In a written answer on 16 July 2026, Environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall declined to intervene directly against a planned large-scale biogas plant in A Laracha, Galicia, instead referring opponents to national courts and reiterating that Spanish authorities bear responsibility for applying EU nature law. The answer, responding to a question from Greens/EFA MEP Ana Miranda Paz, signals that the Commission sees the case as an individual compliance matter rather than a systemic breach warranting EU enforcement action.
The plant, designed to treat 63,500 tonnes of waste annually to produce biomethane and organic fertiliser, has drawn public opposition over its location near the Río Anllóns Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and several population centres. The Stop Biogás A Laracha platform has organised protests, and the Galician nationalist party BNG has filed a complaint in the regional parliament. Galicia lacks specific legislation for large-scale biogas plants and ranks low in Natura 2000 coverage within Spain and the EU.
Roswall noted that under Articles 6(2) and 6(3) of the Habitats Directive, any project likely to significantly affect a Natura 2000 site must undergo an appropriate assessment and may only be authorised if it does not harm the site's integrity, subject to derogations under Article 6(4). She stressed that these obligations fall on the competent Spanish authorities, and that the Commission's role is to monitor implementation through strategic enforcement, including an ongoing infringement procedure (INFR(2015)2003) concerning the management of the Natura 2000 network in Spain. For individual cases like A Laracha, the Commission considers national legal remedies the most effective channel.
The answer contains no concrete proposals, deadlines, or new measures, but reaffirms the Commission's reliance on existing EU law and its preference for member state-level resolution of local disputes. Institutional follow-up is unlikely unless the Spanish authorities fail to apply the Habitats Directive in a systemic way, which would fall under the existing infringement procedure.
Local residents and environmental groups gain no immediate EU relief and must pursue national litigation, while the project developer faces potential delays if a court-ordered assessment blocks or modifies the plant. The Spanish and Galician governments retain primary decision-making power but remain under the shadow of the ongoing infringement case. The Commission avoids direct involvement, preserving its strategic enforcement resources for broader structural issues.