Decision 2022/2489 - EU position at the 42nd meeting of the Standing Committee of the Convention on the conservation of European wildlife and natural habitats (the ‘Bern Convention’) - Main contents

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 323/90

The Convention on the conservation of European wildlife and natural habitats (1) (the ‘Bern Convention’) was concluded by the Union by Council Decision 82/72/EEC (2) and entered into force on 1 September 1982.

Pursuant to Article 17 of the Bern Convention, the Standing Committee set up by the Bern Convention (the ‘Standing Committee’) may adopt decisions to amend the appendices to the Bern Convention.

During its 42nd meeting from 28 November to 2 December 2022, the Standing Committee is to adopt a decision on amending Appendix II and Appendix III to the Bern Convention.

Pursuant to Article 13(6) of the Bern Convention, the Standing Committee has drawn up its Rules of Procedure (the ‘Rules of Procedure’) and, in line with Rule 21 thereof, the Standing Committee can amend the Rules of Procedure.

During its 42nd meeting, the Standing Committee is also called upon to adopt amendments to the Rules of Procedure.

It is appropriate to establish the position to be taken on the Union’s behalf in the Standing Committee, as both decisions will be binding on the Union.

Switzerland submitted a proposal to move the Wolf (Canis lupus) from Appendix II (‘Strictly protected fauna species’) to Appendix III (‘Protected fauna species’) to the Bern Convention.

Based on current data, lowering the protection status of all wolf populations is not justified from a scientific and conservation point of view. The conservation status of the species remains divergent across the continent, with a favourable conservation status assessment in only 18 out of 39 national parts of biogeographical regions in the Union. This is confirmed by the latest available scientific information on conservation status of the species, resulting from the reporting under Article 17 of Council Directive 92/43/EEC (3) and under Resolution No 8 (2012) of the Bern Convention. Continuing threats to the species, including emerging ones such as border fences and wolf-dog hybridisation, also call for maintaining the strict protection status.

Therefore, the Union should oppose the proposal from Switzerland.

The Secretariat of the Bern Convention, in cooperation with the Bureau of the Standing Committee, proposed several amendments to the Rules of Procedure, in particular to adapt the Bern Convention’s working methods and procedures to new virtual working methods and tools.

The proposed amendments to the Rules of Procedure correspond to practices already in place in other multilateral environmental agreements or to existing practices within the Bern Convention which are widely accepted.

The Union should therefore support the proposed amendments to the Rules of Procedure,

to oppose the proposal to move the Wolf (Canis lupus) from Appendix II (‘Strictly protected fauna species’) to Appendix III (‘Protected fauna species’) to the Bern Convention; and

to support the proposed amendments to the Rules of Procedure of the Standing Committee contained in document TPVS/Inf(2022)29: ‘Proposed amendments to the Rules of Procedure of the Standing Committee’ of the Secretariat of the Bern Convention.