REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Progress in the implementation of the EU Pollinators Initiative
Date: 2021-05-27
Institutions: Directorate-General for Environment, European Commission
Subjects: EU environmental policy, EU initiative, apiculture, biodiversity, ecosystem, environmental impact, environmental protection, insect, plant health product, sustainable development

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 27.5.2021  COM(2021) 261 final  REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Progress in the implementation of the EU Pollinators Initiative  
 
 
1. 

INTRODUCTION: THE EU POLLINATORS INITIATIVE  

In  recent  decades,  European  wild-insect  pollinators  such  as  bees,  butterflies,  hoverflies  and 
moths have dramatically declined in occurrence and diversity in Europe. Many species are also 
on the verge of extinction. According to the European Red List1, around 1 in 3 bee and butterfly 
species has a declining population, while around 1 in 10 are threatened with extinction. 

The loss of wild pollinators is a serious cause for concern. This is because around 80% of crop 
and  wild-flowering  plant  species  in  the  EU  depend,  at  least  in  part,  on  animal  pollination. 
Without  pollinators,  many  plant  species  would  decline  and  eventually  disappear.  This  would 
threaten the survival  of nature, human wellbeing and the economy. Around EUR 3.7 billion of 
the  EU’s  annual  agricultural  output  is  directly  dependent  on  insect  pollinators2.  However, 
available estimates do not account for the animal pollination of wild plants, nor do they account 
for the contribution made by pollinators to nutrition security and human health. 

In  June  2018,  the  Commission  adopted  the  EU  pollinators  initiative3  (‘the  Initiative’).  The 
Initiative  is  the  first-ever  EU  framework  to  tackle  the  decline  of  wild  pollinators4.  It  has  been 
strongly supported across stakeholder groups5. 

The  Initiative  set  long-term  objectives  for  2030  which  dealt  with  generating  actionable 
knowledge about the problem, tackling the problem’s main known causes, fostering stakeholder 
collaboration  and  engaging  society  at  large.  To  set  the  EU  on  the  right  path,  the  Initiative 
outlined 10 actions and 31 sub-actions to be implemented in the short-to-medium term.  

The  actions  supported  an  integrated  approach  to  the  problem  and  the  more  effective  use  of 
existing  tools  and  policies.  This  primarily  focused  on  better  integration  of  pollinator-
conservation  objectives  across  various  sectoral  EU  policies,  including  environment  and  health 
policies  (in  particular  the  Birds  and  Habitats  Directives  and  EU  legislation  on  pesticides),  the 
common agricultural policy (CAP), cohesion policy and research-and-innovation policy. 

The  European  Parliament6  and  the  Council7  both  welcomed  the  Initiative,  highlighted  the 
importance  of  pollinators  and  called  for  effective  measures  to  tackle  their  decline.  On  9  July 
2020, the European Court of Auditors published a special report8 on EU actions to protect wild 
pollinators (‘the ECA report’). The ECA report identified gaps in key EU policies addressing the 
main threats to wild pollinators, and recommended that the Commission assesses the need to add 
specific  measures  to  address  threats  currently  not  considered  in  the  Initiative.  The  ECA  report 
also point to the need to, better integrate actions to protect wild pollinators in the EU biodiversity 
conservation  and  agricultural  policies  and  improve  the  protection  of  wild  pollinators  in  the 

1 https://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/conservation/species/redlist  
2 European Union, European Environment Agency, (2021), ‘Accounting for ecosystems and their services in the 
European Union (INCA)’, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, (in press). 
3 COM(2018) 395 final, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52018DC0395.   
4 Pollinators in Europe are primarily insects, including wild bees, hoverflies, butterflies and moths. 
5https://www.acceptance.ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/conservation/species/pollinators/documents/EU_pollinato
rs_summary_public_consultation.pdf  
6 https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2019-0104_EN.html  
7 https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-12948-2018-INIT/en/pdf  
8 Special Report 15/2020, https://www.eca.europa.eu/en/Pages/DocItem.aspx?did=54200.   

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pesticides  risk  assessment  process.  Council  conclusions  of  17  December  20209  welcomed  the 
ECA’s recommendations, and acknowledged the urgency to strengthen the EU action framework 
for pollinators. 

