Ministry of the Environment requests Regional Council of Lapland to supplement application for derogation from Natura 2000

AA Sakatti Mining Oy is planning to start mining operations in the Viiankiaava Natura area in Sodankylä. On 19 May 2026, the Regional Council of Lapland submitted an application to the Ministry of the Environment concerning a Government decision under section 39 of the Nature Conservation Act to approve the phased regional plan for operations below and close to the Viiankiaava Natura 2000 area. The project cannot proceed without the approval of the regional plan. On 2 October 2026, the Finnish Supervisory Agency and Metsähallitus submitted statements on the compensation for harm to Natura values, requested by the Ministry of the Environment. Both of them considered the plan as incomplete and inadequate with respect to numerous habitat types and species. On 9 October 2026, the Directorate-General for Environment of the European Commission asked for supplementary data on the deterioration caused to protected habitat types and how these are to be compensated for in terms of the Natura 2000 network. The Directorate-General for Environment also requested further details on the planned annual excavation volumes of different metals in the polymetallic deposit to assess the nature, scop...