3.3.1. Step 1: Examining alternative solutions

COMMISSION NOTICE Assessment of plans and projects in relation to Natura 2000 sites – Methodological guidance on the provisions of Article 6(3) and (4) of the Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC · European Union

The first obligation of the Article 6(4) procedure is to examine whether there are alternative solutions to the plan or project. Alternative solutions could refer to an alternative design of the project (e.g. different routing of a road or different number of lanes). They could also refer to broader options to achieve the same overall objective, e.g. a rail connection improvement could be considered as an alternative to a new road, a wind energy development as an alternative to a hydro power plant. Examining alternative solutions under Article 6(4) involves the following tasks: identification of alternative solutions; comparative assessment of the alternatives considered; justification of the absence of alternatives that are feasible for consideration under Article 6(4) (if applicable).

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Source: EUR-Lex (Cellar) · retrieved 2026-09-25 · Text as adopted (Official Journal); later amendments are not incorporated in this text.