On 20 May 2020, the Commission adopted the EU biodiversity strategy for 203010 and the farm-
to-fork strategy11, both of which are flagship initiatives under the European Green Deal. These 
strategies  will  boost  actions  to  reverse  the  decline  of  pollinators  through  commitments  and 
targets  for  nature  protection  and  the  EU  nature-restoration  plan.  Together  with  the  new  EU 
strategy on adaptation to climate change12, and strengthened ambition on both climate neutrality 
and zero pollution, these strategies will help to tackle the main threats to wild pollinators such as 
land-use change, intensive agricultural management and pesticide use, environmental pollution, 
invasive alien species (IAS) and climate change. 

This report assesses progress in the implementation of all the Initiative’s actions. It is based on 
many  sources,  including  the  results  of  policy  evaluations,  EU  reports  and  publications  and 
specific studies. It also takes into account the institutional feedback received from the European 
Parliament, the Council and the European Court of Auditors.  

2.  10 ACTIONS - SUMMARY OF PROGRESS 

2.1.  Action 1: Support monitoring and assessment 

The current knowledge clearly demonstrates an alarming decline in wild pollinators that warrants 
strong  action.  However,  there  are  still  significant  data  and  information  gaps  on  the  state  of 
pollinators, the causes of their decline and its consequences for nature and human wellbeing.    

In June 2019, the Commission mandated a group of pollinator experts to develop a proposal for a 
field-based EU pollinator-monitoring scheme that would provide robust information on the status 
of  –  and  trends  in  –  pollinator  populations  in  the  Member  States  (action  1A).  To  ensure 
involvement of and timely inputs from Member States in this process, the Commission consulted 
the national environmental and agricultural authorities, including through dedicated workshops. 
The experts’ proposal13, published in January 2021, provides a comprehensive methodology for 
the monitoring scheme and a set of policy indicators. As a next step, the Commission will work 
closely  with  Member  States  on  fine-tuning  and  operationalising  the  proposal  and  capacity 
building to implement the scheme on the ground. 

Data  from  the  future  EU  pollinator-monitoring  scheme  will  be  critical  to:  (i)  develop  and 
implement effective conservation actions; (ii) map priority areas for deployment of these actions; 
and (iii) evaluate the impacts of these actions. These data will also underpin the European Red 
List  by  enabling  robust  assessment  of  the  conservation  status  of  pollinator  species  in  the  long 
term. In December 2018, the Commission began work on the European Red List of hoverflies14 

9 https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-14168-2020-INIT/en/pdf 
10 COM(2020) 380 final, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52020DC0380.   
11 COM(2020) 381 final, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52020DC0381.   
12 COM(2021)82 final, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=COM:2021:82:FIN. 
13 https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC122225   
14 https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/EUPKH/European+Red+List+of+Hoverflies  

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(action  1B),  which  is  expected  to  be  finalised  in  June  2022.  In  April  2021,  the  Commission 
began work on the European Red List of moths15.  

Protected  areas  are  especially  vital  for  the  conservation  of  pollinators.  In  June  2020,  the 
European Environment Agency and its European Topic Centre on Biological Diversity published 
a report that assessed the importance of Annex  I habitat  types under the Habitats  Directive for 
pollinators16.  This  made  it  possible  to  assess  the  conservation  status  of  protected  pollinator 
habitats  based  on  reporting  by  Member  States17  (action  1C).  The  latest  EEA  State  of  Nature 
report shows that the status of pollinators is a cause for serious concern18,19. 

The  Commission  has  also  worked  to  fill  data  and  information  gaps  on  the  pressures  facing 
pollinator species, namely the degradation of habitats and use of pesticides. The Commission is 
currently  piloting  a  field-based  monitoring  scheme  for  biodiversity  in  agricultural  landscapes20 
and preparing the LUCAS21 grassland module as part of the 2022 LUCAS survey, following a 
successful  pilot  in  2018.  The  Commission  is  also  piloting  an  innovative  scheme  that  uses 
honeybees  for  monitoring  of  pesticides  in  the  environment22  (action  1D).  The  pilot  will  be 
followed  by  the  full  implementation  of  the  scheme  in  2022,  supported  by  the  European 
Parliament’s preparatory action23. 

