Foster Member States and stakeholders to implement urgent species management actions, including by setting out the legislative framework for achieving biodiversity outcomes.

Main legislation in place:

The Birds Directive on the conservation of all species of naturally occurring birds in the wild state, covers their protection, management and control and aims to preserve, maintain or re-establish a sufficient diversity and area of habitats for such species of birds. 

The Habitats Directive aims to ensure biodiversity through the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora, and that protected species and habitat types are maintained, or restored, to a favourable conservation status within the EU. Member States are required to establish the necessary conservation measures involving, if need be, appropriate management plans specifically designed for the sites or integrated into other development plans, and appropriate statutory, administrative or contractual measures which correspond to the ecological requirements of the natural habitat types in Annex I and the species in Annex II present on the sites.

The Water Framework Directive, notably Article 6, requires Member States to keep a register of protected areas designated for the protection of economically significant aquatic species as well as areas designated for the protection of habitats and species where the maintenance or improvement of the status of water is an important factor in their protection. 

The Marine Strategy Framework Directive requires good environmental status of the environment in marine waters, which includes the protection of marine species and habitats, maintaining the biological diversity and ensuring that non-indigenous species introduced by human activities are at levels that do not adversely alter the ecosystems. 

The Zoos Directive promotes the protection and conservation of wild animal species by strengthening the role of zoos in the conservation of biodiversity. It calls on Member States to adopt measures for the licensing and inspection of zoos to ensure they respect certain conservation measures.

The Invasive Alien Species Regulation sets out rules to prevent, minimise and mitigate the adverse impact on biodiversity of the introduction and spread within the EU of invasive alien species.

The Common Fisheries Policy aims, inter alia, to ensure that exploitation of living marine biological resources restores and maintains populations of harvested species above levels which can produce the maximum sustainable yield. For further detail, see the EU contribution on sustainable fisheries. 

The Common Agricultural Policy, notably Article 6, includes the specific objective to contribute to halting and reversing biodiversity loss, enhance ecosystem services and preserve habitats and landscapes. To address this objective, standards for good agricultural and environmental condition (GAEC) include a ban on cutting hedges and trees during the bird breeding and rearing season and a ban on converting or ploughing permanent grassland designated as environmentally-sensitive permanent grassland in Natural 2000 sites. CAP strategic plans can include support for genetic diversity and/or Natura 2000 areas under eco-schemes or environmental, climate and other management commitments. 

The Plant Reproductive Material Marketing Directives establish the rules for the production and marketing of plant reproductive material of agricultural crops, vegetables, vine and fruit plans. They include specific provisions aiming to preserve the genetic diversity of such genetic resources. 

Legislation proposed:

The Commission proposal for a Regulation on plant reproductive material and the Commission proposal for a Regulation on forest reproductive material aim to update the rules for the production and marketing in the EU of plant and forest reproductive material. These proposals introduce specific provisions relevant to the conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture, and for forests.

Other policy instruments:

The EU encourages species management measures inter alia through specific measures under the Habitats Directive to support the recovery of large carnivores in the EU and through European Species Action Plans and supporting IUCN in developing the European Red List of Threatened Species.

The Revision of the EU Pollinators Initiative – A new deal for pollinators sets out actions to be taken to reverse the decline of pollinators by 2030. 

The EU Action Plan: protecting and restoring marine ecosystems for sustainable and resilient fisheries aims to improve gear selectivity and reducing the impact of fisheries on sensitive species, amongst other objectives. 

EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 in particular the following targets and actions in the EU Biodiversity Strategy Actions Tracker:

Target 4: Habitats and species show no deterioration in conservation trends and status; and at least 30% reach favourable conservation status by 2030, or at least show a positive trend

• Action 11: Commission guidance on the selection of species and habitats currently not in favourable conservation status for priority action
• Action 12: Restore 30% of habitats and species currently not in favourable conservation status

Target 5: The decline of pollinators is reversed

• Action 14: Fully implement the EU Pollinators Initiative
• Action 15a: Commission report on the review progress in the implementation of the EU Pollinators Initiative
• Action 15b: Revise the EU Pollinators Initiative (see above)
• Action 23: Review marketing rules for traditional crop varieties in order to contribute to their conservation status and sustainable use (see proposed legislation above)

This EU contribution aligns with GBF Target 4, the element on ensuring urgent management actions. 

For financing and capacity-building, please refer to the EU contributions to Targets 19 and 20. Particularly relevant for this EU Contribution is the LIFE Programme.