ECJ decision on deepening the Weser
The ECJ ruling on the deepening of the Weser dated July 1, 2015 is a decisive ruling by the ECJ in the field of water protection (ECJ, July 1, 2015, AZ. C-461/13).
In 2011, the BUND sued the German Federal Administrative Court against the planned and ecologically controversial deepening of the Weser in Bremen and Lower Saxony . He relied on the EU Water Framework Directive . The BUND argued that the planned deepening of up to 13.6 meters will increasingly silt up the river and make it too salty, destroy banks and endanger birds and certain fish species that breed on meadows. The European Court of Justice ruled that no construction projects may be approved if they are associated with the deterioration of surface water or the achievement of a good status is endangered. The deteriorations must remain within the quality class . At the same time, the judgment has a decisive effect on the deepening of the Elbe, which is also controversial . However, it can also be applied to projects that affect smaller bodies of water.