In October 2020, the Commission published the results of the EU-wide ecosystem assessment24 
(action 1E). The analysis used currently available data and information on pollinators and their 
habitats to assess the condition of animal-pollination services in the EU. The results showed that 
50% of the land cultivated with pollinator-dependent crops faces a pollination deficit. One of the 
best ways to address this pollination deficit would be through ecosystem restoration, supported 
by agricultural policy.  

The  Commission  also  developed  a  pollination  ‘account’25  (action  1E),  which  shows  that  the 
economic value of pollinating insects to crop production in the EU is around EUR 3.7 billion per 
year26.  The  account  can  be  used  to  assess  how  declines  in  pollinator  populations  affect 
agricultural production, and agricultural imports and exports27. 

15 https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/EUPKH/European+Red+List+of+Moths  
16 https://www.eionet.europa.eu/etcs/etc-bd/products/etc-bd-reports/etc-bd-technical-paper-1-2020-report-for-a-list-
of-annex-i-habitat-types-important-for-pollinators  
17 https://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/knowledge/rep_habitats  
18 https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/state-of-nature-in-the-eu-2020  
19https://tableau.discomap.eea.europa.eu/t/Natureonline/views/SONpollinators/Storypollinators?%3AisGuestRedirec
tFromVizportal=y&%3Adisplay_count=n&%3AshowAppBanner=false&%3Aorigin=viz_share_link&%3AshowVi
zHome=n&%3Aembed=y  
20 European Monitoring of Biodiversity in Agricultural Landscapes (EMBAL), 
https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/EUPKH/Data+and+information.   
21 https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/lucas  
22 Insignia project, https://www.insignia-bee.eu.   
23 For more information about preparatory actions of the European Parliament please visit: 
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/ATAG/2019/640130/EPRS_ATA(2019)640130_EN.pdf.  
24 https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC120383  
25 https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC117072  
26 European Union, European Environment Agency, (2021), ‘Accounting for ecosystems and their services in the 
European Union (INCA)’, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, (in press). 
27 https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC120571  

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2.2.  Action 2: Support research and innovation 

The Commission has continued to support basic and applied research on pollinators through the 
EU’s research-and-innovation framework programme, in order to fill in the knowledge gaps and 
support more effective and result-driven conservation actions28 (action 2A).  

Following  the  adoption  of  the  Initiative,  the  Commission  included  a  dedicated  topic  on 
pollinators  in  the  Horizon  2020  work  programme  for  2018-2020.  This  topic  aims  to  develop 
tools, guidelines and methodologies to better mitigate the causes and consequences of the decline 
in  wild  pollinators29.  This  research  is  expected  to  start  in  September  2021.  Under  the 
BiodivERsA30 framework, pollinator-relevant projects have been undertaken that aim to improve 
our  understanding  of  the  interaction  between  different  drivers  of  pollinator  decline31  and 
modelling  of  scenarios  for  pollinator  biodiversity  and  the  pollination  ecosystem  service32. 
Furthermore, excellence in pollinator research has been supported through individual grants and 
fellowships  under  the  European  Research  Council33  and  Marie  Skłodowska-Curie  actions34. 
These  grants  and  fellowships have been  given to outstanding  researchers studying the inherent 
ecological  link  between  pollinators  and  plants,  and  the  importance  of  this  link  for  ecosystem 
functioning and food production35. 

Knowledge  generated  through  research  will  be  important  for  decision  making.  Within  the 
EKLIPSE  framework36,  a  project  assessed  current  knowledge  on  how  pesticides  and  fertilisers 
affect  pollinator-conservation  measures  in  farmland  to  support  guidance  on  best  practices37.  In 
addition,  the  European  innovation  partnership38  for  agriculture  has  supported  bottom-up 
interactive innovation on pollinator-friendly farmland management39 (action 2B). 

