Judgment_paragraph 26 · Commission of the European Communities v Ireland (C-117/00)

26Article 6(2) of the Habitats Directive, like the first sentence of Article 4(4) of the Birds Directive, requires Member States to take appropriate steps to avoid, inter alia, deterioration of habitats in the SPAs classified pursuant to Article 4(1) (see Case C-96/98 Commission v France [1999] ECR I-8531, paragraph 35).