Celebrating 30 years of the EU Birds Directive

On 2 and 3 April in Trier the Academy of European Law (ERA), with the support of BirdLife International and the Federation of Associations for Hunting and Conservation of the EU (FACE), will organise a conference on the occasion of the 30th Anniversary of the EU Birds Directive.

The Council Directive (79/409/CEE) on the conservation of wild birds, unanimously adopted by Member States on 2 April 1979, is without any doubts the most innovative legal instrument for the protection of all wild bird species naturally occurring in the Union. Together with the EU Habitats Directive (92/43/CEE), they form the core of nature and biodiversity policies in Europe.

The EU Birds Directive, with its comprehensive protection scheme for wild birds, has proven to be an essential piece of EU environmental legislation, placing great emphasis on the protection of habitats for endangered and migratory species, especially through the establishment of a coherent network of Special Protection Areas (SPAs). The Directive also recognises the legitimacy of hunting and contains provisions to manage birds’ hunting in a sustainable way.

"This conference will be an exceptional opportunity to stress the essential role the EU Birds Directive plays to safeguard Europe’s natural heritage" —Konstantin Kreiser, EU Policy Manager at the BirdLife European Division

Sursa.