Council Directive 79/409/EEC on the conservation of wild birds applies to bird subspecies which occur naturally in the wild only outside the European territory of the Member States, if the species to which they belong or other subspecies of that species, occur naturally in the wild within the territory in question. The costs incurred by the French and Netherlands Governments and the Commission of the European Communities, which have submitted observations to the Court, are not recoverable. Since these proceedings are, for the parties to the main proceedings, a step in the proceedings pending before the national court, the decision on costs is a matter for that court.