On Thursday 26 September, the Council of Ministers of the European Union adopted a proposal to change the international status of the wolf in Europe from “strictly protected” to “protected” (see EUROPE 13490/1). This decision must be submitted, on behalf of the EU, to the Bern Convention, which aims to ensure the conservation and protection of wild animal and plant species and their natural habitats, and whose standing committee will be meeting in early December for its annual session.
The EU Council notes a “positive trend” in the conservation status of the wolf “over recent decades”. Its estimated population has doubled in 10 years, according to the institution, rising from 11,193 in 2012 to 20,300 in 2023.
This development would cause problems of coexistence with livestock, with 65,000 animals killed each year by wolves in the EU, according to data from the Member States. By transferring the species to Appendix III of the Bern Convention, the EU would give Member States greater latitude to protect their livestock from wolves, while guaranteeing the protection of the latter.
If the proposal were to be ratified under the Bern Convention in December, the EU would be authorised to amend the relevant Annexes of the Habitats Directive, which implements the Bern Convention in the EU.
23 MEPs denounce the decision in a joint letter. 23 MEPs have written to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to express their opposition to this decision. Mainly from the Greens/EFA, S&D and The Left, including Tilly Metz from Luxembourg, Aurore Lalucq from France and Sebastian Everding from the Animal Protection Party in Germany.
In their view, the Commission’s and the EU Council’s intentions are devoid of any scientific basis. On the contrary, these MEPs defend the “important ecological role” played by wolves, which help to shape “habitats and biodiversity” and promote “the natural regrowth of forests by preventing the spread of zoonoses and other diseases”.
Not insensitive to the concerns about cohabitation raised by the Commission and the Member States, MEPs pointed out that measures to promote safer cohabitation with wolves had already been taken through 40 LIFE + projects. According to MEPs, opening up the Habitats Directive could also pave the way for weakening the protection of other species, such as beavers, bears and lynxes.
Read the letter from the 23 MEPs: https://aeur.eu/f/dld (Original version in French by Florent Servia)