Ireland referred to ECJ for biodiversity failings

The European Commission today referred Ireland and five other EU countries, to Europe’s highest court for failing to properly tackle alien invasive species that cause significant biodiversity loss and economic damage.

Alien invasive species are plants and animals which are accidentally or deliberately introduced to an area where they are not naturally found. They are one of the five major causes of biodiversity loss in Europe and worldwide. And they’re estimated to cause an annual twelve billion euro (€12bn) of damage to the European economy.

The Commission says Ireland has failed to implement various provisions of an EU law on confronting invasive alien species.

Adalbert Jahnz, a spokesperson for the European Commission, explains.  

Out words: Court of Justice

Dur: 00:38