•ft A 
lit tt COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
Brussels, 26.09.1995 
COM(95)444 final 
Proposal for a 
i 
COUNCIL DECISION 
on the signature by the European Community 
of the Agreement on the Conservation 
of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds 
(presented by the Commission) 

Explanatory Memorandum 
The Community is a Contracting Party to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory 
Species of Wild Animals (Bonn Convention - CMS)1 . 
Article IV of the Bonn Convention provides for the conclusion of regional agreements which 
for Appendix II species (those with an unfavourable conservation status) should be concluded 
as soon as possible. 
The waterbirds of the African-Eurasian fly ways, which are Appendix II species, merit 
immediate attention in order to improve their conservation status and to gather information as a 
basis for sound management decisions. 
Resolution 1.6 of the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Bonn Convention 
called for the development of an Agreement foe Western Palaeartic Analidae. From 1988 to 
1991. a draft Agreement, including an Action Plan for Anatidae and a management Plan was 
elaborated by the Government of the Netherlands, acting in agreement with the Community, in 
collaboration with the Convention Secretariat, IUCN, a Working Group of the CMS Scientific 
Council and the International Waterfowl and Wetland Research Bureau (fWRB).This was 
followed by an initiative from the Convention Secretariat which resulted in a new draft 
agreement with a larger scope including other species of migratory waterbirds. 
An informal negotiating meeting took place in Nairobi from 12-14 June 1994 after the fourth 
meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Bonn Convention which was held in Nairobi 
from 7 to 11 June 1994. The meeting was attended by representatives from the Commission. 
A revised draft Agreement was prepared by the Convention Secretariat and submitted to the 
negotiating meeting which took place in the Hague from 12-16 June 1995 as a basis for 
negotiations. The Agreement was finally adopted by consensus by sixty three Range States and 
by the European Community. The Agreement will be open for signature from 16 October 1995. 
The Agreement aims at creating the legal framework for a concerted conservation policy of the 
Range States of migratory waterbirds species and populations, individuals of which migrate in 
the Western Palaearctic and Africa, irrespective of their current conservation status. 
The Agreement will cover: 
- about 170 species; 
- an area of 60 .million square kilometers encompas,sing i 16 Range Stares and covering the 
entire continents of Africa and Europe as well as part of Asia. 
' OJL210, 19.07.l982,p.l(). 
2 
The Agreement text includes three annexes: 
- a map showing the geographical area covered by the Agreement, 
- a list of families of migratory birds covered by the Agreement, 
- an action plan 
The Agreement requests in particular coordinated measures to achieve and maintain a 
favourable conservation status for African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds. Article III of the 
Agreement provides for the conservation measures to be taken. Annex III (the Action plan) 
specifies actions which the Parties shall undertake in relation to priority species consistent with 
the general conservation measures specified in Article III of the Agreement. 
The Agreement mainly refers to matters falling within Community competence which at the 
internal level arc regulated by Council Directives 79/409/EEC on the conservation of wild 
birds2 and 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora3 . 
Furthermore, the Community is a Party to the Bern Convention on the Conservation of 
European Wildlife and Natural Habitats4 and of the Barcelona Convention for the Protection of 
the Mediterranean Sea against Pollution5 and to its protocols, in particular to the Protocol on 
Specially Protected Areas6 
Accordingly, it is convenient that the Community signs the Agreement on the Conservation of 
African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds, subject to future conclusion. 
2 OJL 103, 25.04.1979. p. 1. 
3 OJ L 206, 22.07.1992, p.7. 
4 OJL 38, 10.02.1982, p.3. 
5 OJL 240. 19.09.1977. p.3. 
6 OJL 68, 10.03.1984, p.36. 
3 
Proposai for a Council Decision 
on the signature by the European Community 
of the Agreement on the Conservation 
of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission. 
Whereas the Community is a Contracting Party to the Convention on the Conservation of 
Migratory Species of Wild Animals (Bonn Convention ) ' : 
Whereas Article IV of the Bonn Convention provides for the conclusion of regional agreements 
which for species with an unfavourable conservation status (Appendix II species) should be 
concluded as soon as possible : 
Whereas the waterbirds of the African-Eurasian flyways. which are Appendix II species, merit 
immediate attention in order to improve their conservation status and to gather information as a 
basis for sound management decisions ; 
Whereas the first meeting of the Parties to the Bonn Convention called for the development of 
an Agreement for the Conservation of Western Palaeartic Anatidae; and whereas the draft 
agreement has been subsequently developed so as to include other species of migratory 
waterbirds ; 
Whereas the conservation of migratory waterbirds mainly falls within Community competence 
taking into account Council Directives 79/409/EEC, of 2 April 1979, on the conservation of 
wild birds2 as last amended by Directive 94/24/EC3, and 92/43/EEC, of 21 May 1992, on the 
conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora4 : 
Whereas the Commission participated on behalf of the Community, and in accordance with the 
negotiating directives given by the Council on 7 June 1995, in the negotiating meeting that took 
place from 12 to 16 June 1995 in the Hague; and whereas this meeting adopted by consensus 
the Agreement on the Conservation of African Eurasian-Migratory Waterbirds (the 
Agreement); 
Whereas the Agreement will be open for signature from 16 October 1995 ; 
Whereas it is convenient that the Agreement be signed by the Community, subject to 
conclusion, 
1 OJL 210, 19.07.1982. p. 10. 
2 OJL 103. 25.04.1979. p. 1 
•'OJL 164,30.06.1994. p.9. 
4OJ L206, 22.07.1992, p.7. 
4 
HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS 
Sole Article 
The President of the Council is hereby authorised to designate the person(s) empowered to sign, 
on behalf of the Community, subject to conclusion, the Agreement on the Conservation of 
African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds and to confer upon them the powers necessary for that 
purpose. 
Done at Brussels, 
For the Council 
The President 
5-6 
AGREEMENT ON THE CONSERVATION OF AFRICAN-EURASIAN 
MIGRATORY WATERBIRDS 
THE CONTRACTING PARTIES. 
RECALLING that the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species 
of Wjld Animals, 1979, encourages international cooperative action to conserve 
migratory species; 
RECALLING further that the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties 
to the Convention, held in Bonn in October 1985, instructed the Secretariat of -
the Convention to take appropriate measures to develop an Agreement on 
Western Palearctic Anatidae; 
CONSIDERING that migratory waterbirds constitute an important part of the 
global biological diversity which, in keeping with the spirit of the Convention on 
Biological Diversity, 1992, and Agenda 21 should be conserved for the benefit 
of present and future generations; 
AWARE of the economic, social, cultural and recreational benefits accruing 
from the taking of certain species of migratory waterbirds and of the 
environmental, ecological, genetic, scientific, aesthetic, recreational, cultural, 
educational, social and economic values of waterbirds in general; 
CONVINCED that any taking of migratory waterbirds must be conducted on 
a sustainable basis, taking into account the conservation status of the species 
concerned over their entire range as well as their biological characteristics; 
y 
CONSCIOUS that migratory waterbirds are particularly vulnerable because 
they migrate over long distances and are dependent on networks of wetlands 
that are decreasing in extent and becoming degraded through non-sustainable 
human activities, as is expressed in the Convention on Wetlands of International 
Importance, especiaHy as Waterfowl Habitat, 1971; 
RECOGNIZING the need to take immediate action to stop the decline-of 
migratory waterbird species and their habitats in the geographic area of the 
African-Eurasian waterbird migration systems; 
-CONVINCED that the conclusion of a multilateral Agreement and its 
implementation through coordinated or concerted action will contribute 
significantly to the conservation of migratory waterbirds and their habitats in the 
most efficient manner, and will have ancillary benefits for many other species of 
animals and plants; and 
ACKNOWLEDGING that effective implementation of such an Agreement will 
require assistance to be provided to some Range States for research, training and 
monitoring of migratory waterbird species and their habitats, for the management 
of those habitats as well as for the establishment or improvement of scientific 
and administrative institutions for the implementation of this Agreement, 
HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS: 
ARTICLE I 
Scope, Definitions and Interpretation 
1. The geographic scope of this Agreement is the area of the migration 
systems of African-Eurasian waterbirds, as defined in Annex 1 to this Agreement, 
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hereafter referred to as the "Agreement Area". 
2. For the purpose of this Agreement: 
(a) "Convention" means the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory 
Species of Wild Animals, 1979; 
(b) "Convention Secretariat" means the body established under Article IX 
of the Convention; 
(c) "Waterbirds" means those species of birds that are ecologically 
dependent on wetlands for at least part of their annual cycle, have a 
range which lies entirely or partly within the Agreement Area and are 
listed in Annex 2 to this Agreement; 
(d) "Agreement secretariat" means the body established under Article VI, 
paragraph 7, subparagraph (b), of this Agreement; 
(e) "Parties" means, unless the context otherwise indicates, Parties to this 
Agreement; and 
(f) "Parties present and voting" means the Parties present and casting an 
affirmative or negative vote; those abstaining from voting shall hot be 
counted amongst the Parties present and voting. 
