1. On 23 October 2016, the complainant sent an infringement complaint to the European Commission concerning the implementation of the Habitats Directive by Slovakia. As the Commission did not inform the complainant of its final assessment of the complaint, the complainant turned to the European Ombudsman, on 28 September 2018.

2. The Ombudsman’s inquiry team contacted the European Commission. The European Commission then replied to the complainant on 30 November 2018. It said that, in its view, Slovakia breached EU law in relation to the designation of the borders of the protected site Petrklín and that it would include this issue in its ongoing infringement procedure against Slovakia concerning the list of proposed Sites of Community Importance.

3. As the Commission has now informed the complainant of its assessment and of the further steps it intends to take, this complaint is resolved^[1] and I have decided to close the case^[2].

 

Marta Hirsch-Ziembińska

Head of Inquiries and ICT - Unit

Strasbourg, 10/04/2019

 

[1] If the complainant considers that the institution’s reply is not satisfactory, it is open to it to make a new complaint to the Ombudsman.

[2] This complaint has been dealt with under delegated case handling, in accordance with Article 11 of the Decision of the European Ombudsman adopting Implementing Provisions