Chapter 7 : expertise and Biodiversity: the environmental impactassessment in the context of natura 2000 network

Abstract

natura 2000 network, established by the habitats directive, states that “any planor project likely to have a significant effect on a natura 2000 site, shall undergoan appropriate assessment to determine its implications for the site”. thesafeguards set out in this article are triggered not by a certainty but by alikelihood of significant effects. the paradox clearly appears : the significantimplications of a project can be assessed only through an impact assessmentprocess. so the administration and the judge are asked, inevitably, to participateto the building of the definition of practical aspect of expertise.