What is the Birds Directive?

Lubomir Andreev/BirdLife Bulgaria The Black Stork is one of the many species to breed in Natura 2000 sites Zoom In

The European Union Directive on the conservation of wild birds (79/409/EEC) was adopted in 1979 by nine Member States, and was the first EU Directive on nature conservation. Since its adoption it has been a vital legal instrument for the conservation of all birds that occur naturally across the EU, acting in the broadest public interest to conserve Europe’s natural heritage for present and future generations. Together with the definitions and objectives of the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), adopted in 1992, it offers useful legal conceptual models and a set of standards and norms in common use. The Birds Directive applies to all 25 EU countries since May 2004.

The Birds Directive is a primary tool for delivering against EU obligations under global Conventions, including the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the Ramsar and Bonn Conventions and the plan of implementation of the World Summit on Sustainable Development. Apart from its global obligations the EU has further committed itself to halting biodiversity decline by the year 2010. The full and proper implementation of both the Birds and the Habitats Directive including the proper designation and adequate management of Natura 2000 sites will be crucial to achieving this target.

Carlos Sanchez The Stone Curlew is listed in Annex I of the EC Birds Directive and is a species of European conservation concern Zoom In

Together the Birds and Habitats Directives require the 25 EU Member States to take a number of measures in order to protect all bird species, their sites and their habitats:

They require Member States to:

• Take measures to conserve all naturally occurring bird species across the EU
• Classify as Special Protection Areas (SPAs) the most suitable territories for species listed on Annex I of the Directive and migratory species*
• Maintain SPAs in Favourable Conservation Status
• Prepare and implement management plans, setting clear conservation objectives for all SPAs in the EU 25
• Provide co-financing for the management of these protected sites (SPAs)
• Regulate the hunting of certain species of birds listed in Annex II of the Birds Directive
• Follow the procedure outlined in Article 6 of the Habitats Directive for carrying out appropriate assessments of environmental impacts on SPAs.

* Special Protection Areas (SPAs) are classified under article 4 of the Birds Directive. Together with the Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) designated under article 4 of the Habitats Directive they make up the Natura 2000 Network.