The cabinet will appeal against a court ruling that overturned Schiphol’s nature permit. That is what State Secretary Jean Rummenie (Nature) writes in a letter to the House of Representatives on Friday.
It is a response to a decision by the court in The Hague last month, in which the judge struck down the permit because the justification was inadequate. For example, it was unclear whether the damage to nature would be limited.
Rummenie now says that it is “desirable” to appeal because of the major interests of the airport, for example for the economy. Schiphol itself had previously announced that it would defend itself.
The case against the airport’s nature permit was brought by various environmental organizations, the municipal council of Nieuwkoop in South Holland and the municipal executive of Amsterdam.
The judge’s ruling last month means that Schiphol does not have the necessary nature permit. This does not mean that the airport has to close.