              2. Vespertilionidae

              3. Pteropodidae

            3. RODENTIA

              1. Gliridae

              2. Sciuridae

              3. Castoridae

              4. Cricetidae

              5. Microtidae

              6. Zapodidae

            4. CARNIVORA

              1. Canidae

              2. Ursidae

              3. Mustelidae

              4. Felidae

              5. Phocidae

            5. ARTIODACTYLA

              1. Cervidae

              2. Bovidae

            6. CETACEA

          2. REPTILES

            1. CHELONIA (TESTUDINES)

              1. Testudinidae

              2. Cheloniidae

              3. Emydidae

            2. SAURIA

              1. Lacertidae

              2. Scincidae

              3. Gekkonidae

            3. OPHIDIA (SERPENTES)

              1. Colubridae

              2. Viperidae

          3. AMPHIBIANS

            1. CAUDATA

              1. Salamandridae

              2. Proteidae

              3. Plethodontidae

            2. ANURA

              1. Discoglossidae

              2. Ranidae

              3. Pelobatidae

          4. FISH

            1. PETROMYZONIFORMES

              1. Petromyzonidae

            2. ACIPENSERIFORMES

              1. Acipenseridae

            3. CLUPEIFORMES

              1. Clupeidae

            4. SALMONIFORMES

              1. Salmonidae

              2. Coregonidae

              3. Umbridae

            5. CYPRINIFORMES

              1. Cyprinidae

              2. Cobitidae

            6. SILURIFORMES

              1. Siluridae

            7. ATHERINIFORMES

              1. Cyprinodontidae

            8. PERCIFORMES

              1. Percidae

              2. Gobiidae

            9. SCORPAENIFORMES

              1. Cottidae

        2. INVERTEBRATES

          1. ARTHROPODS

            1. CRUSTACEA

              1. Decapoda

              2. Isopoda

            2. INSECTA

              1. Coleoptera

              2. Hemiptera

              3. Lepidoptera

              4. Mantodea

              5. Odonata

              6. Orthoptera

            3. ARACHNIDA

              1. Pseudoscorpiones

          2. MOLLUSCS

            1. GASTROPODA

            2. BIVALVIA

              1. Unionoida

              2. Dreissenidae

      3. (b) PLANTS

        1. PTERIDOPHYTA

          1. ASPLENIACEAE

          2. BLECHNACEAE

          3. DICKSONIACEAE

          4. DRYOPTERIDACEAE

          5. HYMENOPHYLLACEAE

          6. ISOETACEAE

          7. MARSILEACEAE

          8. OPHIOGLOSSACEAE

        2. GYMNOSPERMAE

          1. PINACEAE

        3. ANGIOSPERMAE

          1. ALISMATACEAE

          2. AMARYLLIDACEAE

          3. ASCLEPIADACEAE

          4. BORAGINACEAE

          5. CAMPANULACEAE

          6. CARYOPHYLLACEAE

          7. CHENOPODIACEAE

          8. CISTACEAE

          9. COMPOSITAE

          10. CONVOLVULACEAE

          11. CRUCIFERAE

          12. CYPERACEAE

          13. DIOSCOREACEAE

          14. DROSERACEAE

          15. ELATINACEAE

          16. ERICACEAE

          17. EUPHORBIACEAE

          18. GENTIANACEAE

          19. GERANIACEAE

          20. GLOBULARIACEAE

          21. GRAMINEAE

          22. GROSSULARIACEAE

          23. HIPPURIDACEAE

          24. HYPERICACEAE

