European Union – Environment. The Court of Justice of the European Union gave a preliminary ruling, deciding that, arts 2(a) and 3(2)(a) of Directive (EC) 2001/42 should be interpreted as meaning that a regulatory order, such as that at issue in the main proceedings, containing various provisions on the installation of wind turbines which had to be complied with when administrative consent was granted for the installation and operation of such installations came within the notion of 'plans and programmes', within the meaning of that directive.