91999E2370

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2370/99

by Hiltrud Breyer (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(16 December 1999)

Subject: Twenty years of protection of birds in the European Union

The EU's directive on the protection of birds and the Bonn Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals are milestones in nature protection legislation. Twenty years on, it is time to draw a balance.

1. Can the Commission say whether these legal instruments have achieved their purpose?

2. Are there any shortcomings in transposition of the directive and the Convention? If so, in what respect?

3. How well have the Member States and the signatories to the Bonn Convention satisfied the requirements, in particular the requirements under the EU directive concerning designating special protection areas, transposing the provisions on the protection of species and the obligation to report to the Commission?

4. What has been, and is, the role of non-governmental organisations and associations in transposing the directive and the Convention? In what way could they increase their influence?

5. How can transposition of the directive and the Convention be made more effective? What role could the non-governmental organisations and associations play with their expertise?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(2 February 2000)

1. The objectives of the Bonn Convention, to which the Community is a party, as regards the conservation of migratory bird species are achieved at Community level by Council Directive 79/409/EEC of 2 April 1979 on the conservation of wild birds(1). Despite significant achievements over the past 20 years, the objectives of the Birds Directive are still not fully realised.

2. Whereas there are still some problems with national legislation fixing hunting seasons in a few Member States, the main problems relate to implementation regarding site protection.

3. According to scientific references, only Denmark and Belgium are considered to have largely completed the key objective of classifying their most suitable territories as special protection areas (SPAs). Other Member States have still to complete this process. Some Member States, including Germany, have failed to provide the necessary information on their classified SPAs, thus preventing the Commission from carrying out its co-ordinating role as regards the network of SPAs. There are currently 47 infringements cases being pursued for non-implementation of the Directive.

4. The non-governmental organisations (NGOs) play a key role in assisting the implementation of the Directive. This includes the scientific work on bird species, their habitats and sites, as well as ongoing monitoring and management of important areas.

5. The main challenge is to ensure complete implementation and enforcement by the Member States. The Commission, as guardian of the EC Treaty will play its full role in partnership with the Member States and the NGOs. The LIFE-Nature fund should also continue to play an important role in supporting key conservation projects for endangered and migratory bird species.

(1) OJ L 103, 25.4.1979.