Commissioner Roswall has affirmed that regional administrative boundaries cannot be used to bypass EU environmental obligations, in a written answer to a parliamentary question from Gaetano Pedulla' (The Left) on the management of cross-regional wind farms near the SPA-SAC site Capanne di Marcarolo. The answer, published on 10 July 2026, clarifies that the Habitats Directive requires Member States to assess impacts of projects on Natura 2000 sites regardless of whether the project is located in a different region or Member State, and that administrative fragmentation does not legitimise circumvention of EU law.
The question arose from a dispute between Piedmont and Liguria over a wind turbine project rejected by Piedmont's managing authority but pursued by Ligurian authorities, who argued that conservation measures approved in Piedmont did not apply across the regional border. The Council of State later ruled the measures valid. In her answer, Roswall stressed that regional or administrative boundaries are not a valid criterion for avoiding environmental impact assessments or appropriate assessments under the Habitats Directive. She cited consolidated EU case law (C-96/81) confirming that internal administrative allocation of competences cannot be used to circumvent EU law.
The answer does not propose new legislation or enforcement action, but reiterates existing legal obligations. It signals that the Commission expects Member States to ensure coherent application of EU nature protection rules across internal borders, and that projects likely to affect Natura 2000 sites must undergo proper assessment irrespective of administrative divisions. The response may influence national implementation and future infringement procedures, though no immediate follow-up is announced.