EU Nature legislation Fit for Purpose

The announcement that EU nature directives are fit for purpose, asserts the hard work of EUROPARC members in the management of Natura 2000 sites.

The positive conclusion of this long process is  a great news today for nature and EU citizens

said yesterday Ignace Schops,  EUROPARC President “It is the recognition of the tremendous work that Natura 2000 site managers and protected areas authorities are daily doing on the ground. With our wide network, we will now actively support the European Commission to develop this Action Plan and contribute to ensure a better implementation of the Directives.”

EUROPARC welcomes the results of the Fitness Check process, which indeed assessed that the Birds and the Habitats Directives are fit for purpose and are crucial for the future of biodiversity in Europe.  The effectiveness, efficiency, coherence and relevance of the Directives have now been recognised.

Nevertheless, this evaluation process, carried by the European Commission over the last two years, identified the need to improve the implementation of the Directives and their coherence with broader socio-economic objectives, including other EU policy areas such as energy, agriculture and fisheries.

“The focus will now be on making sure that they are implemented in the most effective and efficient way to realise their full potential for nature, people and the economy”, said yesterday Karmenu Vella, the European Commissioner for the Environment and Maritime affairs.

The Commission will now develop an Action Plan, which will contain a series of concrete measures and appropriate implementation guidelines.

For further information:

Access here the Fitness Check report

The EUROPARC position on EU Nature legislation

More on the Fitness Check process