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189

Europe weakens wolf protection in "major blow to science and biodiversity after vote by EU member states", environmental advocacy says (www.euronatur.org)

submitted 1 month ago by 0x815@feddit.org to c/europe@feddit.org

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A majority of EU Member States agreed to adopt the European Commission's proposal to downgrade the protection status of the wolf under the Bern Convention. This shift opens the door to wolf culling as a false solution to livestock depredation, which runs counter to Europe’s commitment to safeguard and restore biodiversity. The decision which cannot be scientifically justified went through after Germany changed its position from abstention to support.

With this decision, Member States have chosen to ignore the call of over 300 civil society organisations, among others EuroNatur, and more than 300,000 people urging them to follow scientific recommendations and step up efforts to foster coexistence with large carnivores through preventive measures.

[...]

Wolves are strictly protected under both the Bern Convention and the EU Habitats Directive, serving as a keystone species vital for healthy ecosystems and biodiversity across Europe. Weakening their protection will hinder the ongoing recovery of wolf populations.

‘The EU's decision will not only destabilise the still fragile wolf populations in large parts of Europe, but also undermine the significant progress made towards a coexistence of humans and wolves,’ says Antje Henkelmann, project manager and wolf expert at EuroNatur. ‘Only efficient herd protection can prevent livestock kills. Instead, the EU is focussing on symbolic but inefficient culls. With her turnaround, the Federal Environment Minister is not only weakening wolf protection, but also giving in to populist demands that are of little use to livestock farmers,’’ says the biologist.

[...]

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[–] FluffyPotato@lemm.ee 3 points 1 month ago (4 children)

Does the EU even have the authority to rule over stuff like this? I'm pretty sure they don't and this decision will have no impact on the policies of the member countries.

[–] HK65@sopuli.xyz 4 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Yes it does. The EU articles basically say that anything that gets agreed can be binding to member states.

In practice, the structure of the EU institutions keeps a very tight leash on that, by not passing them. This got passed.

[–] FluffyPotato@lemm.ee 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)

After some more reading it seems this isn't a decision by the EU but the members of the Bern Convention which the EU members are just part of. Some African and American countries are also members of that.

As for decision by the EU: only decisions effecting trade between countries seem enforceable, internal policy can't be forced by the EU on member countries, it's a choice to adopt EU laws. Like for example the EU copyright directive was passed in 2019 and only 4 member states chose to adopt it to this day.

[–] HK65@sopuli.xyz 2 points 1 month ago

After some more reading it seems this isn’t a decision by the EU but the members of the Bern Convention

Thanks, I tried to glean the primary source, but couldn't find it. Hate browsing on mobile.

EU copyright directive

That's what I'm talking about, there are different classes of EU rules, there are mainly opinions (non-binding), directives (members states should theoretically comply, but are free to figure out how to, so what you described might happen), and regulations (becomes law immediately everywhere on passing).

So for example member states have no room to avoid complying with the GDPR, or the one reg about no roaming charges, but passing a regulation is very, very hard. But if it gets passed, individual member state parliaments have no role, it overrides national legislation. But only for regulations.

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