EU Birds and Habitats Directives The Fitness Check & Natura 2000 and Forests - François Kremer Nature Unit, DG Environment UEF Round Table Meeting ...

EU Birds and Habitats Directives
       The Fitness Check
               &
   Natura 2000 and Forests
                François Kremer
          Nature Unit, DG Environment

             UEF Round Table Meeting
     Forestry House, Brussels, 23 March 2015

The Fitness Check
• Part of Commission REFIT programme
(Regulatory Fitness and Performance Programme)
• A comprehensive policy evaluation to assess
  whether EU nature legislation is “fit for purpose”
• Focus on Birds & Habitats Directive
• 25 Key questions to be addressed
   • Effectiveness (Have the objectives been met?)
   • Efficiency (Were the costs involved reasonable?)
   • Coherence (Does the policy complement other actions or are
     there contradictions?)
   • Relevance (Is EU action still necessary?)
   • EU added value (Can or could similar changes have been
     achieved at national/regional level, or did EU action provide clear
     added value?)
   • Mandate published on web site of Commission:
   http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/legislation/fitness_check/index_en.htm

The Natura 2000 network

                •   >27 000 sites
                •   > 1 000 000 km²
                •   18 % of EU land
                •   21 % of EU forests
                •   ~4 % EU seas
                •   Largest co-ordinated PA
                    network in the World

Percentage forest under Natura 2000
  according to Member States (2012)

Are the Directives effective?

 «State of Nature in
  the EU» report in
  April 2015
 Based on MS
  reporting (Art 17 HD
  & 12 BD)
 EU analysis
  underway

Are the Directives effective?

Conservation status of forest habitats 2007-
  2012

Are the Directives Efficient?
• Costs & benefits (monetary / non-
  monetary) of compliance in MS/EU?
• Are availability and access to funding
  a constraint or support?
• Significant cost differences between
  MS and if so why?
• Likely costs of non-implementation?
• Unnecessary administrative burden?
• Is knowledge base sufficient to allow
  for efficient implementation?

Are Directives Coherent with other EU
             legislation and policies?
• Between Birds and Habitats Directives?
• EU environment law/policy (eg EIA/SEA)?
• EU sectoral policies (e.g. agriculture,
  energy)
• Internal market / level playing field?
• EU Sectoral funds (Natura 2000 funding)?
• Other EU biodiversity objectives?
• International/global biodiversity
  commitments?
• Overlaps, gaps and/or inconsistencies that
  significantly hamper achievements of
  objectives?

Are the Directives still relevant and what
              is EU added value?
• Are key problems addressed by Directives?
• Are they adapted to technical scientific progress?
• How relevant are Directives to achieving
  sustainable development?
• How relevant is EU nature legislation to EU citizens
  & what is their level of support?
• What are citizens‘expectations for EU in nature
  protection?
• What would be the likely situation in case of there
  having been no EU nature legislation?
• Is EU action still required?

Milestones for the Fitness Check (1)
• February 2014: publication of the mandate for
  the Fitness Check
• End October 2014: launch of a contract to
  assist the Commission in the gathering and
  assessment of relevant information and evidence
  for the Fitness Check by a consortium, led by
  MILIEU Legal and Policy Consultant in partnership
  with the Institute of European Environment Policy
  (IEEP), ICF International and ECOSYSTEMS Ltd.

Milestones for the Fitness Check (2)
• From January 2015: consultation on the draft
  list of key documents that are relevant to the
  Fitness Check.
• January 2015: start of a structured evidence
  gathering consultation with all Member States
  and key stakeholder groups
• April 2015: launch of a 12 week public internet
  consultation.

Milestones for the Fitness Check (3)
• April 2015 publication of the 'State of Nature in
  the EU' report
• June 2015: Green Week 2015, in Brussels
• Late September 2015: Conference on the
  Fitness Check in Brussels, where draft results of
  the evaluation will be shared and discussed
• Early 2016: publication of Commission report on
  the results of the Fitness Check.

EU-level bodies consulted (forestry sector)
•   Confederation of European Forest Owners (CEPF)
•   European Landowners Organisation (ELO)
•   EUSTAFOR, European State Forest Association
•   FECOF – European Federation of Municipal and Local
    Community Forests
•   Federation of Associations for Hunting and Conservation of
    the EU (FACE)
•   USSE (Union of Forester Owners from Southern Europe)
•   Reindeer Herding
•   COPA COGECA

Natura 2000 and Forests
  The 'new dialogue' and
   guidance document

          Picture: Peter Löffler

A 'new dialogue' on Natura 2000 and Forests

• to clarify the provisions of EU nature legislation in forests
• to address potential challenges and conflicts
• to improve mutual understanding and cooperation
  between forestry and nature conservation communities
• to identify and promote synergies & best practice
• to answer frequently asked questions on forest
  management in Natura 2000
• to promote the integration of Natura 2000 conservation
            objectives into forest management

A new guide addressing…

• concerns raised by both forest owners and
  managers, and nature conservationists, over the
  management of forests in Natura 2000 sites
• false perceptions and ‘myths’ on legitimate
  concerns on both sides, and
• benefitting from a frank discussion on the aims
  of Natura 2000 and its implications for forest
  owners and managers (Bottom-up approach)

Preparation of the guide
• Two workshops (13/12/2012 and 23/05/13)
• Four meetings of an ad-hoc working group
  (14/10/13; 17/12/13; 11/03/14 and 26/06/14)
• Participation of > 50 experts from different
  Member States and organisations
• Close cooperation between DG ENV and DG AGRI

The Guide's intent and target groups
• The guide is not be prescriptive in its intent,
  but offers a useful source of information and
  advice for a better understanding and
  implementation of the provisions of the Habitats
  and Birds Directives.
• It is addressed to the nature and forest
  authorities, the site managers and the interested
  civil society

The guide's content
• I. Overview of Natura 2000 in the context of
  forests, incl. conservation status, EU Forest
  Strategy, etc.
• II. Frequently asked questions about the
  protection and the management of forests in
  Natura 2000
• III. Case studies on managing forests in Natura
  2000 across the EU
• Annexes: Glossary, references, etc;

Issues covered by FAQs
Site designation - Setting conservation objectives -
Implementing conservation measures - Ensuring
non-deterioration - Forest management
requirements - Financing conservation management
– Planning new activities - Monitoring -
Communication - Co-operation - Involvement of
stakeholders - Species and habitats protection
outside Natura 2000 sites

What next ?
• 28 April 2015: Presentation to the Expert Group
  on the Birds and Habitats Directives (Habitats
  Committee)
• Before summer 2015: Publication of the Guide
• After summer 2015: Translations available
• 1 October 2015: Meeting of the ad-hoc Working
  Group: Presentation of the Guide and
  continuation of the 'dialogue'
• Later on: Possibly revised /extended edition(s) of
             the Guide (according to needs, t.b.c.)

Other publications
    of interest

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/natura2
000/financing/index_en.htm#guidancehandbook
           http://ec.europa.eu/environment/life/publ
           ications/lifepublications/generalpublication
           s/generalpub.htm

For more information, please consult:

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/index_en.htm

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