Conservation of African-Eurasian migratory waterbirds

 

SUMMARY OF:

Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds

Decision 2006/871/EC — conclusion on behalf of the European Community of the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE AGREEMENT AND THE DECISION?

The agreement commits signatory governments to:

• coordinate measures to maintain, or restore, favourable conservation conditions for African-Eurasian migratory waterbirds;
• give special attention to endangered species and those with an unfavourable conservation status.

The Council decision:

• approves the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds;
• authorises the European Commission, on behalf of the European Union (EU), to approve amendments to the agreement’s annexes that are consistent with the legislation of the EU.

KEY POINTS

• Annex 1 defines the geographical coverage of the agreement (the ‘agreement area’). This stretches from Norway to South Africa and Iceland to Uzbekistan.
• Parties to the agreement:
  • give strict protection to endangered migratory waterbirds (Annex 2 lists the 255 species covered);
  • ensure that any interaction with migratory waterbirds is based on best available knowledge of their ecology and is sustainable;
  • identify and encourage the protection, management, rehabilitation and restoration of sites and habitats;
  • coordinate efforts to ensure a network of suitable habitats is maintained or restored;
  • investigate problems caused by human activity and take remedial action;
  • cooperate in emergencies requiring an international response;
  • ban the deliberate introduction of non-native waterbirds into the environment and try to prevent their unintentional release;
  • initiate and support research, including monitoring programmes, into the birds’ biology and ecology;
  • analyse training requirements for surveys, monitoring, ringing and wetland management;
  • develop and maintain programmes to raise awareness and understanding of conservation issues;
  • exchange information and research results;
  • cooperate in implementing the agreement.
• Annex 3 contains a table with the status of the populations of migratory waterbirds, a detailed action plan and conservation guidelines that cover:
  • species conservation, including legal measures according to the status of the species;
  • habitat conservation;
  • management of human activities;
  • research and monitoring;
  • education and information;
  • implementation.
• Parties to the agreement:
  • designate a national implementing authority and contact point;
  • prepare for ordinary sessions of the agreement;
  • contribute to the budget;
  • may give voluntary contributions to a conservation fund;
  • are encouraged to provide training and technical and financial support to other signatories.
• The agreement stipulates:
  • decision-making procedures;
  • the composition and role of a technical committee;
  • the duties of the secretariat;
  • relations with existing international bodies;
  • dispute settlement mechanisms;
  • the four official language versions (Arabic, English, French and Russian).

DATE OF ENTRY INTO FORCE

The agreement entered into force on 1 November 1999.

BACKGROUND

• The EU is a party to the 1979 Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals. Known as the Bonn Convention (see summary), it encourages international cooperation to achieve its aims.
• Migratory waterbirds are particularly vulnerable. They travel over long distances and are dependent on wetlands that are becoming smaller and degraded by unsustainable human activity.
• The agreement has 82 contracting parties — 44 from Eurasia, including the EU, and 38 from Africa.

MAIN DOCUMENTS

Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (OJ L 345, 8.12.2006, pp. 26–72).

Council Decision 2006/871/EC of 18 July 2005 on the conclusion on behalf of the European Community of the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (OJ L 345, 8.12.2006, pp. 24–25).

RELATED DOCUMENTS

Convention on the conservation of migratory species of wild animals (OJ L 210, 19.7.1982, pp. 11–22).

Council Decision 82/461/EEC of 24 June 1982 on the conclusion of the Convention on the conservation of migratory species of wild animals (OJ L 210, 19.7.1982, p. 10).

last update 29.09.2021