Question for written answer E-006906/2020 to the Commission Rule 138 Marlene Mortler (PPE), Lena Düpont (PPE), Christine Schneider (PPE), Norbert Lins (PPE), Peter Jahr (PPE), Jens Gieseke (PPE)

Subject: Wolf population: monitoring, conservation status and species protection aspects

The wolf population is monitored by each Member State individually. This monitoring and ultimately also the assessment of conservation status fail to take account of the fact that wolves move across borders. To determine the conservation status of Europe’s wolf population in a realistic manner, pan- European monitoring and a pan-European assessment of favourable conservation status are needed. Furthermore, the implementation of the objective – stemming from the ‘Farm to Fork’ and Biodiversity Strategies – of using 25% of total farmland for organic farming by 2030 will inevitably lead to the expansion of grazing, which will further increase the extent of the areas to be protected.

1. What measures is the Commission taking to set up pan-European monitoring and why does the assessment of conservation status focus on biogeographical regions, while favourable conservation status within those biogeographical regions has to be achieved within each Member State individually?

2. What does the Commission think of the fact that, on the one hand, to preserve a European wolf population that is not at risk of extinction, wolves do not need to be present with equal density in all parts of Europe, while, on the other, current practice nevertheless requires favourable conservation status to be assessed at the level of individual Member States and biogeographical regions?

3. What solutions does the Commission envisage in the event of potential conflicts between different aspects of species protection (e.g. herd protection as a barrier to other species) and conflict with the implementation of the ‘Farm to Fork’ and Biodiversity Strategies?

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