In addition, the terms defined in Article I, subparagraphs 1(a) to (k), of the 
Convention shall have the same meaning, mutatis mutandis, in this Agreement. 
3. This Agreement is an AGREEMENT within the meaning of Article IV, 
paragraph 3, of the Convention. 
4. Thé annexes to this Agreement form an integral part thereof. Any 
reference to the Agreement includes a reference to its annexes. 
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ARTICLE II 
Fundamental Principles 
1. Parties shall take co-ordinated measures to maintain migratory 
waterbird species in a favourable conservation status or to restore them to such 
a status. To this end. they shall apply within the limits of their national 
jurisdiction the measures prescribed in Article III, together with the specific 
actions determined in the Action Plan provided for in Article IV, of this 
Agreement. 
2. In implementing the measures prescribed in paragraph 1 above, Parties 
should take into account the precautionary principle. 
ARTICLE III 
General Conservation Measures 
1. The Parties shall take measures to conserve migratory waterbirds, 
giving special attention to endangered species as well as to those with an 
unfavourable conservation status. 
2. To this end, the Parties shall: 
(a) accord the same strict protection for endangered migratory waterbird 
species in the Agreement Area as is provided for under Article III, 
paragraphs 4 and 5, of the Convention; 
(b) ensure that any use of migratory waterbirds is based on an assessment 
of the best available knowledge of their ecology and is sustainable for 
the species as well as for the ecological systems that support them; 
(c) identify sites and habitats for migratory waterbirds occurring within 
their territory and encourage the protection, management, 
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rehabilitation and restoration of these sites, in liaison with those bodies 
listed in Article IX, paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Agreement, 
concerned with habitat conservation; 
(d) coordinate their efforts to ensure that a network of suitable habitats 
is maintained or, where appropriate, re-established throughout the 
entire range of each migratory waterbird species concerned, in 
particular where wetlands extend over the area of more than one Party 
to this Agreement; 
(e) investigate problems that are posed or are likely to be posed by human 
activities and endeavour to implement remedial measures, including 
habitat rehabilitation and restoration, and compensatory measures for 
loss of habitat; 
(f) cooperate in emergency situations requiring international concerted 
action and in identifying the species of migratory waterbirds which are 
the most vulnerable to these situations as well as cooperate in 
developing appropriate emergency procedures to provide increased 
protection to these species in such situations and in the preparation of 
.guidelines to assist individual Parties in tackling these situations; 
(g) prohibit the deliberate introduction of non-native waterbird species into 
the environment and take all appropriate measures to prevent the 
unintentional release of such species if this introduction or release 
would prejudice the conservation status of wild flora and fauna; when 
non-native waterbird species have already been introduced, the Parties 
shall take all appropriate measures to prevent these species from 
becoming a potential threat to indigenous species; 
(h) initiate or support research into the biology and ecology of migratory 
waterbirds including the harmonization of research and monitoring 
methods and, where appropriate, the establishment of joint or 
cooperative research and monitoring programmes; 
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(i) analyze their training requirements for, inter alia, migratory, waterbird 
surveys, monitoring, ringing and wetland management to identify priority 
topics and areas for training and cooperate in the development and 
provision of appropriate training programmes; 
(j) develop and maintain programmes to raise awareness and understanding 
of migratory waterbird conservation issues in general and of the particular 
objectives and provisions of this Agreement; 
(k) exchange information and results from research, monitoring, conservation 
and education programmes; and 
(I) cooperate with a view to assisting each other to implement this 
Agreement, particularly in the areas of research and monitoring. 
ARTICLE IV 
Action Plan and Conservation Guidelines 
1. An Action Plan is appended as Annex 3 to this Agreement. It specifies 
actions which the Parties shall undertake in relation to priority species and issues, 
under the following headings, consistent with the general conservation measures 
specified in Article III of this Agreement: 
(a) species conservation; 
(b) habitat conservation; 
(c) management of human activities; 
(d) research and monitoring; 
(e) education and information; and 
(f) implementation. 
2. The Action Plan shall be reviewed at each ordinary session of the Meeting 
of the Parties, taking into account the Conservation Guidelines. 
At, 
3. Any amendment to the Action Plan shall be adopted by the Meeting of 
the Parties, taking into consideration the provisions of Article Ml of this 
Agreement. 
4. The Conservation Guidelines shall be submitted to the Meeting of the 
Parties for adoption at its first session, and shall be regularly reviewed. 
ARTICLE V 
Implementation and Financing 
1. Each Party shall: 
(a) designate the Authority or Authorities to implement this Agreement. 
. ~ which shall, inter alia, monitor all activities that may have impact on 
the conservation status of those migratory waterbird species of which 
the Party is a Range State; 
(b) designate a contact point for the other Parties, and communicate 
without delay its name and address to the Agreement secretariat to be 
circulated forthwith to the other Parties; and 
(c) prepare for each ordinary session of the Meeting of the Parties, 
beginning with the second session, a report on its implementation of 
the Agreement with particular reference to the conservation measures 
it has undertaken. The format of such reports shall be determined by 
the first session of the Meeting of the Parties and reviewed as may be 
necessary at any subsequent session of the Meeting of the Parties. 
Each report shall be submitted to the Agreement secretariat not less 
than one hundred and twenty days before the ordinary session of the 
Meeting of the Parties for which it has been prepared, and copies shall 
be circulated forthwith to the other Parties by the Agreement 
secretariat. 
^ 
2. (a) Each Party shall contribute to the budget of the Agreement in 
accordance with the United Nations scale of assessment. The 
contributions shall be restricted to a maximum of 25 per cent of the 
total budget for any Party that is a Range State. No regional economic 
integration organization shall.be required to contribute more than 2.5 
per cent of the administrative costs. 
(b) Decisions relating to the budget and any changes to the scale of 
assessment that may be found necessary shall be adopted by the 
Meeting of the Parties by consensus. 
3. The Meeting of the Parties may establish a conservation fund from 
voluntary contributions of Parties or from any other source for the purpose of 
financing monitoring, research, training and projects relating to the conservation, 
including protection and management, of migratory waterbirds. 
4. Parties are encouraged to provide training and technical and financial 
support to other Parties on a multilateral or bilateral basis to assist them in 
implementing the provisions of this Agreement. 
ARTICLE VI 
Meeting of the Parties-
1. The Meeting of the Parties shall be the decision-making body of this 
Agreement. 
2. The Depositary shall, in consultation with the Convention Secretariat, 
convene a session of the Meeting of the Parties not later than one year after the 
date of the. entry into force of this Agreement. Thereafter, the Agreement 
secretariat shall convene, in consultation with the Convention Secretariat, 
J*i 
ordinary sessions of the Meeting of the Parties at intervals of not more than three 
years, unless the Meeting of the Parties decides otherwise. Where it is possible 
to do so, such sessions should be held in conjunction with the ordinary meetings 
of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention. 
3. On the written request of at least one third of the Parties, the 
Agreement secretariat shall convene an extraordinary session of the Meeting of 
the Parties. 
4. The United Nations, its Specialized Agencies, the International Atomic 
Energy Agency, any State not a Party to the Agreement, and the secretariats of 
international conventions concerned inter alia with the conservation, including 
protection and management, of migratory waterbirds may be represented by 
observers in sessions of the Meeting of the Parties. Any agency or body 
technically qualified in such conservation matters or in research on migratory 
waterbirds may also be represented at sessions of the Meeting of the Parties by 
observers, unless at least one third of the Parties present object. 
5. Only Parties have the right to vote. Each Party shall have one vote, but 
regional economic integration organizations which are Parties to this Agreement 
shall, in matters within their competence, exercise their right to vote with a 
number of votes equal to the number of their Member States which are Parties 
to the Agreement. A regional economic integration organization shall not exercise 
its right to vote if its Member States exercise theirs, and vice versa. 
6. Unless provided otherwise in this Agreement, decisions of the Meeting 
of the Parties shall be adopted by consensus or, if consensus cannot be 
achieved, by a two-thirds majority of the Parties present and voting. 
AC 
7. At its first session, the Meeting of the Parties shall: 
(a) adopt its rules of procedure by consensus; 
(b) establish an Agreement secretariat within the Convention Secretariat 
to perform the secretariat functions listed in Article VIII of this 
Agreement; 
(c) establish the Technical Committee provided for in Article VII of this 
Agreement; 
(d) adopt a format for the reports to be prepared according to Article V,. 
paragraph 1, subparagraph (c), of this Agreement; and 
(e) adopt criteria to define emergency situations which require urgent 
conservation measures, and determine the modalities for assigning 
responsibility for action to be taken. 
8. At each of its ordinary sessions, the Meeting of the Parties shall: 
(a) consider actual and potential changes in the conservation status of 
migratory waterbirds and the habitats important for their survival, as 
well as the factors which may affect them; 
(b) review the progress made and any difficulty encountered in the 
implementation of this Agreement; 
(c) adopt a budget and consider any matters relating to the financial 
arrangements for this Agreement; 
(d) deal with any matter relating to the Agreement secretariat and the 
membership of the Technical Committee; 
(e) adopt a report for communication to the Parties to this Agreement and 
to the Conference of the Parties of the Convention; and 
(f) determine the time and venue of the next session. 