          25. IRIDACEAE

          26. JUNCACEAE

          27. LABIATAE

          28. LEGUMINOSAE

          29. LENTIBULARIACEAE

          30. LILIACEAE

          31. LINACEAE

          32. LYTHRACEAE

          33. MALVACEAE

          34. NAJADACEAE

          35. OLEACEAE

          36. ORCHIDACEAE

          37. OROBANCHACEAE

          38. PAEONIACEAE

          39. PALMAE

          40. PAPAVERACEAE

          41. PLANTAGINACEAE

          42. PLUMBAGINACEAE

          43. POLYGONACEAE

          44. PRIMULACEAE

          45. RANUNCULACEAE

          46. RESEDACEAE

          47. ROSACEAE

          48. RUBIACEAE

          49. SALICACEAE

          50. SANTALACEAE

          51. SAXIFRAGACEAE

          52. SCROPHULARIACEAE

          53. SOLANACEAE

          54. THYMELAEACEAE

          55. ULMACEAE

          56. UMBELLIFERAE

          57. VALERIANACEAE

          58. VIOLACEAE

        4. LOWER PLANTS

          1. BRYOPHYTA

        5. SPECIES FOR MACARONESIA

          1. PTERIDOPHYTA

            1. HYMENOPHYLLACEAE

            2. DRYOPTERIDACEAE

            3. ISOETACEAE

            4. MARSILEACEAE

          2. ANGIOSPERMAE

            1. ASCLEPIADACEAE

            2. BORAGINACEAE

            3. CAMPANULACEAE

            4. CAPRIFOLIACEAE

            5. CARYOPHYLLACEAE

            6. CELASTRACEAE

            7. CHENOPODIACEAE

            8. CISTACEAE

            9. COMPOSITAE

            10. CONVOLVULACEAE

            11. CRASSULACEAE

            12. CRUCIFERAE

            13. CYPERACEAE

            14. DIPSACACEAE

            15. ERICACEAE

            16. EUPHORBIACEAE

            17. GERANIACEAE

            18. GRAMINEAE

            19. GLOBULARIACEAE

            20. LABIATAE

            21. LEGUMINOSAE

            22. LILIACEAE

            23. LORANTHACEAE

            24. MYRICACEAE

            25. OLEACEAE

            26. ORCHIDACEAE

            27. PITTOSPORACEAE

            28. PLANTAGINACEAE

            29. PLUMBAGINACEAE

            30. POLYGONACEAE

            31. RHAMNACEAE

            32. ROSACEAE

            33. SANTALACEAE

            34. SCROPHULARIACEAE

            35. SOLANACEAE

            36. UMBELLIFERAE

            37. VIOLACEAE

        6. LOWER PLANTS

          1. BRYOPHYTA

    3. ANNEX III

      CRITERIA FOR SELECTING SITES ELIGIBLE FOR IDENTIFICATION AS SITES OF COMMUNITY IMPORTANCE AND DESIGNATION AS SPECIAL AREAS OF CONSERVATION

      1. STAGE 1: Assessment at national level of the relative importance of sites...

        1. A. Site assessment criteria for a given natural habitat type in...

        2. B. Site assessment criteria for a given species in Annex II...

        3. C. On the basis of these criteria, Member States will classify...

        4. D. That list will show the sites containing the priority natural...

      2. STAGE 2: Assessment of the Community importance of the sites included on...

        1. 1. All the sites identified by the Member States in Stage...

        2. 2. The assessment of the Community importance of other sites on...

    4. ANNEX IV

      ANIMAL AND PLANT SPECIES OF COMMUNITY INTEREST IN NEED OF STRICT PROTECTION

      1. The species listed in this Annex are indicated:

      2. by the name of species or subspecies, or by the...

