The Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and wild fauna and flora (FFH-Directive) as well as the Directive for Conservation of Wild Birds bind the Member States to preserve the biological diversity by setting up a coherent European ecological network of special protection areas and establish respective conservation measures.

Further the FFH- Directive determines that any plan and project likely to have a significant effect on such sites, either individually or in combination with other plans or projects, shall be subject to appropriate assessment of its implications for the sites in view of the site´s conservation objectives.