9. At any of its sessions, the Meeting of the Parties may: 
(a) make recommendations to the Parties as it deems necessary or appropriate; 
A6 
=il 
(b) adopt specific actions to improve the effectiveness of this Agreement 
and, as the case may be. emergency measures as provided for in 
Article VII, paragraph 4, of this Agreement; 
(c) consider and decide upon proposals to amend this Agreement; 
(d) amend the Action Plan in accordance with Article IV, paragraph 3, of 
this Agreement; 
(e) establish such subsidiary bodies as it deems necessary to assist in the 
implementation of this Agreement, in particular for coordination with 
bodies established under other international treaties, conventions and 
agreements with overlapping geographic and taxonomic coverage; and 
(f) decide on any other matter relating to the implementation of this 
Agreement. 
ARTICLE VII 
Technical Committee 
1. The Technical Committee shall comprise: 
(a) nine experts representing different regions of the Agreement Area, in 
accordance with a balanced geographical distribution; 
(b) one representative from the International Union for Conservation of 
Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), one from the International 
Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Bureau (IWRB) and one from the 
International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC); and 
(c) one expert from each of the following fields: rural economics, game 
management, and environmental law. 
The procedure for the appointment of the experts, the term of their 
appointment and the procedure for designation of the Chairman of the Technical 
Af 

Committee shall be determined by the Meeting of the Parties. The Chairman may 
admit a maximum of four observers from specialized international inter­
governmental and non-governmental organizations. 
2.. Unless the Meeting of the Parties decides otherwise, meetings of the 
Technical Committee shall be convened by the Agreement secretariat in 
conjunction with each ordinary session of the Meeting of the Parties and at least 
once_between ordinary sessions of the Meeting of the Parties. 
3. The Technical Committee shall: 
(a) provide scientific and technical advice and information to the Meeting 
of the Parties and, through the Agreement secretariat, to Parties; 
(b) make recommendations to the Meeting of the Parties concerning the 
Action Plan, implementation of the Agreement and further research to 
be carried out; 
(c) prepare for each ordinary session of the Meeting of the Parties a report 
on its activities, which shall be submitted to the Agreement secretariat 
not less than one hundred and twenty days before the session of the 
Meeting of the Parties, and copies shall be circulated forthwith by the 
Agreement secretariat to the Parties; and 
(d) carry out any other tasks referred to it by the Meeting of the Parties. 
4. Where in the opinion of the Technical Committee there has arisen an 
emergency which requires the adoption of immediate measures to avoid 
deterioration of the conservation status of one or more migratory waterbird 
species, the Technical Committee may request the Agreement secretariat to 
convene urgently a meeting of the Parties concerned. These Parties shail meet 
as soon as possible thereafter to establish rapidly a mechanism to give protection 
to the species identified as being subject to particularly adverse threat. Where a 
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recommendation has been adopted at such a meeting, the Parties concerned shall 
inform each other and the Agreement secretariat of measures they have taken to 
implement it, or of the reasons why the recommendation could not be 
implemented. 
5. The Technical Committee may establish such working groups as may 
be necessary to deal with specific tasks. 
ARTICLE VIII 
Agreement Secretariat 
The functions of the Agreement secretariat shall be: 
(a) to arrange and service the sessions of the Meeting of the Parties as 
well as the meetings of the Technical Committee; 
(b) to execute the decisions addressed to h by the Meeting of the Parties; 
(c) to promote and coordinate activities under the Agreement, including 
the Action Plan, in accordance with decisions of the Meeting of the 
Parties; 
(d) to liaise with non-Party Range States and to facilitate coordination 
between the Parties and with international and national organizations, 
the activities of which are directly or indirectly relevant to the 
conservation, including protection and management, of migratory 
waterbirds; 
(e) to gather and-evaluate information which will further the objectives 
and implementation of the Agreement and to arrange for appropriate 
dissemination of such information; 
(f) to invite the attention of the Meeting of the Parties to matters 
pertaining to the objectives of this Agreement; 
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(g) to circulate copies of the reports of the Authorities referred to in j 
Article V, paragraph Ï, subparagraph (a), of this Agreement and of the J 
Technical Committee, along with copies of the reports it must provide 
pursuant to paragraph (h) of this Article, to each Party not less than 
sixty days before the commencement of each ordinary session of the 
Meeting of the Parties; _ 
(h) to prepare, on an annual basis and for each ordinary session of the 
Meeting of the Parties, reports on the work of the secretariat and on 
the implementation of the Agreement; 
(i) to administer the budget for the Agreement and, if established, its 
conservation fund; 
(j) to provide information for the general public concerning the Agreement 
and its objectives; and 
(k) to perform such other functions as may be entrusted to it under the 
Agreement or by the Meeting of the Parties. 
ARTICLE IX 
Relations'with International Bodies dealing with 
Migratory Waterbirds and their Habitats 
The Agreementsecretariat shall consult: 
(a) on a regular basis, the Convention Secretariat and, where appropriate, 
the bodies responsible for the secretariat functions under Agreements 
concluded pursuant to Article IV, paragraphs 3 and 4, of the 
Convention which are relevant to migratory waterbirds, the Convention 
on Wetlands of International Importance, especially as Waterfowl 
Habitat, 1971, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered 
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, 1973, the African Convention on the 
Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, 1968, the Convention 
i'o 
on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats, 1979, 
and the Convention on Biological Diversity. 1992, with a view to the 
Meeting of the Parties cooperating with the Parties to these 
conventions on all matters of common interest and, in particular, in the 
development and implementation of the Action Plan; 
(b) the secretariats of other pertinent conventions and international 
instruments in respect of matters of common interest; and 
(c) other organizations competent in" the field of conservation, including 
protection and management, of migratory waterbirds and their 
habitats, as welt as in the fields of research, education and awareness 
raising. 
ARTICLE X 
Amendment of the Agreement 
1. This Agreement may be amended at any ordinary or extraordinary 
session of the Meeting of the Parties. 
2. Proposals for amendment may be made by any Party. 
3. The text of any proposed amendment and the reasons for it shall be 
communicated to the Agreement secretariat not less than one hundred and fifty 
days before the opening of the session. The Agreement secretariat shall transmit 
copies forthwith to the Parties. Any comments on the text by the Parties shall be 
communicated to the Agreement secretariat not less than sixty days before the 
opening of the session. The Secretariat shall, as soon as possible after the last 
day for submission of comments, communicate to the Parties alt comments 
submitted by that day. 
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4. An amendment to the Agreement other than an amendment to its 
annexes shall be adopted by a two-thirds majority of the Parties present and 
voting and shall enter into force for those Parties which have accepted it on the 
thirtieth day after the date on which two thirds of the Parties to the Agreement 
at the date of the adoption of the amendment have deposited their instruments 
of acceptance of the amendment with the Depositary. For each Party which 
deposits an instrument of acceptance after the date on which two thirds of the 
Parties have deposited their instruments of acceptance, the amendment shall 
enter into force on the thirtieth day after the date on which it deposits its 
instrument of acceptance. 
5: Any additional annexes and any amendment to an annex shall be 
adopted by a two-thirds majority of the Parties present and voting and shall enter 
into force for all Parties on the ninetieth day after the date of its adoption by the 
Meeting of the Parties, except for Parties which have entered a reservation in 
accordance with paragraph 6 of this Article. 
6. During the period of ninety days provided for in paragraph 5 of this 
Article, any Party may by written notification to the Depositary enter a 
reservation with respect to an additional annex or an amendment to an annex. 
Such reservation may be withdrawn at any time by written notification to the 
Depositary, and thereupon the additional annex or the amendment shall enter into 
force for that Party on the thirtieth day after the date of withdrawal of the 
reservation. 
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ARTICLE XI 
Effect of this Agreement on International 
Conventions and Legislation 
1. The provisions of this Agreement do not affect the rights and 
obligations of any Party deriving from existing international treaties, conventions 
or agreements. * 
2. The provisions of this Agreement shall in no way affect the right of any 
Party to maintain or adopt stricter measures for the conservation of migratory 
waterbirds and their habitats. 
ARTICLE XII 
Settlement of Disputes 
1. Any dispute which may arise between two or more Parties with respect 
to the interpretation or application of the provisions of this Agreement shall be 
subject to negotiation between the Parties involved in the dispute. 
2. If the dispute cannot be resolved in accordance with paragraph 1 of 
this Article, the Parties may, by mutual consent, submit the dispute to arbitration, 
in particular that of the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague, and the 
Parties submitting the dispute shall be bound by the arbitral decision. 
ARTICLE XIII 
Signature, Ratification, Acceptance, Approval, Accession 
1. This Agreement shall be open for signature by any Range State, 
whether or not areas under its jurisdiction lie within the Agreement Area, or 
^3 
regional economic integration organization, at least one member of which is a 
Range State, either by: 
(a) signature without reservation in respect of ratification, acceptance or 
approval; or 
(b) signature with reservation in respect of ratification, acceptance or 
approval, followed by ratification, acceptance or approval. 
