Considerations on COM(2018)731 - EU position in the Standing Committee of the Convention on the conservation of European wildlife and natural habitats, with regards to amendments to Appendices II and III

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dossier COM(2018)731 - EU position in the Standing Committee of the Convention on the conservation of European wildlife and natural habitats, with ...
document COM(2018)731 EN
date October 31, 2018
 
(1) The Convention on the conservation of European wildlife and natural habitats (Bern Convention) ('the Agreement') was concluded by the Union by Council Decision 82/72/EEC4 and entered into force on 1 September 1982.

(2) Pursuant to Article 17 of the Agreement, the Standing Committee may adopt a decision to amend the appendices to the Agreement.

(3) The Standing Committee, during its thirty-eighth meeting on 27-30 November, 2018, is to adopt a decision on amending Appendix II and Appendix III to the Agreement.

(4) It is appropriate to establish the position to be taken on the Union's behalf in the Standing Committee, as the decision will be binding on the Union.

(5) Norway submitted a proposal to move the Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopis) from Appendix II on “Strictly protected fauna species” to Appendix III on “Protected fauna species” of the Agreement.

(6) The most recent available scientific information on the size, distribution and threats of the barnacle goose populations shows that its total population has grown over 10 times from the 1980s to 2010 and are now in secure conservation status.

(7) The Union should support this proposal so to address the very rapid population increase of this species across its range. However, the proposal is not in line with the current protection status of Barnacle Goose under Directive 2009/147 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009 on the conservation of wild birds. As an amendment of the Annexes of this Directive is currently not foreseen or possible within the short time frame required by the Convention (90 days), the Union will for the time being apply stricter protection measures, as provided for in Article 12 of the Agreement.

(8) Switzerland submitted a proposal to move the Wolf (Canis lupus) from Appendix II on “Strictly protected fauna species” to Appendix III on “Protected fauna species” of the Agreement.

OJ L 38, 10.2.1982, p. 1.

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(9) Lowering the protection status of the wolf populations to the lowest common denominator is not justified from a scientific and conservation point of view. The most recent available scientific information on the size, distribution and threats to the European wolf populations shows that, out of the nine mainly trans-boundary wolf populations in the Union and its neighbouring countries, only three are of least concern' while six are vulnerable or near threatened. The Western-Central Alps population covering Switzerland is vulnerable in the IUCN Red L ist Assessment.

(10) Up-to-date information on the conservation status of the Wolf in the Union will become available in 2019 from the Article 17 reports under the Habitats Directive. Therefore, the Union should seek to defer a vote of the Standing Committee on the Swiss proposal until such information is available.

(11)