The  Commission  aims  to  strengthen  its  support  for  pollinator  research  in  the  next  framework 
programme, Horizon Europe. This is reflected in the programme’s first strategic plan40 and the 
proposal  for  Horizon  Europe’s  first  work  programme  (2021/2022)41  (action  2C).  A  number  of 
proposed topics in Horizon Europe aim to support: (i) the development of tools for research on 
pollinators (for example tools for integrative taxonomy including DNA barcoding and machine 
learning); (ii) expert capacity building and networking; and (iii) large-scale transition towards the 
pollinator-friendly  management  of  cultural  and  agricultural  landscapes.  Furthermore,  the  draft 

28 https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/EUPKH/Research+and+innovation  
29 SC5-32-2020, https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-
details/sc5-32-2020.   
30 Horizon 2020 ERA-NET COFUND scheme for promoting pan-European research on biodiversity and ecosystem 
services, https://www.biodiversa.org.  
31 VOODOO project, https://www.biodiversa.org/1777/download.   
32 OBServ project, https://www.biodiversa.org/1635/download.    
33 DrivenByPollinators https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/819374.   
34 For example, DEFPOLL https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/798954.   
35 https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/EUPKH/Horizon+2020  
36 EKLIPSE is a mechanism for supporting better decisions on the environment based on best available knowledge, 
https://www.eklipse-mechanism.eu.   
37 https://www.eklipse-mechanism.eu/pollinators_request  
38 https://ec.europa.eu/eip/agriculture/en/european-innovation-partnership-agricultural  
39 https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/EUPKH/Bottom-up+innovation  
40 https://ec.europa.eu/research/pdf/horizon-europe/ec_rtd_orientations-towards-the-strategic-planning.pdf  
41 https://ec.europa.eu/info/horizon-europe/commissions-proposal-horizon-europe_en#the-commissions-proposal-
for-horizon-europe  

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proposal  for  a  European  partnership  on  biodiversity42  aims  to  support  monitoring  schemes  for 
biodiversity. This support will also be of vital importance for implementing the EU pollinator-
monitoring scheme.      

2.3.  Action 3: Facilitate knowledge sharing and access to data 

Generating actionable knowledge requires filling in known gaps in data, as pursued under actions 
1 and 2. However, it also requires better use of existing data and information.  

On 20 May 2020, the Commission launched the EU pollinator-information hive43, an information 
hub on pollinators in the EU (action 3A). This online platform facilitates information sharing on 
the decline of pollinators and what is being done across the EU to reverse this decline, including 
through  collaborative  stakeholder  initiatives.  The  pollinator-information  hive  is  open  to  key 
actors, such as public authorities, scientists, the nature conservation sector, civil society activists, 
land managers (in particular farmers and foresters), beekeepers, the public and businesses. The 
hive  allows  these  actors  to:  (i)  exchange  best  practices  on  efforts  to  protect  and  conserve  wild 
pollinators; (ii) find guidance on actions to protect and conserve wild pollinators; and (iii) find 
partners for these actions.  

The  EU  pollinator-monitoring  scheme  and  other  in  situ  monitoring  initiatives  developed  under 
action  1  will  provide  invaluable  data  for  assessing  the  state  of  pollinator  populations  and  the 
drivers of their decline. The Commission and the European Environment Agency  are currently 
exploring  options  to  integrate  the  information  generated  by  the  schemes  into  the  Biodiversity 
Information System for Europe44.   

Making  available  existing  data  on  land  use  is  especially  important  for  effective  pollinator-
conservation actions. The Commission is working with Member States to address the exchange 
of, sharing, access to, and use of interoperable, non-personal, spatial data available in the CAP’s 
Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS)45. The IACS contains potentially valuable 
information on pollinators and pollination services such as the spatial distribution and location of 
crops, farming practices or CAP measures. The efforts to harmonise and publish these data for 
reuse are undertaken as  part of the INSPIRE Directive46 (action 3B). In 2019, the Commission 
launched a pilot to test the Directive’s data-sharing provisions and explore how the Directive can 
be  used  to  help  organise  and  implement  data  sharing  across  different  EU  policy  domains, 
including IACS.   