2. This Agreement shall remain open for signature at The Hague until the 
date of its entry into force. 
3. This Agreement shall be open for accession by any Range State or 
regional economic integration organization mentioned in paragraph 1 above on 
and after the date of entry into force of the Agreement. 
4. Instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession shall be 
deposited with the Depositary. 
ARTICLE XIV 
Entry into Force 
1. This Agreement shall enter into force on the first day of the third 
nonth after at least fourteen Range States or regional economic integration 
organizations, comprising at least seven from Africa and seven from Eurasia, 
have signed without reservation in respect of ratification, acceptance or approval 
or have deposited their instruments of ratification, acceptance or approval in 
accordance with Article Xlll of this Agreement. 
2. For any Range State or regional economic integration organization 
which has: 
^ 
(a) signed without reservation in respect of ratification, acceptance, or 
approval; 
(b) ratified, accepted, or approved; or 
(c) acceded to 
this Agreement after the date on which the number of Range States 
and regional economic integration organizations necessary to enable 
entry into force have signed it without reservation or have ratified, 
accepted or approved it, this Agreement shall enter into force on the 
first day of the third month following the signature without 
reservation, or deposit, by that State or organization, of its instrument 
of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession. 
ARTICLE XV 
Reservations 
The provisions of this Agreement shall not be subject to general 
reservations. However, a specific reservation may be entered by any State or 
regional economic integration organization on signature without reservation in 
respect of ratification, acceptance or approval or, as the case may be, on 
depositing its instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession in 
respect of any species covered by the Agreement or any specific provision of the 
Action Plan. Such a reservation may be withdrawn at any time by the State or 
regional economic integration organization which had entered it, by notification 
in writing to the Depositary; such a State or organization shall not be bound by 
the provisions which are the object of the reservation until thirty days after the 
date on which the reservation has been withdrawn. 
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ARTICLE XVI 
Denunciation 
Any Party may denounce this Agreement by written notification to the 
Depositary at any time. The denunciation shall take effect twelve months after 
the date on which the Depositary has received the notification. 
ARTICLE XVII 
Depositary 
1. The original of this Agreement, in the Arabic, English, French and 
nussian languages, each version being equally authentic, shall be deposited with 
ine Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands which shall be the 
Depositary. The Depositary shall transmit certified copies of these versions to all 
States and regional economic integration organizations referred to in Article XIII, 
paragraph 1, of this Agreement, and to the Agreement secretariat after it has 
been established. 
2. As soon as this Agreement enters into force, a certified copy thereof 
shall be transmitted by the Depositary to the Secretariat of the United Nations for 
registration and publication in accordance with Article 102 of the Charter of the 
United Nations. _ 
3. The Depositary shall inform all States and regional economic integration 
organizations that have signed or acceded to the Agreement, and the Agreement 
secretariat, of: 
(a) any signature; 
(b) any deposit of instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or 
accession; 
#6 
Ce) the date of entry irrto force of this Agreement and of any additional 
annex as well as of any amendment to the Agreement or to its 
annexes; 
(d) any reservation with respect to an additional annex of to an 
amendment to an annex; 
(e) any notification of withdrawal of a reservation; and 
(f) any notification of denunciation of the Agreement. 
The Depositary shall transmit to all States and regional economic integration 
organizations that have signed or acceded to this Agreement, and to the 
Agreement secretariat, the text of any reservation, of any additional annex and 
of any amendment to the Agreement or to its annexes. 
In witness whereof the undersigned, being duly authorized to that effect, 
have signed this Agreement. 
Done at The Hague this sixteenth day of June 1995. 
r? 
Annex 1 
Definition of the Agreement Area 
The boundary of the Agreement area is defined as follows: from the North 
Pole south along the 130°W line of longitude to 75°N; thence east and southeast 
through Viscount Melville Sound, Prince Regent Inlet, the Gulf of Boothia. Foxe 
Basin, Foxe Channel and Hudson Strait to a point in the northwest Atlantic at 
60°N, 60°W; thence southeast through the northwest Atlantic to a point at 50°N, 
30°W; thence south along the 30°W line of longitude to 10°N; thence southeast 
' o the Equator at 20°W; thence south along the 20°W line of longitude to 40°S; 
thence east along the 40°S line of latitude to 60°E; thence north along the 60°E 
line of longitude to 35°N; thence east-northeast on a great circle to a point in the 
western Altai at 49°N, 87°27'E; thence northeast on a great circle to the coast 
of the Arctic Ocean at 130°E; thence north along the 130°E line of longitude to 
the North Pole. The outline of the Agreement Area is illustrated on the following 
map. 
%$ 
Annex la: Map of the Agreement Area 
1S0' 160* 170« 180* 170* 160' ISO» 
11404 
130* 
J120* 
110s 
100* 
10* 20* 50" 60* 70" 
& 
Annex 2 
Waterbird Species to which this Agreement Applies 
GAVIIDAE 
Gawa Stella ta 
G a via arctica 
G a via immer 
G a via adamsii 
PODICIPEDIDAE 
Podiceps grisegena 
Ddiceps auritus 
PELECANIDAE 
Pelecanus onocrotalus 
Pelecanus crispus 
PHALACROCORACIDAE 
Phalacrocorax pygmaeus 
Phalacrocorax nigrogularis 
ARDE1DAE Red-throated Diver 
Black-throated Diver 
Great Northern Diver 
White-billed Diver 
Red-necked Grebe 
Slavonian Grebe 
Great White Pelican 
Dalmatian Pelican 
Pygmy Cormorant 
Socotra Cormorant 
Egretta vinaceigu/a 
Ardea purpurea 
Zasmerodius albus 
Ardeola idae 
Ardeola rufiventris 
Ixobrychus minutus 
Ixobrychus sturmii 
Botaurus ste/laris Slaty Egret 
Purple Heron 
Great Egret 
Madagascar Pond-Heron 
Rufous-bellied Heron 
Little Bittern 
Dwarf Bittern 
Great Bittern 
CICONHDAE 
Mycteria ibis 
Ciconia nigra 
Ciconia episcopus 
Ciconia ciconia Yellow-billed Stork 
Black Stork 
Woolly-necked Stork 
White Stork 
50 
THRESKIORNITHIDAE 
Plegadis falcinellus 
Geronticus eremita 
Threskrornis aethiopicus 
Plata lea leucorodia 
P/atafea alba Glossy Ibis 
Waldrapp 
Sacred Ibis 
Eurasian Spoonbill 
African Spoonbill 
PHOENICOPTERIDAE 
Phoenicopterus ruber 
Phoenicopterus minor Greater Flamingo 
Lesser Flamingo 
ANATIDAE 
Dendrocygna bicolor 
Dendrocygna viduata 
Thalassornis leuconotus 
Oxyura leucocephala 
Cygnus olor 
Cygnus cygnus 
Cygnus columbianus 
Anser brachyrhynchus 
Anser fabalis 
Anser albifrons 
Anser erythropus 
Anser anser 
Bran ta leucopsis 
Bran ta bernicla 
Bran ta ruficollis 
Alopochen aegyptiacus 
Tadorna ferruginea 
Tadorna cana 
Tadorna tadorna 
Plectropterus gambensis 
Sarkidiornis melanotos 
Nettapus auritus 
Anas penelope 
Anas strepera 
Anas crecca 
Anas capensis 
Anas platyrhynchos 
Anas undulata Fulvous Whistling-Duck 
White-faced Whistling-Duck 
White-backed Duck 
White-headed Duck 
Mute Swan 
Whooper Swan 
Bewick's Swan 
Pink-footed Goose 
Bean Goose 
Greater White-fronted Goose 
Lesser White-fronted Goose 
Greylag Goose 
Barnacle Goose 
Brent Goose 
Red-breasted Goose 
Egyptian Goose 
Ruddy Shelduck 
South African Shelduck 
Common Shelduck 
Spur-winged Goose 
Comb Duck 
African Pygmy-goose 
Eurasian Wigeon 
Gad wall 
Common Teal 
Cape Teal 
Mallard 
Yellow-billed Duck 
3-4 
Anas acuta 
Anas erythrorhyncha 
Anas hot ten to ta 
Anas querquedula 
Anas clypeata 
Marmaronetta angustirostris 
Netta rufina 
Netta erythrophthalma 
Ay thy a ferma 
Aythya nyroca 
Ay thy a fuligula 
Aythya marila 
Somateria mollissima 
Somateria spectabilis 
Polysticta stelleri 
Clangula hyemalis 
Melanitta nigra 
Melanitta fusca 
Bucephala clangula 
Mergellus albellus 
M erg us serra tor 
Mergus merganser Northern Pintail 
Red-billed Duck 
Hottentot Teal 
Garganey 
Northern Shoveler 
Marbled Teal 
Red-crested Pochard 
Southern Pochard 
Common Pochard 
Ferruginous Pochard 
Tufted Duck 
Greater Scaup 
Common Eider 
King Eider 
Steller's Eider 
Long-tailed Duck 
Common Scoter 
Velvet Scoter 
Common Goldeneye 
Smew 
Red-breasted Merganser 
Goosander 
GRUIDAE 
Grus leucogeranus 
Grus virgo 
Grus paradisea 
Grus caruncufatus 
Grus grus Siberian Crane 
Demoiselle Crane 
Blue Crane 
Wattled Crane 
Common Crane 
RALLIDAE 
Sarothrura boehmi 
Porzana pan/a 
Porzana pusilla 
Porzana porzana 
Aenigmatolimnas marginalis 
Fulica atra (Black Sea/Mediterranean) /-i ci uyi iioi\jiin u too 
Fulica atra (Black 
DROMADIDAE Streaky-breasted Flufftail 
Little Crake 
Baillon's Crake 
Spotted Crake 
Striped Crake 
Common Coot 
Dromas ardeola Crab Plover 
Bt 
HO 
RECURVIROSTRIDAE 
Himantopus himantopus 
Recurvirostra avosetta Black-winged Stilt 
Pied Avocet 
GLAREOLIDAE 
Glareofa pratincola 
Glareola nordmanni Collared Pratincole 
Black-winged Pratincole 
CHARADRIIDAE 
Pluv/a/is apricaria 
Pluviajis squatarola 
Charadrius hiaticula 
Charadrius dubius 
Charadrius pecuarius 
Charadrius tricollaris 
Charadrius forbesi 
Charadrius pallidus 
Charadrius alexandrinus 
Charadrius marginatus 
Charadrius mongolus 
Charadrius leschenaultii 
Charadrius asiaticus 
Eudromias morinellus 
Vanellus vanellus 
Vane/fus spinosus 
Vanellus albiceps 
Vanellus senegallus 
Vanellus lugubris 
Vanellus melanopterus 
Vanellus coronatus 
Vanellus superciliosus 
Vanellus gregarius 
Vanellus feucurus Eurasian Golden Plover 
Grey Plover 
Common Ringed Plover 
Little Ringed Pfover 
Kittlitz's Plover 
Three-banded Plover 
Forbes' Plover 
Chestnut-banded Plover 
Kentish Plover 
White-fronted Plover 
Mongolian Plover 
Greater Sand plover 
Caspian Plover 
Eurasian Dotterel 
Northern Lapwing 
Spur-winged Plover 
White-headed Lapwing 
Senegal Lapwing 
Wattled Lapwing 
Black-winged Lapwing 
Crowned Lapwing 
Brown-chested Lapwing 
Sociable Plover 
White-tailed Plover 
SCOLOPACIDAE 
Gallinago media 
Gallinago gallinago 
Lymnocryptes minimus 
Limosa limosa 
Limosa lapponica Great Snipe 
Common Snipe 
Jack Snipe 
Black-tailed God wit 
Bar-tailed Godwit 
3?» 