      3. The abbreviation ‘ spp. ’ after the name of a...

      4. (a) ANIMALS

        1. VERTEBRATES

          1. MAMMALS

            1. INSECTIVORA

              1. Erinaceidae

              2. Soricidae

              3. Talpidae

            2. MICROCHIROPTERA

              1. All species

            3. MEGACHIROPTERA

              1. Pteropodidae

            4. RODENTIA

              1. Gliridae

              2. Sciuridae

              3. Castoridae

              4. Cricetidae

              5. Microtidae

              6. Zapodidae

              7. Hystricidae

            5. CARNIVORA

              1. Canidae

              2. Ursidae

              3. Mustelidae

              4. Felidae

              5. Phocidae

            6. ARTIODACTYLA

              1. Cervidae

              2. Bovidae

            7. CETACEA

              1. All species

          2. REPTILES

            1. TESTUDINATA

              1. Testudinidae

              2. Cheloniidae

              3. Dermochelyidae

              4. Emydidae

            2. SAURIA

              1. Lacertidae

              2. Scincidae

              3. Gekkonidae

              4. Agamidae

              5. Chamaeleontidae

              6. Anguidae

            3. OPHIDIA

              1. Colubridae

              2. Viperidae

              3. Boidae

          3. AMPHIBIANS

            1. CAUDATA

              1. Salamandridae

              2. Proteidae

              3. Plethodontidae

            2. ANURA

              1. Discoglossidae

              2. Ranidae

              3. Pelobatidae

              4. Bufonidae

              5. Hylidae

          4. FISH

            1. ACIPENSERIFORMES

              1. Acipenseridae

            2. SALMONIFORMES

              1. Coregonidae

            3. CYPRINIFORMES

              1. Cyprinidae

            4. ATHERINIFORMES

              1. Cyprinodontidae

            5. PERCIFORMES

              1. Percidae

        2. INVERTEBRATES

          1. ARTHROPODS

            1. CRUSTACEA

              1. Isopoda

            2. INSECTA

              1. Coleoptera

              2. Lepidoptera

              3. Mantodea

              4. Odonata

              5. Orthoptera

            3. ARACHNIDA

              1. Araneae

          2. MOLLUSCS

            1. GASTROPODA

            2. BIVALVIA

              1. Anisomyaria

              2. Unionoida

              3. Dreissenidae

            3. ECHINODERMATA

              1. Echinoidea

      5. (b) PLANTS

        1. PTERIDOPHYTA

          1. ASPLENIACEAE

        2. ANGIOSPERMAE

          1. AGAVACEAE

          2. AMARYLLIDACEAE

          3. BERBERIDACEAE

          4. CAMPANULACEAE

          5. CARYOPHYLLACEAE

          6. COMPOSITAE

          7. CRUCIFERAE

          8. EUPHORBIACEAE

          9. GESNERIACEAE

          10. IRIDACEAE

          11. LABIATAE

          12. LILIACEAE

          13. ORCHIDACEAE

          14. PRIMULACEAE

          15. RANUNCULACEAE

          16. SAPOTACEAE

          17. SAXIFRAGACEAE

          18. SCROPHULARIACEAE

          19. SOLANACEAE

          20. THYMELAEACEAE

          21. UMBELLIFERAE

          22. VIOLACEAE

    5. ANNEX V

      ANIMAL AND PLANT SPECIES OF COMMUNITY INTEREST WHOSE TAKING IN THE WILD AND EXPLOITATION MAY BE SUBJECT TO MANAGEMENT MEASURES

      1. The species listed in this Annex are indicated:

      2. by the name of the species or subspecies, or by...

      3. The abbreviation ‘ spp. ’ after the name of a...

      4. (a) ANIMALS

        1. VERTEBRATES

          1. MAMMALS

            1. RODENTIA

            2. CARNIVORA

            3. DUPLICIDENTATA

            4. ARTIODACTYLA

          2. AMPHIBIANS

            1. ANURA

          3. FISH

            1. PETROMYZONIFORMES

            2. ACIPENSERIFORMES

            3. CLUPEIFORMES

            4. SALMONIFORMES

            5. CYPRINIFORMES

            6. SILURIFORMES

            7. PERCIFORMES

        2. INVERTEBRATES

          1. COELENTERATA

            1. CNIDARIA

          2. MOLLUSCA

            1. GASTROPODA — STYLOMMATOPHORA

            2. BIVALVIA — UNIONOIDA

          3. ANNELIDA

            1. HIRUDINOIDEA — ARHYNCHOBDELLAE

          4. ARTHROPODA

            1. CRUSTACEA — DECAPODA

            2. INSECTA — LEPIDOPTERA

      5. (b) PLANTS

        1. ALGAE

          1. RHODOPHYTA CORALLINACEAE

        2. LICHENES

          1. CLADONIACEAE

        3. BRYOPHYTA

          1. MUSCI LEUCOBRYACEAE

          2. SPHAGNACEAE

        4. PTERIDOPHYTA

        5. ANGIOSPERMAE

          1. AMARYLLIDACEAE

          2. COMPOSITAE

          3. CRUCIFERAE

          4. GENTIANACEAE

          5. IRIDACEAE

          6. LABIATAE

          7. LEGUMINOSAE

          8. LILIACEAE

          9. PLUMBAGINACEAE

          10. ROSACEAE

          11. SCROPHULARIACEAE

    6. ANNEX VI

      PROHIBITED METHODS AND MEANS OF CAPTURE AND KILLING AND MODES OF TRANSPORT

      1. (a) Non-selective means

        1. MAMMALS

        2. FISH

      2. (b) Modes of transport

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