91997E3741

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3741/97 by Anita Pollack (PSE) to the Commission (21 November 1997)

Subject: EU biodiversity strategy

Does the Commission have any plans to identify gaps in existing EU measures and policies to ensure biodiversity conservation?

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (19 december 1997)

As a party to the Convention on biological diversity, the Community has, pursuant to Article 6, the obligation to prepare a biodiversity strategy.

Furthermore, the Council in its conclusions on 18 December 1995, took the view that with regard to matters within the field of its competence and in close cooperation with its Member States, the Community should prepare a Community strategy to identify gaps in the Community conservation policy, and to promote the integration of conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity into the policies of the Community, complementary to the strategies, programmes and plans of the Member States, in order to ensure the full implementation of this convention.

Consequently, the Commission is finalizing a communication to the Council and to the Parliament on the Community biodiversity strategy. This strategy will identify gaps in existing Community measures and policies to ensure biodiversity conservation. The communication is foreseen to be transmitted to the Council and to the Parliament in early 1998.