LARIDAE h A 
Numenius phaeopus 
Numenius tenuirostris 
Numenius arqua ta 
Tringa erythropus 
Tringa to tan us 
Tringa stagna tills 
Tringa nebularia 
Tringa ochropus 
Tringa glareola 
Tringa cinerea 
Tringa hypoleucos 
Arenaria in ter près 
Calidris tenuirostris 
Calidris canutus 
Calidris alba 
Calidris minuta 
Calidris temminckii 
Calidris maritima 
Calidris alpina 
Calidris ferruginea 
Urn/cola falcinellus 
Philomachus pugnax 
Phalaropus lob a tus 
Phalaropus fulicaria Whimbrel 
Slender-billed Curlew 
Eurasian Curlew 
Spotted Redshank 
Common Redshank 
Marsh Sandpiper 
Common Greenshank 
Green Sandpiper 
Wood Sandpiper 
Terek Sandpiper 
Common Sandpiper 
Ruddy Turnstone 
Great Knot 
Red Knot 
Sanderling 
Little Stint 
Temminck's Stint 
Purple Sandpiper 
Dunlin 
Curlew Sandpiper 
Broad-billed Sandpiper 
Ruff 
Red-necked Phalarope 
Grey Phalarope 
Larus leucopthalmus 
Larus hemprichii 
Larus audouinii 
Larus armenicus 
Larus ichthyaetus 
Larus genei 
Larus melanocephalus 
Sterna nilotica 
Sterna caspia 
Sterna maxima 
Sterna bengalensis 
Sterna bergii 
Sterna sandvicensis 
Sterna dougallii 
Sterna hirundo 
Sterna paradisaea 
Sterna albifrons White-eyed Gull 
Sooty Gull 
Audouin's Gull 
Armenian Gull 
Great Black-headed Gull 
Slender-billed Gull 
Mediterranean Gull 
Gull-billed Tern 
Caspian Tern 
Royal Tern 
Lesser Crested Tern 
Great Crested Tern 
Sandwich Tern 
Roseate Tern 
Common Tern 
Arctic Tern 
Little Tern 
39 
Sterna saundersi 
Sterna balaenarum 
Sterna repressa 
Chlidontas leucopterus 
Chlidontas niger Saunders' Tern 
Damara Tern 
White-cheeked Tern 
White-winged Tern 
Black Tern 
3C 
Annex 3 
ACTION PLAN 
1. Field of Application 
1.1 The Action Plan is applicable to the populations of migratory waterbirds listed in 
Table 1 to this Annex (hereafter referred to as Table 1"). 
1.2 Table 1 forms an integral .part of this Annex. Any reference to this Action Plan 
includes a reference to Table 1. 
2. Species Conservation 
2,1 Legal measures 
2.1.1 Parties with populations listed in column A of Table 1 shall provide protection to 
those populations listed in. accordance with Article III, paragraph 2(a), of this 
AgreemenL Such Parties shall in particular and subject to paragraph 2.1.3 below: 
(a) prohibit the taking of birds and eggs of those populations occurring in their 
territory; 
(b) prohibit deliberate disturbance in so far as such disturbance would be 
significant for the conservation of the population concerned; and 
(c) prohibit the possession or utilization of, and trade in, birds or eggs of those 
populations which have been taken in contravention of the prohibitions laid 
down pursuant to subparagraph (a) above, as well as the possession or 
utilization of, and trade in, any readily recognizable parts or derivatives of such 
birds and their eggs. 
By way of exception for those populations listed in Categories 2 and 3 in Column 
A only and which are marked by an asterisk, hunting may continue on a sustainable 
use basis where hunting of such populations is a long-established cultural practice. 
This sustainable use shall be conducted within the framework of special provisions 
of a species action plan at the appropriate international level. 
2.1.2 Parties with populations listed in Table 1 shall regulate the taking of birds and eggs 
of all populations listed in column B of Table 1. The object of such legal measures 
shall be to maintain or contribute to the restoration of those populations to a 
favourable conservation status and to ensure, on the basis of the best available 
knowledge of population dynamics, that any taking or other use is sustainable. 
Such legal measures, subject to paragraph 2.1.3 below, shall in particular. 
(a) prohibit the taking of birds belonging to the populations concerned during their 
various stages of reproduction and rearing and during their return to their 
36 
breeding grounds if the taking has an unfavourable impact on the conservation 
status of the population concerned; 
(b) regulate the modes of taking; 
(c) establish limits on taking, where appropriate, and provide adequate controls 
to ensure that these limits are observed; and 
(d) prohibit the possession or utilization of, and trade in, birds and eggs of the 
. populations which have been taken in contravention of any prohibition laid 
down pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph, as well as the possession 
or utilization of, and trade in, any parts of such birds and their.eggs. 
2.1.3 Parties may grant exemptions to the prohibitions laid down in paragraphs 2.1.1 and 
2.1.2, irrespective of the provisions of Article III, paragraph 5, of the Convention, 
where there is no other satisfactory solution, for the following purposes: 
(a) to prevent serious damage to crops, water and fisheries; 
(b) in the interests of air safety or other overriding public interests; 
(c) for the purpose of research and education, of re-establishment and for the 
breeding necessary for these purposes; 
(d) to permit under strictly supervised conditions, on a selective basis and to a 
limited extent, the taking and.keeping or other judicious use of certain birds in 
small numbers; and 
(e) for the purpose of enhancing the propagation or survival of the populations 
concerned. 
Such exemptions shall be precise as to content and limited in space and time and 
shall not operate to the detriment of the populations listed in Table 1. Parties shall 
as soon as possible inform the Agreement secretariat of any exemptions granted 
pursuant to this provision. 
2.2 Single Species Action Plans 
2.2.1 Parties shall cooperate with a view to developing and implementing intemational 
single species action plans for populations listed in Category 1 of Column A of Table 
1 as a priority and for those populations listed with an asterisk in Column A of Table 
1. The Agreement secretariat shall coordinate the development, harmonization and 
implementation of such plans. 
2.2.2 Parties shall prepare and implement national single species action plans for the 
populations listed in Column A of Table 1 with a view to improving their overall 
conservation status. This action plan shall include special provisions for those 
populations marked with an asterisk. When appropriate, the problem of accidental 
^ 
'/. 
killing of birds by hunters as a result of incorrect identification of the species should 
be considered. 
2.3 Emergency Measures 
Parties shall, in dose cooperation with each other whenever possible and relevant, 
develop and implement emergency measures for populations listed in Table 1, when 
exceptionally unfavourable or endangering conditions occur anywhere in the 
Agreement Area. 
