2.2.2010 Official Journal of the European Union L 30/1 II (Non-legislative acts) DECISIONS COMMISSION DECISION of 22 December 2009 adopting, pursuant to Council Directive 92/43/EEC, a third updated list of sites of Community importance for the Alpine biogeographical region (notified under document C(2009) 10415) (2010/42[EU) THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Having regard to Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and included in the list of sites of Community importance for the Alpine biogeographical region as special areas of conservation as soon as possible and within six years at most, establishing conservation priorities and the necessary conservation measures. flora ('), and in particular the third subparagraph of Article 4(2) (4)  In the context of a dyqam1c adaptat1on of the Natu-ra thereof, 2000 network, the lists of sites of Commun.lty importance are reviewed. A third update of the Alpine list is therefore necessary. Whereas: (1)~ The Alpine biogeographical region referred to in (5)  On the one hand, the third update of the list of sites of Article 1(c)(ii) of Directive 92/43/EEC comprises the Community importance for the Alpine biogeographical Community territory of the Alps (Austria, Italy, region is necessary in order to include additional sites Germany, France and Slovenia), the Pyrenees (France that have been proposed since 2007 by the Member and Spain), the Apennine mountains (Italy), the States as sites of Community importance for the Alpine northern ~ Fennoscandian mountains  (Sweden and biogeographical region within the meaning of Article 1 Finland), the Carpathian mountains (Poland, Slovakia of Directive 92/43/EEC. The obligations resulting from and Romania) and the Balkan, Rila, Pirin, Rhodope and Articles 4(4) and 6(1) of Directive 92/43/EEC are the Sashtinska Sredna Gora Mountains (Bulgaria) as applicable as soon as possible and within six years at specified in the biogeographical map approved on most from the adoption of the third updated list of 25 April 2005 by the Committee set up by Article 20 sites of Community importance for the Alpine biogeo- of that Directive, hereinafter ‘the Habitats Committee’. graphical region. (2) It is necessary in the context of a process which was initiated in 1995 to make further progress in the (6)  On the other hand, the third update of the list of sites of actual establishment of the Natura 2000 network, which is an essential element of the protection of biodi- versity in the Community. The initial list and the first two updated lists of sites of Community importance for the Alpine biogeographical region, within the meaning of Directive 92/43/EEC, were adopted by Commission Decisions 2004/69/EC (%), 2008/218JEC (}) and 2009/91/EC (). On the basis of Articles 4(4) and 6(1) of Directive 92[43[EEC, the Member State concerned shall designate the sites 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7. 14, 21.1.2004, p. 21. 77, 19.3.2008, p. 106. L L L L 43, 13.2.2009, p. 21. Community importance for the Alpine biogeographical region is necessary in order to reflect any changes in site related information submitted by the Member States following the adoption of the initial and the first two updated Community lists. In that sense, the third updated list of sites of Community importance for the Alpine biogeographical region constitutes a consolidated version of the list of sites of Community importance for the Alpine biogeographical region. However, it should be stressed that the obligations resulting from Articles 4(4) and 6(1) of Directive 92/43/EEC are applicable as soon as possible and within six years at most from the adoption of the initial or the first two updated lists of sites of Community importance for the Alpine biogeographical region, depending on which list a site of Community importance was included as such for the first time.