Brussels is losing a legal challenge against the UK for letting Welsh developers evict and relocate families of the endangered Great Crested Newt in order to make way for new housing estates.
A senior EU judge on Thursday said the European Commission's complaint against the government was not justified.
At issue are European laws to protect natural habitats; legislation which has been plagued by delays and problems in implementation at the national level.
The Commission felt that the UK, in letting planning permission go ahead before even considering the plight of protected species, was in breach of the habitats directive.
The two developments were Broughton Park and Connah's Quay in North Wales
But an ECJ advocate general on Thursday said the commission had "not provided the evidence that the UK is infringing EU law," according to a court official.
The judge's legal recommendation is not binding, but the court in its final ruling follows the advocate general's opinion in around eight out of ten cases.
"This is a good day for Wales and a sad day for newts," said a British official.
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