{{short description|Type of protected area of Europe}} A '''Site of Community Importance''' ('''SCI''') is defined in the European Commission Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) as a site which, in the biogeographical region or regions to which it belongs, contributes significantly to the maintenance or restoration at a favourable conservation status of a natural habitat type or of a species and may also contribute significantly to the coherence of Natura 2000, and/or contributes significantly to the maintenance of biological diversity within the biogeographic region or regions concerned.<ref>[http://glossary.eea.europa.eu/EEAGlossary/S/site_of_Community_importance SCI definition in the Directive]</ref>
They are proposed to the Commission by the State Members and once approved, they can be designated as SACs by the State Member.
==Definition== In the environment field, the term is used to define an area: * which contributes significantly to maintaining or restoring one of the 233 European natural habitat types defined in Annex I of the Habitats Directive or to maintaining in a favourable state of conservation one of the approximately 900 species defined in Annex II;<ref>{{cite web|url=https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:31992L0043 |title=Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora|access-date=March 29, 2020}}</ref> * which can contribute to the coherence of the Natura 2000 network of protected areas in the European Union; * and/or which contributes significantly to maintaining the biodiversity of the region in which it is located.
===Examples of the habitat types defined in Annex I=== * Open sea and tidal areas * Sea dunes of the Atlantic, North Sea and Baltic coasts * Phrygana * Natural grasslands * Mediterranean sclerophyllous forests
===Examples of the species defined in Annex II=== * Eurasian lynx (''Lynx lynx'') * Lilford's wall lizard (''Podarcis lilfordi'') * ''Apteromantis aptera'' * ''Centaurea alba'' * Lemon-scented jasmine (''Jasminum azoricum'')
==See also== *Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) *Conservation designations *Environmentally sensitive area (ESA) *List of conservation topics *Protected areas *Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) *List of Sites of Community Importance by country *Zone naturelle d'intérêt écologique, faunistique et floristique (English)
==References== <references />
{{commonscat|Sites of Community Importance}} Category:Protected areas of Europe Category:European Union and the environment Category:Natura 2000
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