EUROPARC met DG Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius for an online meeting discussing a wide range of topics.

President Ignace Schops and Executive Director Carol Ritchie met DG Environment Commissioner Sinkevicius on the 18th of June – online.

In a fruitful and productive meeting we discussed the role of protected areas in the implementation of the Biodiversity Strategy 2020, some of the impacts of COVID-19 on parks and the possibility of opening small grants to look at post-COVID impacts, the need for new and innovative capacity building to equip Natura 2000 managers to deliver more effective outcomes and the Healthy Parks, Healthy People Europe programme, that is about to be launched.

Commissioner Sinkevicius accepted the invitation to speak at the EUROPARC Conference 2020 ONLINE (subject to his availability) and reiterated DG Environment’s view of the EUROPARC Federation as a valued and important stakeholder and the expertise in our network. We spoke too of the value of Regional and Nature parks, where sustainable development meets nature conservation and the contribution and recognition they need to fully contribute to reaching the 30% role of protected areas in Europe as a pillar of the Biodiversity Strategy 2030.

EUROPARC expressed our willingness to represent the needs of our members, in DG environment processes and structures, as well as bring the models and practice from parks to better action for the Biodiversity Strategy and implement European policy.