2.4 Re-establishments 
Parties shall exercise the greatest care when re-establishing populations listed in 
Table 1 into parts of their traditional range where they no longer exist. They shall 
endeavour to develop and follow a detailed re-establishment plan based on 
appropriate scientific studies. Re-establishment plans should constitute an integral 
part of national and, where appropriate, intemational single species action plans. 
A re-establishment plan should include assessment of the impact on the 
environment and shall be made widely available. Parties shall inform the 
Agreement secretariat, in advance, of all re-establishment programmes for 
populations listed in Table 1. 
2.5 Introductions 
2.5.1 Parties shall, if they consider it necessary, prohibit the introduction of non-native 
species of animals and plants which may be detrimental to the populations listed in 
Table! 
2.5.2 Parties shall, if they consider it necessary, require the taking of appropriate 
precautions to avoid the accidental escape of captive birds belonging to non-native 
species. 
2.5.3 Parties shall take measures to the extent feasible and appropriate, including taking, 
to ensure that when non-native species or hybrids thereof have already been 
introduced into their territory, those species or their hybrids do not pose a potential 
hazard to the populations listed in Table 1. 
3. Habitat Conservation 
3.1 Habitat Inventories 
3.1.1 Parties, in liaison where appropriate with competent intemational organizations, shall 
undertake and publish national inventories of the habitats within their territory which 
are important to the populations listed in Table 1. 
3.1.2 Parties shall endeavour, as a matter of priority, to identify all sites of international 
•v? 
or national importance for populations listed in Table 1 
3.2 Conservation of Areas 
3.2.1 Parties shall endeavour to continue establishing protected areas to conserve 
habitats important for the populations listed in Table 1, and to develop and 
implement management plans for these areas. 
3.2.2 Parties shall endeavour to give special protection to those wetlands which meet 
internationally accepted criteria of intemational importance. 
3.2.3 Parties shall endeavour to make wise and sustainable use of all of the wetlands in 
their territory. In particular they shall endeavour to avoid degradation and loss of 
habitats that support populations listed in Table 1 through the introduction of 
appropriate regulations or standards and control measures. In particular, they shall 
endeavour to: 
(a) ensure, where practicable, that adequate statutory controls are in place, 
relating to the use of agricultural chemicals, pest control procedures and the 
disposal of waste water, which are in accordance with intemational norms, for" 
the purpose of minimizing their adverse impacts on the populations listed in 
Table 1; and 
(b) prepare and distribute information materials, in the appropriate languages, 
describing such regulations, standards and control measures in force and their 
benefits to people and wildlife. 
3.2.4 Parties shall endeavour to develop strategies, according to an ecosystem approach, 
for the conservation of the habitats of all populations listed in Table 1, including the 
habitats of those populations that are dispersed. 
3.3 Rehabilitation and Restoration 
Parties shall endeavour to rehabilitate or restore, where feasible and appropriate, 
areas which were previously important for the populations listed in Table 1. 
4. Management of Human Activities 
4.1 Hunting 
4.1.1 Parties shall cooperate to ensure that their hunting legislation implements the 
principle of sustainable use as envisaged in this Action Plan, taking into account the 
full geographical range of the waterbird populations concerned and their life history 
characteristics. 
4.1.2 The Agreement secretariat shall be kept informed by the Parties of their legislation 
relating to the hunting of populations listed in Table 1. 
is 
4.1.3 Parties shall cooperate with a view to developing a reliable and harmonized system 
for the collection of harvest data in order to assess the annual harvest of 
populations listed in Table 1. They shall provide the Agreement secretariat with 
estimates of the total annual take for each population, when available. 
4.1.4 Parties shall endeavour to phase out the use of lead shot for hunting in wetlands 
by the year 2000. 
4.1.5 Parties shall develop and implement measures to reduce, and as far as possible 
eliminate, the use of poisoned baits. 
-4.1.6 Parties shall develop and implement measures to reduce, and as far as possible 
eliminate, illegal taking. 
4.1.7 Where appropriate, Parties shall encourage hunters, at local, national and 
intemational levels, to form clubs or organizations to coordinate their activities and 
to help ensure sustainability. 
4.1.8 Parties shall, where appropriate, promote the requirement of a proficiency test for 
hunters, including among other things, bird identification. 
4.2 Eco-tourism 
4.2.1 Parties shall encourage, where appropriate but not in the case of core zones of 
protected areas, the elaboration of cooperative programmes between all concerned 
to develop sensitive and appropriate eco-tourism at wetlands holding concentrations 
- of populations listed in Table 1. 
4.2.2 Parties, in cooperation with competent intemational organisations, shall endeavour 
to evaluate the costs, benefits and other consequences that can result from eco-
tourism at selected wetlands with concentrations of populations listed in Table 1. 
They shall communicate the results of any such evaluations to the Agreement 
secretariat. 
4.3 Other Human Activities 
4.3.1 Parties shall assess the impact of proposed projects which are likely to lead to 
conflicts between populations listed in Table 1 that are in the areas referred to in 
paragraph 3.2 and human interests, and shall make the results of the assessment 
publicly available. 
4.3.2 Parties shall endeavour to gather information on the damage, in particular to crops, 
caused by populations listed in Table 1, and report the results to the Agreement 
secretariat. 
4.3.3 Parties shall cooperate with a view to identifying appropriate techniques to minimize 
damage, or to mitigate the effects of damage, in particular to crops, caused by 
populations listed in Table 1, drawing on the experience gained elsewhere in the 
world. 
tfO 
4.3.4 Parties shall cooperate with a view to developing single species action plans for 
populations which cause significant damage, in particular to crops. The Agreement 
secretariat shall coordinate the development and harmonization of such plans. 
4.3.5 Parties shall, as far as possible, promote high environmental standards in the 
planning and construction of structures to minimize their impact on populations listed 
in Table 1. They should consider steps to minimize the impact of structures already 
in existence where it becomes evident that they constitute a negative impact for the 
populations concerned. . -
4.3.6 In cases where human disturbance threatens the conservation statusof waterbird 
populations listed in Table 1, Parties should endeavour to take measures to limit the 
level of threat. Appropriate measures might include, inter alia, the establishment of 
disturbance-free zones in protected areas where public access is not permitted. 
5. Research and Monitoring 
5.1 Parties shall endeavour to carry out survey work in poorly known areas, which may 
hold important concentrations of the populations listed in Table 1. The results of 
such surveys shall be disseminated widely. 
5.2 Parties shall endeavour to monitor the populations listed in Table 1. The results of 
such monitoring shall be published or sent to appropriate intemational organizations, 
to enable reviews of population status and trends. 
5.3 Parties shair cooperate to improve the measurement of bird population trends as a 
criterion for describing the status of such populations. 
5.4 Parties shall cooperate with a view to determining the migration routes of all 
populations listed in Table 1, using available knowledge of breeding and non: 
breeding season distributions and census results, and by participating in coordinated 
ringing programmes. 
5.5 Parties shall endeavour to initiate and support joint research projects into the 
ecology and population dynamics of populations listed in Table 1 and their habitats, 
in order to determine their specific requirements as well as the techniques which are 
the most appropriate for their conservation and management. 
5.6 Parties shall endeavour to undertake studies on the effects of wetland loss and 
degradation and disturbance on the carrying capacity of wetlands used by the 
populations listed in Table 1 and on the migration patterns of such populations. 
5.7 Parties shall endeavour to undertake studies on the impact of hunting and trade on 
the populations listed in Table 1 and on the importance of these forms of utilization 
to the local and national economy. 
5.8 Parties shall endeavour to cooperate with relevant international organisations and 
to support research and monitoring projects. 
4" 
15.-U9 _95_FRI_JLiLL4b F.U -49 22b «5435UU uuei, cms d 
*i'i 
6. Education and Information 
6.1 Parties shall, where necessary, arrange for training programmes to ensure that 
personnel responsible for the Implementation of this Action Plan have an adequate 
knowledge to implement it effectively. 
6.2 Parties shall cooperate with each other and the Agreement secretariat with a view 
to developing training programmes and exchanging resource materials. 
6.3 Parties shall endeavour to develop programmes, information materials and 
mechanisms to improve the level of awareness of the general public with regard to 
the objectives, provisions and contents of this Action Plan, in this regard, particular 
attention shad be given to those people living in and around important wetlands, to 
users of these wetlands (hunters, fishermen, tourists, etc.) and to local authorities 
and other decision makers. 
6.4 Parties shall endeavour to undertake specific public awareness campaigns for the 
conservation of the populations listed in Table 1. 
7. Implementation 
7.1 When implementing this Action Plan, Parties shall, when appropriate, give priority 
to those populations listed in Column A of Table 1. 
7.2 Where, in the case of populations listed in Table 1, more than one population of the 
same species occurs on the territory of a Party, that Party shall apply conservation 
measures appropriate to the population or populations that have the poorest 
conservation status. 
