26.1.2013 Official Journal of the European Union L 24/1 II (Non-legislative acts) DECISIONS COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION of 16 November 2012 adopting a sixth updated list of sites of Community importance for the Alpine biogeographical region (notified under document C(2012) 8120) (2013/22/EV) 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 flora ('), and in particular the third subparagraph of Article 4(2) thereof, Whereas: (1)  The Alpine biogeographical region referred to in Article 1(c)(iii) of Directive 92[43/EEC comprises the Union territories of the Alps (Germany, France, Italy, Austria and Slovenia), the Pyrenees (Spain and France), the Apennine mountains (Italy), the northern Fennosc- andian mountains (Finland and Sweden), the Carpathian mountains (Poland, Romania and Slovakia) and the Balkan, Rila, Pirin, Rhodope and Sashtinska Sredna Gora mountains (Bulgaria), as specified in the biogeo- graphical map approved on 20 April 2005 by the Committee set up by Article 20 of that Directive, here- inafter the ‘Habitats Committee’. (2) It is necessary in the context of a process which was initiated in 1995 to make further progress in the actual establishment of the Natura 2000 network, which is an essential element of the protection of biodi- versity in the Union. (3)  The initial list and the first five updated lists of sites of Community importance for the Alpine biogeographical region, within the meaning of Directive 92/43/EEC, () O] L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7. 2 3 4 6 7 () 0 () 0 () 0 () O] () 0 () 0 were adopted by Commission Decisions 2004/69/EC (2), 2008/218/EC (}), 2009/91/EC (¥), 2010/42/EU (°) and 2011/62/EU (9) and Implementing Decision 2012/12[EU (). On the basis of Articles 4(4) and 6(1) of Directive 92/43EEC, the Member State concerned has to designate the sites 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. In the context of a dynamic adaptation of the Natura 2000 network, the lists of sites of Community importance are reviewed. An update of the list of sites of Community importance for the Alpine biogeo- graphical region is therefore necessary. On the one hand, the update of the list of sites of Community importance for the Alpine biogeographical region is necessary in order to include additional sites that have been proposed since 2010 by Member States as sites of Community importance for the Alpine biogeo- graphical region within the meaning of Article 1 of Directive 92[43/EEC. For these additional sites, the obligations resulting from Articles 4(4) and 6(1) of Directive 92/43/EEC should apply as soon as possible and within six years at most from the adoption of this Decision. On the other hand, the update of the list of sites of Community importance for the Alpine biogeographical region is necessary in order to reflect any changes in site-related information submitted by Member States L 14, 21.1.2004, p. 21. L 77, 19.3.2008, p. 106. L 43, 13.2.2009, p. 21. L 30, 2.2.2010, p. 1. L 33, 8.2.2011, p. 1. L 10, 13.1.2012, p. 339.