Court of Justice 23 February 2006, C-191/05 (Commission of the European Communities v Portuguese Republic.)

Opinion of the Advocate-General Opinion of the Advocate-General I – Introduction 1. These proceedings for failure to fulfil obligations concern the question whether and under what circumstances a Member State may reduce the extent of a special protection area within the meaning of Council Directive 79/409/EEC of 2 April 1979 on the conservation of wild birds (2) (‘the Birds Directive’).