2.4.  Action 4: Conserve endangered pollinator species and habitats 

Reversing pollinator decline starts with safeguarding the most threatened pollinator species and 
habitats, such as those protected under the Habitats Directive or included on the European Red 

42 European Partnership under Horizon Europe, ‘Rescuing Biodiversity to Safeguard Life on Earth’, 
https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/research_and_innovation/funding/documents/european_partnership_for_resc
uing_biodiversity_to_safeguard_life_on_earth.pdf.  
43 https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/EUPKH/EU+Pollinator+Information+Hive  
44 https://biodiversity.europa.eu/  
45 The IACS is an administrative system for establishing and controlling the eligibility of the aid or support under 
the CAP, set up and operated by each Member State. More information at: https://ec.europa.eu/info/food-farming-
fisheries/key-policies/common-agricultural-policy/financing-cap/financial-assurance/managing-payments_en.   
46 Directive 2007/2/EC establishing an Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European Community 
(INSPIRE), https://inspire.ec.europa.eu.   

5 

 
 
                                                           
List. Priority funding and effective action plans are needed to improve the conservation status of 
those species and habitats.  

Through  the  action  plan  for  nature,  people  and  the  economy47,  the  Commission  has  improved 
implementation  of  the  Habitats  Directive  by  better  addressing  one  of  the  key  threats  to 
pollinators: the loss of habitats. In particular, the Commission developed EU habitat action plans 
for  two  habitat  types  of  great  importance  for  pollinators:  semi-natural  dry  grasslands  and 
European dry heaths. Both of these habitat types are protected by the Habitats Directive (action 4 
A).  In  July  2020,  the  Commission  launched  a  tender  to  develop  three  species  action  plans  to 
conserve the most threatened pollinator species in the EU48.  

The  LIFE programme’s  support for pollinator conservation has been significantly  strengthened 
since 2018. Several ongoing LIFE projects have pollinator conservation as an explicit objective. 
These  ongoing  projects  focus  on  habitat  restoration,  improving  knowledge,  and  raising 
awareness  to  improve  the  conservation  status  of  threatened  butterfly  species.  Other  ongoing 
projects focus on the promotion of agricultural practices that benefit pollinators or insects more 
generally49. 

The  Commission  has  continued  to  promote  applications  for  LIFE  projects  on  invertebrates, 
including  pollinating  insects.  In  June  2020,  the  Commission  organised  a  webinar50  to  discuss 
how to increase the LIFE programme’s support for the conservation of invertebrates, with a view 
to  encouraging  more  applications  in  this  area  in  the  future.  The  Commission  also  presented  a 
final  study  of  20  LIFE  projects  on  invertebrates,  which  included  recommendations  for  future 
projects51. 

The ECA report raised concern about the lack of LIFE projects on pollinator species that are not 
protected  by  EU  law  under  the  Habitats  Directive.  In  the  LIFE  multiannual  work  programme 
2021-2024,  the  Commission  will  propose  to  increase  the  EU  co-funding  rate  for  the  most 
threatened species according to the European Red List. This will help promote project actions for 
pollinator species that are not legally protected, but still face a high risk of extinction.  

Action plans for pollinator species and habitats require comprehensive and widely disseminated 
knowledge on conservation measures and conservation management. The Natura 2000 network 
plays an important role in addressing the loss of pollinator habitats. During 2018 and 2019, the 
Commission and Member States supported knowledge exchange on management measures and 
approaches  to  conserve  pollinators52,53,54  through  the  Natura  2000  biogeographic  process55 
(action 4B). In November 2019, the Commission organised a dedicated workshop to identify the 

47 https://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/legislation/fitness_check/action_plan  
48 https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/EUPKH/Action+plans  
49 https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/EUPKH/LIFE+programme  
50 https://ec.europa.eu/easme/en/webinar-life-stepping-save-bugs  
51 https://ec.europa.eu/easme/sites/easme-site/files/life_and_invertebrates-_summary_report-final-layout.pdf  
52https://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/natura2000/platform/events/continental_pannonian_steppic_and_black_se
a_regions_seminar_en.htm  
53https://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/natura2000/platform/events/atlantic_biogeographical_chalk_grasslands.ht
m  
54 https://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/natura2000/platform/events/eurasian_grassland_conference.htm  
55 For more information on the Natura 2000 biogeographical process, please visit: 
https://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/natura2000/seminars_en.htm.  

