With the exception of MEPs from the Greens/EFA and The Left groups, the majority of the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday 13 September welcomed the announcement of new initiatives to modify the protection status of the wolf within the EU.
On behalf of the European Commission, Mairead McGuinness, European Commissioner for Financial Services, confirmed that, on the basis of the analysis of all the data collected, the Commission “will draw conclusions on the situation of the wolf in the EU. We will then decide on a proposal to modify, if appropriate, the protection status of the wolf within the EU and whether to update the legal framework to introduce, where necessary, additional flexibility in the light of the information we gather”.
The return of wolves to areas of the EU where they have long been absent and the growth of wolf populations in new areas “is a sensitive issue”, admitted Mairead McGuinness. She noted the existence of “conflicts with local communities and farmers. This is particularly the case when measures to prevent attacks on livestock are not widely implemented”.
Last year, the European Parliament voted in favour of amending the Habitats Directive to review the wolf’s protection status in order to protect livestock.
Herbert Dorfmann (EPP, Italian) welcomed the announcement by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to gather new data with a view to possibly reviewing the wolf’s protection status (see EUROPE 13242/5), as did Norbert Lins (EPP, German), Chairman of the European Parliament Agriculture Committee, Ulrike Müller (Renew Europe, German) and Mazaly Aguilar (ECR, Spanish). In their view, current protection and management measures are largely inadequate, given the increase in the wolf population (over 20,000 today). Several of them have asked the Commission to act quickly. Tiemo Wölken (S&D, German) spoke of the problems when wolves threaten sheep. Jérémy Decerle (Renew Europe, French) called for harmonised counting, measures to facilitate culling and a review of the status of the wolf and other large carnivores (if necessary).
Alessandro Panza (ID, Italian), for his part, believes it is time to “move from words to deeds”, as the wolf is, in his view, no longer under threat.
“Sowing fear of the wolf”. In contrast, Thomas Waitz (Greens/EFA, Austrian) criticised previous MEPs for spreading fear of the wolf. He called for “reasonable” solutions and support for farmers whose livestock have been affected by attacks. Francisco Guerreiro (Greens/EFA, Portuguese) said that the EPP’s name should be changed to “European populist party”. Anja Hazekamp (The Left, Dutch) argued in favour of maintaining the wolf’s current protection status, pointing out that 12 EU countries are also in favour.
The Commission is calling on local communities, scientists and all interested parties to submit updated data on wolf populations and their impacts by 22 September.
Answer by the end of 2023. “We must show empathy towards the farmers affected by wolf attacks and towards the victims killed by bears”, declared the Commissioner, bringing the debate to a close. She said she hoped for a satisfactory outcome for all concerned. The wolf has its place in nature, the Commissioner also said, before concluding that the Commission intended to work quickly on the dossier and “present a proposal for a response by the end of 2023 in the light of the information received”. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)