Portugal has been fined €10 million by the European Union’s highest court for failing to adequately protect biodiversity under EU environmental laws, marking one of the bloc’s strongest enforcement actions against a member state for non-compliance with conservation regulations. The ruling, delivered by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), also requires Portugal to pay a daily penalty of €41,250 until it fully implements the required environmental protections.
The court said the penalty was imposed after Lisbon failed to comply with a previous judgment issued in 2019, which had directed the country to designate certain environmentally significant areas as protected conservation sites under the EU’s Habitats Directive. According to the ruling, Portugal continued to fall short of its obligations for several years despite repeated warnings from the European Commission, which had brought the case before the court.
Judges described Portugal’s failure to act as a “serious infringement” of EU environmental law. The court said the financial penalty was necessary to encourage the country to swiftly remedy the violations and ensure compliance with conservation rules that are meant to safeguard rare ecosystems and species across the European Union.
The daily fine is calculated at €750 for each of the 55 ecological sites that the court said still lack adequate protection. The amount will gradually decrease if Portugal begins designating these areas as special conservation zones and introduces appropriate management measures. The court emphasised that the penalty reflects both the duration of the violation and Portugal’s capacity to pay the fine.
The case stems from long-standing concerns over Portugal’s failure to implement the EU Habitats Directive, a key piece of legislation aimed at protecting Europe’s biodiversity. Under the directive, member states are required to identify and designate “special areas of conservation” within six years after they are listed as sites of community importance. These areas must then be managed to ensure the protection of habitats and species considered significant for Europe’s ecological heritage.
Portugal had originally been found in breach of these obligations in 2019, when the EU court ruled that the country had failed to designate dozens of sites for protection across both Atlantic and Mediterranean biodiversity regions. The ruling highlighted shortcomings in Portugal’s environmental governance, particularly its inability to adopt conservation measures for critical ecosystems despite EU legal requirements.
Many of the areas in question include ecologically sensitive landscapes such as Peneda-Gerês, Portugal’s only national park, along with Litoral Norte Natural Park and important river ecosystems including the Minho and Lima rivers. Other sites include Valongo, known for rare fern species and the habitat of the golden-striped salamander, as well as the Serra d’Arga mountain range and the Corno do Bico protected landscape.
The European Commission has been attempting for years to compel Portugal to fulfil its conservation obligations, arguing that the country’s rich biodiversity is an important part of Europe’s natural heritage. According to the court, Portugal hosts at least 99 habitat types and 335 species protected under the EU Habitats Directive, making effective conservation measures especially critical.
Responding to the judgment, a spokesperson for the Portuguese government acknowledged that the dispute had been ongoing for decades and had spanned multiple administrations. However, officials said the government launched an “intensive legislative process” last year aimed at accelerating the designation of protected areas and approving management plans for conservation zones.
Environmental advocates say the ruling underscores the EU’s increasing willingness to impose financial penalties on member states that fail to enforce environmental laws. The decision also highlights the growing urgency of protecting ecosystems across Europe as biodiversity loss and habitat degradation continue to threaten wildlife and natural landscapes across the continent.
