Judgment of the Court (Second Chamber) of 27 October 2016 (request for a preliminary ruling from the Conseil d’État — Belgium) — Patrice D’Oultremont and Others v Région wallonne

(Case C-290/15) ¹

(Reference for a preliminary ruling — Assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment — Directive 2001/42/EC — Articles 2(a) and 3(2)(a) — Definition of ‘plans and programmes’ — Conditions concerning the installation of wind turbines laid down by a regulatory order — Provisions concerning, inter alia, safety, inspection, site restoration and financial collateral and permitted noise levels set having regard to area use)

Language of the case: French

Referring court

Conseil d’État

Parties to the main proceedings

Applicant: Patrice D'Oultremont, Henri Tumelaire, François Boitte, Éoliennes à tout prix ? ASBL

Defendant: Région wallonne

Intervening parties: Fédération de l’Énergie d’origine renouvelable et alternative ASBL (EDORA)

Operative part of the judgment

Articles 2(a) and 3(2)(a) of Directive 2001/42/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 June 2001 on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment must be interpreted as meaning that a regulatory order, such as that at issue in the main proceedings, containing various provisions on the installation of wind turbines which must be complied with when administrative consent is granted for the installation and operation of such installations comes within the notion of ‘plans and programmes’, within the meaning of that directive.

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¹ OJ C 279, 24.8.2015.