European Commission taking Poland to Court

The EU will ask a court to order Poland to stop building a highway through a protected environmental area that is home to rare plants and animals.

Poland wants to build a section of a highway linking Warsaw to Helsinki via the Baltic states through the northeastern Rospuda Valley, one of Europe's unique peat lands.

The area is recognised by Brussels and Warsaw as having special environmental interest and has protected status under the union's Natura 2000 network of conservation sites. Poland has disputed the Commission's view that building the highway would violate the bloc's environment protection laws.

The EU wants the Luxembourg-based European Court of Justice to order Poland to halt building the route so no irreparable damage to the environment is done before the court gives a final verdict on the legality of the highway.

If Poland does not comply, the Commission can launch a new round of legal proceedings, which could lead to fines.

Environment protection activists are protesting against the highway but many local residents back the route as it would ease heavy truck traffic that cuts through towns such as Augustow.

Where was the EU when Toledo built the Greenbelt Parkway? Bad joke, never mind.