Natura 2000 protects 27,312 sites with terrestrial area 787,606 km2 (around 18 percent of land of the EU countries) and marine area 360,350 km2 in 2017,[4] and is considered almost complete in the EU terrestrial environment. The process of designation has not always been smooth as the infringement procedures against member states show.[5] While designation of sites may be near complete, the management and enforcement of protection on sites is less advanced and many sites lack management plans.[6] Natura 2000 faced criticism from developers, farmers and politicians who fear that the conservation of habitats and species places a brake on development.[7]