Judgment of the Court 9 August 1994

In Case C-396/92, REFERENCE to the Court under Article 177 of the EEC Treaty by the Bayerischer Verwaltungsgerichtshof for a preliminary ruling in the proceedings pending before that court between

THE COURT, composed of: O. Due, President, G. E Mancini, J. C. Moitinho de Almeida, M. Diez de Velasco and D. A. O. Edward (Presidents of Chambers), C. N. Kakouris (Rapporteur), R. Joliét, F. A. Schockweiler, G. C. Rodríguez Iglesias, F. Grévisse, M. Zuleeg, P. J. G. Kapteyn and J. L. Murray, Judges, Advocate General: C. Gulmann, Registrar: H. A. Rühi, Principal Administrator,

after considering the written observations submitted on behalf of: Bund Naturschutz in Bayern eV, by U. Kaltenegger, Rechtsanwalt, Landshut, plaintiffs 5 to 41 in the main proceedings, J. Birnkammer and Others, by E. Schönefelder, Rechtsanwalt, Munich, Freistaat Bayern, by M. A. Dauses, Professor at the University of Bamberg, Stadt Vilsbiburg, by P. Bartek, Mayor, the Federal Republic of Germany, by E. Röder, Ministerialrat at the Federal Ministry of the Economy, and Claus-Dieter Quassowski, Regierungsdirektor at the same Ministry, acting as Agents, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, by A. Bos, Legal Adviser at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, acting as Agent, the United Kingdom, by S. Cochrane, Treasury Solicitor, acting as Agent, and Derrick Wyatt, Barrister, the Commission of the European Communities, by R. Wägenbaur, Principal Legal Adviser, acting as Agent, and A. Böhlke, of the Brussels Bar,

having regard to the Report for the Hearing,

after hearing the oral observations of Bund Naturschutz in Bayern eV, J. Birnkammer and Others, Freistaat Bayern, Stadt Vilsbiburg, represented by P. Bartek and G. Nord, Deputy Mayor, the German Government and the United Kingdom, represented by S. L. Hudson, Assistant Treasury Solicitor, and D. Wyatt QC, and the Commission at the hearing on 22 March 1994,

after hearing the Opinion of the Advocate General at the sitting on 3 May 1994,

gives the following

Judgment

Questions 1 and 2

Question 3

Costs

1 Language of the case: German.