7.3 The Agreement secretariat, in coordination with the Technical Committee and with 
the assistance of experts from Range States, shall coordinate the development of 
conservation guidelines in accordance with Article IV, paragraph 4, of this 
Agreement to assist the Parties in the implementation of this Action Plan. The 
Agreement secretariat shall ensure, where possible, coherence with guidelines 
approved under other intemational instruments. These conservation guidelines shall 
aim at introducing the principle of sustainable use. They shall cover, inter alia: 
(a) single species action plans; 
(b) emergency measures; 
(c) preparation of site inventories and habitat management methods; 
(d) hunting practices; 
(e) trade in waterbirds; 
(f) tounsm; 
(g) reducing crop damage; and 
(h) a waterbird monitoring protocol. 
7.4 The Agreement secretariat, in coordination with the Technical Committee and the 
Parties, shall prepare a series of international reviews necessary for the 
implementation of this Action Plan, including: 
(a) reports on the status and trends of populations; 
(b) gaps in information from surveys; 
(c) the networks of sites used by each population, including reviews of the 
protection s:atus of each site as well as of the management measures taken 
in each case; 
(d) pertinent hunting and trade legislation in each country relating to the species 
" listed in Annex 2 to this Agreement; 
(e) the stage of preparation and implementation of single species action plans: 
(f) re-establish-nent projects; and 
Cg) the status of introduced non-native waterbird species and hybrids thereof. 
7.5 The Agreement secretariat shall endeavour to ensure that the reviews mentioned 
in paragraph 7.4 are updated at intervals of not more than three years. 
7.6 The Technical Committee shall assess the guidelines and reviews prepared under 
paragraphs 7.3 and 7.4, and shall formulate draft recommendations and resolutions 
relating to their development, content and implementation for consideration at 
sessions of the Meeting of the Parties. 
7.7 The Agreement secretariat shall regularly undertake a review of potential 
mechanisms for Droviding additional resources (funds and technical assistance) for 
the implementation of this Action Plan, and shall make a report to each ordinary 
session of the Meeting of the Parties. 
Mi 
Table 1 
STAf US OF THE POPULATIONS OF MIGRATORY WATERBIRDS 
KEY TO CLASSIFICATION 
The following key to Table 1 is a basis for implementation of the Action Plan: 
Column A 
Category 1: 
Category 2: 
individuals. 
Category 3: (a) Species which are included in Appendix I to the Convention; 
(b) Species which are listed as threatened in the 1994 IUCN Red List of 
Threatened Animals (Groombridge 1993): or 
(c) Populations which number less than around 10,000 individuals. 
Populations numbering between around 10,000 and around 25,000 
Populations numbering between around 25,000 and around 100,000 
individuals and considered to be at risk as a result of: 
(a) concentration onto a small number of sites at any stage of their annual 
cycle; 
(b) dependence on a habitat type which is under severe threat; 
(c) showing significant long-term decline; or 
(d) showing extreme fluctuations in population size or trend. 
For species listed in Categories 2 and 3, above, see paragraph 2.1.1 of this Annex. 
Column B 
Category 1: 
Category 2: Populations numbering between around 25,000 and around 100,000 
individuals and which do not fulfil the conditions in respect of Column A, as 
described above. 
Populations numbering more than around 100,000 individuals and 
considered to be in need of special attention as a result of: 
(a) concentration onto a small number of sites at any stage of their annual 
cycle; 
(b) dependence on a habitat type which is under severe threat; 
(c) showing significant long-term decline; or 
(d) showing large fluctuations in population size or trend. 
^u 
Column C 
Category 1: Populations numbering more than around 100,000 individuals which could 
significantly benefit from international cooperation and which do not fulfil the 
conditions in respect of either Column A or B, above. 
REVIEW OF TABLE 1 
This Table shall be: 
(a) reviewed regulariy by the Technical Committee in accordance with Article VII, 
paragraph 3(b), of this Agreement; and 
(b) amended as necessary by the Meeting of the Parties, in accordance with Article VI, 
paragraph 9(d) of this Agreement, in light of the conclusions of such reviews. 
KEY TO ABBREVIATIONS AND SYMBOLS 
bre: breeding 
win: wintering 
N: Northern 
E: Eastern 
S: Southern 
W: Western 
NE: Northeastern 
NW: Northwestern 
SE: Southeastern 
SW: Southwestern 
1: Population status unknown. Conservation status estimated. 
*: See paragraph 2.1.1 
NOTES 
1. The population data used to compile Table 1 as far as possible corresponds to the 
number of individuals in the potential breeding stock in the Agreement Area. The 
status is based on the best available published population estimates. 
2. Suffixes (bre) or (win) in population listings are solely aids to population identification. 
They do not indicate seasonal restrictions to actions in respect of these populations 
under this Agreement and Action Plan. 
HÏ 
Entrro population 
Ciconia nigra 
W Afticâ/W Europe 
Centxml/E Europe (bre) lc 
Ciconia tpiscopus 
Tropic»! Africa (C. c. microscelu) 
Ciconia ciconia 
S Africa (C. c. ciconia) lc 
NV.' Africa/W Europe (bre) (C. c. dcoai») 3b 
Central/E Europe (bre) (C. c. cicooia) 2c 
W Asia (bre) (C. c. ciconia) 
PUgadh falcutelhu 3b 
Subsahana Africa (P. f. falcinellu.') 
W Africa/Europe (P. f. falcinellu*) 
E A£rica/SW A«a (P. f. falciaellus) 
Gzronticus eremita 
Morocco la 
SW Aiia 
Thrtskiornis acthiopicup la 
Subaaharu Africa (T. a. aetbiopicui) 
Iraq/Iran (T. a. acthiopicus) le 
PlataUa Uucorodia 
E Atlantic (P. 1. leucorodia) lc 
Central/SE Europe (bre) (P. 1. leucorodia) 
R«J Se* (P. I. areberi) le 
SW/S Aîia (win) (P. 1. major) 
Ptalalea olha 
Entire population 
Dendrocygna bicolor 
Africa 
Dendrocygna viauata 
Africa 
Ht 
Thf'r^titmit iaucoucius 
E/S Africa (T. 1. lenoonooit) 
W Africa CÎ. 1. ksucooom) 
Oxyun uwcoctpkalu lc 
W Mediterranean la 
E Medittrranean/W Asia la 
Cygnus olor 
KW Europe 2d 
Black Sea (win) 
Caspian Sea (win) 2i&2d 
Cygnus cygnus 
Iceland (bre) 
NW Europe (win) 
Black Sea (win) 
W Asia (win) 
Cygnus eolumbianus 
Europe (win) (C. c. bewickii) 
Caspian Sea (win) (C. c. bewickii) 
11 „ • MMBaarag—aag 
A nstr bnchyrhynehus • i lc 
Iceland (bre) 2a 
Svalbaid (bre) 
Ânser/abolis 
W Taiga (bre) (A. f. fabalis) 
W Tundra (bre) (A. f. rojsicus) 
A nser alb'tfrons 
KW Europe (win) (A. a. aibifroûs) 
Central Europe (win) (A. a. albifrons) 2c 
Black Sea (win) (A. a. albifrons) 
Caspian Sea (win) (A. 8. albifrons) 
Greenland (bre) (A. a. flavirostri.) 
Anser erythropus 3a 
Black Sea/Caspian Sea (win) lb 
A nser anser 
Iceland (bre) (A. a. anser) 
^v 
N Europe/W Mediterranean (A. a. anser) 
Central Eutope/N Africa (A. a. anscr) 
Black Sea (win) (A. a. anser) 
W Siberia/Caspian Sea (A. a. anser) 
Branla Uucopsis 
Greenland (bre) 
Svajoard (bre) 
Russia (bre) 
Branla btmicla 
Siberia (bre) (B. b. bemicla) 2b 
Svilbard (bre) (B. b. h rota) le 
Ireland (win) (B. b. hrota) 
Branta ruficoltis 
Entire papulation 
Alapochen aegyptiacus lb 
Entire population 
Tadorna ferwginee 
W Mediterranean le 
E Mediterranean/Black Sea 
SW Asia 
Tadorna cana 
Enure populauoa * 
Tadorna tadorna 
NW Europe 2a 
V» Mediterranean 
Black Sea 
Caspian Sea 
Piectropterus gambensis 
W A&ica (P. g. gambensis) 
S Africa (P. g. niger) 
Sarkidiomis mehmotos 
Africa (S. m. mclanotos) 
Neaopus auritus 
W Africa lc 
U>% 
SVE Africa 
Anas pcndopt 
NW Europe (win) 
Black Sea/Mediterranean (win) 2c 
SW Asia (win) 
Anas strtpcra 2c 
NW Europe (win) (A. s. strepcra) 
Black Sea/Mediterranean (win) (A s. «repéra) 
SW Asia (win) (A. s. strepera) 
Anas crecca 
NW Europe (win) (A. c. erccca) 
Black Sea/Mediterranean (win) (A. c. crecca) 
SW Asia (win) (A. c. crecca) 
Anas eapensis 2c 
Entire population 
A nos piatyrkynehos 
NW Europe (win) (A. p. platyrbynchos) 
Black Sea/Mediterranean (win) 
(A. p. platyrhynchoi) 2c 
SW Asia (win) (A. p. platyrnynclios) 
S Africa (A. u. undulata) 
NW Europe (win) 
H Black Sea/Mediterranean (win) 2c 
SW Asia/E Africa (win) 
Anas erythrorhyncha 
S/E Africa 
A nos hotteniota 
W Africa 
S/E Africa 
Anas qutrqucdula 
W Africa (win) lc* 
M4 
E Africa/Asia (win) A B c 
1 
Anas dypaato 
NW Europe (win) • 
W Mediterranean (win) 
Black Sea/Mediterranean (win) 
SW Asia (win) I 
2a 
1 
1 _ 
Marmorouctta angustirostris 
W Mediterranean 
£ Mediterranean 
SW Asia lb 
lb 
lb ,.. . . 
