WRITTEN QUESTION E-0242/98

by María Estevan Bolea (PPE) to the Commission

(13 February 1998)

Subject: Biological diversity

The Commission is drawing up a strategy on European biological diversity. In its preparations for such a task, did it carry out any of the following?

- An analysis of the current situation of European biological diversity.

- An analysis of the distribution of flora and fauna species and their biotypes.

- An analysis of the concentration of protected species.

- An analysis of the factors which constitute a threat.

- An analysis of the protective measures required.

- An analysis of the activities which may be undertaken around the areas to be protected.

If the Commission has carried out the studies, inventories and projects necessary to answer the above question, are they available and is it possible to gain access to them?

If they do not actually exist, could the Commission say how it has drawn up its biological diversity strategy?

Joint answer to Written Questions E-0237/98, E-0238/98, E-0239/98, E-0240/98, E-0241/98 and E-0242/98 given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission

(31 March 1998)

The Commission adopted on 4 February 1998 a communication to the Council and to the Parliament on a Community biodiversity strategy(1). This strategy defines a framework for actions to achieve integration of biodiversity concerns in relevant Community policy areas.

In the development of this strategy, the Commission has considered the background information contained in the "First report on the implementation of the Convention on biological diversity (CBD) by the European Community"(2). This report includes a summary assessment on the importance and status of biodiversity in the Community based on information provided by the European environmental agency (EEA) and other organizations and institutions. This includes, inter alia, information contained in the EEA's "Dobris Assessment" and Corine-biotopes database, in recent and forthcoming publications about the threats to biodiversity in Europe, and information emerging from legal proceedings opened by the Commission during recent years. In addition, all this provides a substantial amount of information about the distribution of species of flora and fauna, habitats of protected species, threats to them and protection measures required, including those to take place around protected areas.

Therefore, measures contained in the Community biodiversity strategy are based on the best factual information available.

The CBD establishes that "ex-situ" conservation measures shall predominantly be taken for the purpose of complementing in situ measures. One of these in situ measures, as defined in article 8(f) of the CBD, is to "rehabilitate and restore degraded ecosystems and promote the recovery of threatened species ...". It therefore seems that the Honourable Member's written question 238/98 wrongly identifies ex situ conservation with the restoration of habitats.

The Community biodiversity strategy states that "gene banks, captive breeding centers, zoos and botanical gardens can play a very valuable role if their activities are integrated in the framework of coordinated re-introduction or integrated conservation schemes" and sets out specific objectives in this context. The role of zoological parks within Community conservation policies is specifically addressed in the proposal for a Council recommendation relating to the keeping of wild animals in zoos(3), presented by the Commission to the Council.

The Community biodiversity strategy aims to anticipate, prevent and attack the causes of significant reduction or loss of biological diversity at source. This will help both to reverse present trends in biodiversity reduction or losses and to place species and eco-systems, which include agro-ecosystems, at a satisfactory conservation status. Therefore, the Community biodiversity strategy focuses on the integration of biodiversity concerns into the definition and implementation of other policy areas. In this way the Community will seek "that the population size, structure, distribution and trends of wild species that occur naturally are in a satisfactory conservation status, and also to support recovery plans for the most threatened species". In addition, the strategy contains as a specific objective "to develop management plans for selected threatened species ...".

The implementation of some existing Community policies and instruments by both the Commission and Member States may have negative effects on biodiversity. For this reason, the Community biodiversity strategy announces the development and implementation of action plans and other measures by the Commission. These action plans will translate into concrete action the policy orientations defined in the biodiversity strategy to achieve integration.

The implementation of the biodiversity strategy will provide benefits for biodiversity across the territory of the Commmunity. The successful implementation of the CBD requires co-operation both within Member States and at Community level. To develop and implement national strategies in all Member States is essential, but a number of Community policies and instruments also have an important impact on biodiversity. The Community therefore needs to take action in these areas to complement and avoid frustrating national efforts. The Community strategy focuses on the further development and implementation of Community policies and instruments.

The Community biodiversity strategy includes as a specific objective the implementation of Council Regulation (EEC) 3626/82 of 3 December 1982 on the implementation in the Community of the Convention on international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora(4) and to adapt it to reflect further decisions by the Conference of the Parties to CITES.

The Commission has actively participated in the elaboration of the Community biodiversity strategy.

In due course the Parliament will have the opportunity to consider the technical details of this proposal, and the specific objectives set out for each policy sector.

(1) COM(98) 42 final.

(2) SEC(98) 348.

(3) COM(95) 619 final.

(4) OJ L 384, 31.12.1982.