Complaints on oil drillings in Spanish waters near the Canary Islands

2012/C 183/04

The Commission has received a high number of standard complaints against the projected tests and future oil drillings in Spanish waters near the Canary Islands. For the moment, the Commission has no reasons to believe that such prospective works may breach applicable EU Law, but has requested the Spanish authorities to explain how they will ensure compliance with EU Law, in particular Council Directive 92/43/EEC, of 21 May 1992, on the protection of natural habitats and wild fauna and flora (1) and European Parliament and Council Directive 2011/92/EU, of 13 December 2011, on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment (2). This announcement replaces individual acknowledgments of receipt (point 4 of the Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament on updating the handling of relations with the complainant in respect of the application of Union law, COM(2012) 154 of 2 April 2012).

(1)  OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7.

(2)  OJ L 26, 28.1.2012, p. 1.