Politics

EU Threatens Spain Over Tapping Water From Protected Wetlands

  • Commission vows to act ‘swiftly’ and with all means available
  • Local government seeks to expand water rights in Donana basin
A stork flies off a marsh in the Donana national park in Huelva, Spain.Photographer: Cristina Quicler/AFP/Getty Images
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The European Commission warned it would penalize Spain if the country carries on with plans to extract more water from one of Europe’s largest wetlands, a sign of a tougher stance on environmental preservation.

The European Union’s executive arm is ready to act “swiftly” and with “all the means available” if Spain fails to uphold a ruling issued last year that demanded the country protect the area, according to an emailed statement.