Judgment_paragraph 26 · Commission of the European Communities v Italian Republic (C-388/05)

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, in SPAs classified in accordance with Article 4(1) of the Birds Directive, deterioration of habitats and disturbance significantly affecting the species for which the SPAs have been classified (see, to that effect, Commission v Ireland, paragraph 26).