37As regards the second condition, it is apparent from the settled case-law of the Court that plans and programmes the adoption of which is regulated by national legislative or regulatory provisions, which determine the competent authorities for adopting them and the procedure for preparing them, must be regarded as ‘required’ within the meaning, and for the application, of Directive 2001/42 (judgments of 22 March 2012, Inter-Environnement Bruxelles and Others, C‑567/10, EU:C:2012:159, paragraph 31; of 7 June 2018, Thybaut and Others, C‑160/17, EU:C:2018:401, paragraph 43; and of 12 June 2019, Terre wallonne, C‑321/18, EU:C:2019:484, paragraph 34). Thus, in view of the intended purpose of that provision, which is to provide for a high level of protection of the environment, and in order to preserve the effectiveness of that provision, a plan or programme must be regarded as ‘required’ where there exists, in national law, a particular legal basis authorising the competent authorities to adopt that plan or programme, even if such adoption is not mandatory (see, to that effect, judgment of 7 June 2018, Inter-Environnement Bruxelles and Others, C‑671/16, EU:C:2018:403, paragraphs 38 to 40).
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