The Habitats Directive (Dir. N. 92/ 43/ CEE) pertinent to the “Conservation of natural habitats and wild flora and fauna” , adopted by the Council of European Communities on 21st May 1992, aims to:

- Contribute to the conservation of biodiversity through the conservation of natural habitats, wild flora and fauna in the European territory of the member States members in which the Directive is applied.

- Assure the conservation or the restoration, in satisfactory conditions of conservation, of the natural habitats and of the species of wild fauna and flora of community interest.


The Habitats Directive identifies the list of habitats of community importance (Annex I) and the species of community importance (Annex II) and, among them, identifies those considered “priorities”. The essential instrument for this conservation activity is the designation of Zones of Special Conservation (ZSC) in the sites identified by the member states as Sites of Community Importance (SCI), according to the criteria of selection established in Annex III. The member states are required to adopt all the necessary actions to guarantee the conservation of the ZSC habitats (which, with the ZPS of the “Bird Directive”, contribute to form the “Network Nature 2000”) and to limit their degradation.

The Directive foresees, apart from the rigorous protection of the species in Annex IV, the prohibition of hunting, capture and arrest. The species in Annex V can be extracted depending on the rules of each state.

Among the species of community importance, in the Annex of the Habitat Directive we find Dianthus rupicola (© 2005 DBUC); Calcareous screes with chasmophytic vegetation they are indicated as habitats of community importance in the Annex (© 2005 Mònica Casanovas - IJBB).

On May 1st 2004, ten new states entered to the European Union. The wealth of their natural heritage favours the accomplishment of the objectives established by the UE on biodiversity conservation and, especially, on the Network/Net Nature 2000. With these adhesions, the community area has increased by 58% (with a total of 3.976.952 km2) and has gained in species and in habitats that did not exist in other parts of the UE; the Annexes of the Habitats Directive have been modified as a result. link