The European Commission will take Poland to court in a bid to curb a surge in logging in the last significant tract of primeval forest left in Europe.

Fears over the future of the Bialowieza Forest in eastern Poland, some of which remains untouched by human activity, have spiralled after the government in March 2016 allowed a three-fold increase in logging in apparent contravention of EU environmental laws.

In a statement issued on Thursday the Commission said it had referred the case to the European Court of Justice, and that it has also applied for “interim measures” that would “compel” Poland to suspend logging immediately.

Environmentalists estimate that foresters have cleared around 80,000 cubic metres of timber since March last year, and in its statement the Commission said if left unchecked the logging “posed an immediate threat to the integrity” of the forest.

The news of the impending court case was welcomed by environmentalists.