Netta ru/ma j 
SW/Centra! Europe 
SE Europe 
SW Asia 2 • 
3c 
1 
Netta erytkrophthalma 
S/E Africa (N. e. brunnea) - 1' 
Aythya/crita 
NW Europe (win) 
Black Sea/Mediterranean (win) 
SW Asia (win) 2c 
2c 
2c1 
Aythya nyroca 
Africa (win) 
Europe (win) 
SW Asia lc 
3c 
lc 
Aythya fuiigvla 
NW Europe (win) 
Black Sea/Mediterranean (win) 
SW Asia (win) 1 
I 
• 1 
Aythya marila 
E Atlantic (win) (A.m. marila) 
Black Sea/Caspian Sea (win) (A no. marila) I 1 
Somateria malhssinta 
Europe (S. m. mollissima) | I 
Somateria spectabilis 
^o 
A 
NJE Europe 
PotpStieta stetleh 
NE Enrope (win)" 
Clettg&la hycmaHs 
Icetnnd/Greealand (bre) 2c J 
NW Europe (win) 
Caspian S«a (win) lc 
•-tftf IIWh".illii*WM —— 
Melanitta. nigra 
NW Europe (win) (M. n. nigra) 2a 
Melanitta fusca 
NW Europe (win) (M. f fuse») 2a 
Black Sea/Caspian Sea (win) (M. f. fusca) 
Bueepkata ctanguio lc 
NW Europe (win) (B. c. clangula) 
Black Sea/Mcdissrranean (win) ÇB c. clangula) 
Caspian Sea (win) (B. c. clangula) 
McrgeUus otbeBsss 
Mergus serrstor 
NW Europe (win) (M. s. senator) 
Black Sea/Mediterranean (win) (Vi s. senator) 
SW Asia (win) (M. s. senator) lc 
Mergus merganser 
NW Europe (win) (M. m. merganser) 
Black Sea/Mediterranean (win) 
(M. m. merganser) U 
SW Asia (win) (M. m. merganser) 
€4 
DECLARATIONS 
DECLARATION OF BELGIUM 
The Belgian delegation is particularly pleased with the fact that the representatives of the 
Range States have successfully concluded their work and will thus be able to sign the 
Final Act of the Negotiation Conference. 
The Draft Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds 
covers questions for which the Regions are mostly, but not exclusively, competent under 
the Belgian Constitution and Law. Insofar as they are competent, the Regions are able to 
commit themselves on matters governed by international law. Furthermore, they are duly 
represented within the Belgian delegation. 
If the Agreement is signed by Belgium, the Belgian Government will ensure that the said 
competence of the Regions to commit themselves on international matters is formalized in 
the appropriate manner. 
DECLARATION OF DENMARK 
The Danish delegation wishes to draw attention to the fact that there still remain some 
outstanding problems concerning a few species in Greenland and the Faroe Islands. The 
Danish Government will try to solve these questions in collaboration with the Greenland 
Home Rule and the Faroese Home Rule in order that no reservations or declarations 
concerning single species will be necessary for the whole or parts of the territory of 
Denmark at the time of the Danish ratification, acceptance or approval of the Agreement. 
Our acceptance to adopt the text of the Agreement should be seen in this light. 
DECLARATION OF FRANCE 
France would like to remind the Meeting of its wish to integrate, in the light of the 
knowledge available, population evolution trends which are an essential source of 
information for determining the intensity of hunting that is compatible with the principle 
of sustainable use. Such integration would be an enrichment of the content of the Action 
Plan. 
DECLARATION OF SWITZERLAND 
Following the modification of the operative part of Table 1 of the Action Plan, which 
introduces the additional possibility of continuing to take species that enjoy strict 
protection in accordance with Article III, paragraph 2(a), of the Agreement, the Swiss 
delegate made a statement to the following effect: 
9L 
This proposition reveals a certain lack of logic in the categorization of populations, 
because it mixes protected species and species that may be hunted. In addition, the 
provisions of the Agreement and of the Action Plan will be applied differently by Parries, 
since the exceptional taking of these species shall only take place "where hunting is a 
traditional cultural activity". 
Consequently, this provision contravenes the desired harmonization of the provisions and 
will make it harder to implement the Agreement. 
Finally, it is unfortunate that in a brand new Agreement it should be necessary to consider 
exceptions to the general norms on top of the usual general waiver provisions that already 
appear in the Agreement and the Convention. 
The Swiss delegation nevertheless sides with the general feeling of the meeting and will 
not oppose the acceptance of the proposed text in order not to jeopardize the chances of 
success of the proposed Agreement. 
(The Hague, 15 June 1995; Raymond Pierre Lebeau) 
DECLARATION OF ZIMBABWE 
Mr. Chairman, Dear Ministers, Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and 
Gentlemen, 
On behalf of the African Ministers for Environment and other heads of delegations from 
Africa, I wish to take this opportunity to thank the Dutch Government for the warm 
welcome accorded to the delegations since their arrival a few days ago. I also wish to 
thank the host Government for the wonderful facilities that have been put at our disposal 
during the conference to ensure its success. 
Mr. Chairman, I also take this opportunity to thank the Secretariat of the Bonn Convention 
and the officials of the Dutch Government who have put a lot of efforts in organising this 
meeting from the beginning to its successful completion. This meeting, as we all know, 
started from a humble beginning and is now reaching its maturity stage. The commitment 
of the Range States from Africa to have this Agreement on the Conservation of African-
Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds concluded is well demonstrated by the high level 
representation and large of number of delegates present during this meeting. 
Mr. Chairman, the delegates present here have negotiated an agreement involving very 
delicate species of our biological diversity, I say delicate species, because the migratory 
waterbirds do change their habitats at given intervals and it is during these changes that 
they face greatest dangers in their migratory patterns. This Agreement will enlighten the 
intemational community and in particular the parties to this agreement, on issues related to 
the protection, conservation and sustainable use of the migratory waterbirds. 
Mr. Chairman, this agreement once it becomes operational, will require a number of things 
to be done. One such thing is the collection of proper and representative data of the 
^3 
Ao 
migratory waterbirds from all the member states to this agreement. Mr. Chairman, it is 
clear that such data is not readily available in Africa and it is my sincere hope that the 
African countries will be assisted to carry out researches on migratory waterbirds in order 
to update the existing data. Mr. Chairman, Africa is a home to various species of 
waterbirds which have co-existed with different communities for centuries. These 
communities deserve to be congratulated for their sustainable use of these waterbirds. 
Mr. Chairman, since the conclusion of the Rio Summit in June 1992, a number of -
conventions have been signed to protect the. environment One such convention which is 
related to this agreement is the convention on biological diversity. I am happy to note that 
mis agreement is being negotiated under the auspices of Bonn Convention which will co-
locate the secretariat of the agreement. Mr. Chairman, we are equally happy and grateful 
to the Dutch Government for their offer to host the interim secretariat for three years and 
to host the first Meeting of the Parties once the agreement comes into force. 
Mr. Chairman, it is well known that Africa and other countries of the South provide over 
80% of the biological diversity. It is therefore very important that the South is fiilly 
involved in all matters related to biological diversity. Countries of the South are ready to 
play their rightful role in such matters, as in this agreement. As I have indicated above 
that the South provides 80% of all biological diversity. Mr. Chairman, Africa will continiie 
to preserve, conserve and protect its biological diversity for the benefit of present and 
future generations. 
Mr. Chairman, once again allow me to profoundly thank the Dutch Government for all it 
is doing in various fields of environment protection. Thank you. 
(Presented to AEWA 16/06/95 at The Hague by Chen Chimuntengwende, MP and Minister 
of Environment and Tourism of Zimbabwe) 
JOINT DECLARATION OF ETHIOPIA, NAMIBIA, SOUTH AFRICA, 
SUDAN, SWAZILAND, UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA, 
ZAMBIA AND ZIMBABWE 
Controlled hunting is regarded as potentially beneficial to the conservation of species and 
sustainable human development in many rural areas in Africa. Hunting and other forms of 
sustainable use provide revenue which is in turn re-invested in conservation of the 
respective species and in rural development. 
The provisions of paragraphs 2.2.1. and 2.2.2. of the Action Plan are therefore not 
interpreted as a prohibition of controlled hunting if there is no reason to suspect that such 
hunting would be detrimental to the conservation of any species. 
5"4 
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COM(95) 444 final 
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