The Birds Directive: 40 years conserving our shared natural heritage Environment © European Union, 2019 Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2019 Reuse is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. The reuse policy of European Commission documents is regulated by Decision 2011/833/EU (OJ L 330, 14.12.2011, p. 39). For any use or reproduction of photos or other material that is not under the copyright of the European Union, permission must be sought directly from the copyright holders. Print KH-01-19-448-EN-C ISBN 978-92-76-03658-6 doi:10.2779/87814 PDF KH-01-19-448-EN-N ISBN 978-92-76-03659-3 doi:10.2779/622146 Cover: Capercaillie Tetrao urogallus. © Erland Haarberg/naturepl.com Getting in touch with the EU In pErson All over the European Union there are hundreds of Europe Direct Information Centres. 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Data can be downloaded and reused for free, both for commercial and non-commercial purposes. contenTs Introduction 5 Site protection 9 Species protection 17 The status of birds in the EU 25 Sustainable development 33 Future challenges 37 Common Eider Duck Somateria mollissima. © Cyril Ruoso/naturepl.com Cyril © 4 The Birds Directive Timeline of key EU and international initiatives for nature and biodiversity 1992 Biodiversity Convention 1971 1979 1995 2004 2010 Ramsar Bern and Bonn AEWA (Agreement Biodiversity Biodiversity Convention Conventions on the Conservation Convention Convention of African- Biodiversity 10-year Eurasian Migratory Targets Strategic International level Waterbirds) Plan 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 1973 1979 1984 1992 1998 2006 2010 2017 First EU Action Birds ACE Biotopes Habitats First EU EU EU EU Action Programme for Directive Fund Directive Biodiversity Biodiversity Biodiversity Plan for the environment Strategy Action Plan Strategy nature, EU level level EU people and 1992 the economy LIFE Fund 2014 EU Regulation on invasive alien species 1973 1981 1986 1995 2004 2007 2013 9 MS 10 MS 12 MS 15 MS 25 MS 27 MS 28 MS Belgium Greece Spain and Austria, Cyprus, Bulgaria Croatia Denmark joins Portugal Finland the Czech and joins France join and Republic, Romania Germany Sweden Estonia, join Ireland join Hungary, Italy Latvia, Luxembourg Lithuania, The Netherlands Malta, EU Member EU States UK Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia join 40 years conserving our shared natural heritage 5 Introduction Waders, Oystercatchers Haematopus ostralegus and Red Knot Calidris canutus at low tide. © David Tipling/naturepl.com© 6 The Birds Directive The history behind the Birds Directive Adopted 40 years ago, in 1979, the EU Birds Directive was a truly ground-breaking piece of The Birds Directive is one of the great legislation. It came at a time when international conservation initiatives were still very much success stories of EU environmental in their infancy. The first World Summit on the Human Environment had been held just a few “ policy. It is a practical expression years before in 1972 and the only international nature convention – the Ramsar Convention on the conservation of wetlands – had just come into force in 1975. of our commitment to global biodiversity conservation. Birds are The Birds Directive was also one of the first environmental laws to be adopted at not only intrinsically beautiful and a European level despite the Community’s then limited powers in the environmental field. priceless part of our natural heritage, Because birds migrate and don’t recognise national borders, the then nine EU Member they are also vital indicators of the States knew they would be much stronger and more effective if they worked together. health of the environment. Europe's And so, the Birds Directive came into being, galvanised by a strong public outcry over the dramatic decline in bird life. wild birds have greatly benefited from the high standards provided Reports of the large-scale loss of wetlands and other major habitats through agricultural by the directive. There are still industrialisation, deforestation, unchecked development and urban sprawl combined with the important challenges to be met massive drop in bird numbers due to pollution, persecution, harmful pesticides such as DDT, to ensure long-term healthy bird brought into sharp focus the need for urgent action. populations. The Birds Directive is The Directive also brought a new dimension to wildlife conservation, based on the protection as relevant today as it was 40 years and management of habitats as well as species. Until then most initiatives tended to focus ago and has a key role to play in on the conservation of a few iconic species. Yet, it was becoming increasingly evident that, in delivering our biodiversity policy for order to save a species, one also had to conserve its habitat. many years to come. Forty years on, and the Birds Directive remains as far-reaching and relevant as Commissioner Karmenu Vella ever. It continues to set the standard for bird conservation across now 28 member states and, together with the habitats Directive adopted in 1992, forms the bedrock of the EU’s biodiversity policy. By the 1970s, Europe had lost over two- thirds of its wetlands. © Alex © Hyde/naturepl.com David Noton/naturepl.com© 40 years conserving our shared natural heritage 7 The Birds Directive in a nutshell The Birds Directive addresses the conservation of all species of birds naturally occurring in a The EU Court of Justice has played a wild state within the European Union. The Directive applies to the birds themselves, as well major role in defining a high standard as their eggs, nests and habitats. of protection for bird conservation It places an overarching obligation on Member States to take whatever measures that under the Directive. are necessary to maintain or restore their EU populations at a level which corresponds in particular to their ecological, scientific and cultural requirements. In doing so, the Member States must also take economic and recreational needs into account. The Directive introduces two types of protection measures: The first deals with habitat conservation and the need to preserve, maintain or re-establish a sufficient diversity and area of habitats for Europe's wild bird species, particularly for threatened species listed in Annex I as well as for other migratory birds, paying particular attention to the protection of wetlands of international importance. © Bence © Mate/naturepl.com The second set of measures deals with the protection of the species themselves and European Roller – listed on Annex I of introduces a ban on the deliberate disturbance, killing, capture or trade of wild birds and the Birds Directive. destruction of their nests throughout the EU. Derogations are possible but only if there is no other satisfactory solution and their use is not incompatible with the objectives of the Number of bird species in: Directive. A number of species listed in Annex II may also be hunted under certain conditions. Europe 533 EU 451 These protection measures are mirrored in its sister Directive – the Habitats Directive Annex I 194 adopted in 1992 – which protects a further 1500 species other than birds as well as over Annex II 82 230 habitat types in their own right. Source: IUCN/EC Together, the Birds and habitats Directives represent the single most ambitious Bluethroat – its EU population is initiative ever undertaken to conserve Europe’s biodiversity in line with now stable. international commitments. Long-tailed Ducks Clangula hyemalis, listed in Annex II of the Birds Directive. © Markus © Varesvuo/naturepl.com © Loic Poidevin/naturepl.com© 8 The Birds Directive Thanks to 40 years of the Birds Directive: 1. Twenty-eight countries are working together within the 6. Our knowledge of European birds and their same strong legal framework to protect the EU’s wild conservation needs has increased considerably birds across their natural range within Europe and also and this has led to better, more targeted for wider international co-operation along flyways. conservation actions. 2. More than 5000 Special Protected Areas have been 7. Different sectors of society (farmers, hunters, designated under the Birds Directive covering almost birdwatchers, fishermen, conservation NGOs ...) have 750,000 km2 of land and sea. As a result, almost all of developed a better understanding of each other’s Europe’s Important Bird Areas are now protected. interests and needs, and are now actively engaged in safeguarding Europe’s biodiversity. 3. Thanks to a ban on the indiscriminate capture and killing of wild birds, the EU has become a safer place 8. New developments must be assessed for their for wildlife. Illegal bird crime however remains a serious potential impact on wild birds to ensure that they are problem that is being urgently addressed, particularly compatible with EU nature legislation, leading to a in the Mediterranean.