6 

 
 
                                                           
best  management  measures  and  approaches  for  pollinator  conservation  across  Natura  2000 
sites56.  

An important way to better integrate pollinator-conservation objectives into the management of 
the Natura 2000 network is by including priority measures for key pollinator habitats in Member 
States’  prioritised  action  frameworks  (PAFs)57.  The  ECA  report  recommended  that  the 
Commission  verify  that  PAFs  include  requirements  to  protect  wild  pollinators  and  assess  the 
relevant measures proposed by Member States. The Commission: (i) called on Member States to 
ensure that such requirements are included in PAFs; (ii) started assessing the PAFs in 2018 and 
provided comments to encourage the inclusion of requirements for wild pollinators; (iii) and will 
continue to do so during 2021 for the remaining PAFs (action 4C).  

The  nature-protection  objectives  set  out  in  the  EU  biodiversity  strategy  for  2030  such  as 
enlargement  of  legally  protected  areas  to  30%  of  the  land,  the  effective  management  of  these 
areas and the strict protection of at least a third of those areas will, if fully implemented, greatly 
benefit  pollinators.  Strict  protection  would  especially  benefit  pollinators  dependent  on  old-
growth forest habitats, such as hoverflies.  

2.5.  Action 5: Improve pollinator habitats on and around farmland 

In  2019,  the  Commission  launched  a  study  to  assess  the  potential  of  the  CAP  2014-2020  to 
conserve wild pollinators. The report58 published in November 2020 reviews the CAP measures 
that  may  support  or  hinder  conservation.  It  illustrates  the  implementation  of  these  measures 
through case studies in six Member States. The study also identifies key lessons learnt. Based on 
this  study,  the  Commission  drew  up  guidelines  for  managing  authorities,  farmers  and  their 
advisers on how to increase the effectiveness of CAP measures for pollinators59 (action 5A).  

In 2019, the Commission launched a study to broadly examine actions on pollinators taken in all 
Member States60, including efforts in agricultural areas (action 5 B). The assessment showed that 
a  number  of  Member  States  use  targeted  measures  to  protect  pollinators  under  the  CAP. 
However, it is evident that such efforts need to be significantly scaled up across the whole EU.  

In  February  2020,  the  Commission  organised  a  large  stakeholder  conference61  to  share  and 
complement  the  findings  of  the  above-mentioned  Commission’s  studies,  and  discuss  how  to 
better integrate pollinator-conservation objectives into the CAP strategic plans 2021-2027 (action 
5C).  

The  Commission  proposal  for  the  future  CAP62  includes  a  number  of  instruments  and  features 
that Member States can use in their strategic plans to improve biodiversity in agricultural areas. 
Three  factors  will  be  critical  in  helping  to  fight  the  decline  of  pollinator  species:  (i)  the  new 
‘green  architecture’  built  on  enhanced  conditionality;  (ii)  eco-schemes  and  environmental 
management  commitments  and  (iii)  the  obligatory  higher  environmental  ambition.  These  three 

56 https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/EUPKH/Natura+2000+workshop+Nov+2019  
57 https://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/natura2000/financing/index_en.htm  
58 https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/EUPKH/Agriculture  
59 https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/EUPKH/Farmers  
60 https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/EUPKH/Actions+in+my+country  
61 https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/EUPKH/Stakeholder+conference+Feb+2020  
62 https://ec.europa.eu/info/food-farming-fisheries/key-policies/common-agricultural-policy/future-cap_en  

7 

 
 
                                                           
factors  will  also  support  the  other  targets  of  the  EU  biodiversity  strategy  for  2030  that  are 
essential to support pollinator-friendly farming landscapes:  

  at least 10% of agricultural area under high-diversity landscape features; 
  a 50% reduction in the risk and use of chemical pesticides; 
  a 50% reduction in the use of more hazardous pesticides; 
  at least 25% of agricultural land under organic farming management;  
  significantly increased uptake of agro-ecological practices.  

Furthermore,  in  its  recommendations  to  Member  States  as  regards  their  strategic  plan  for  the 
CAP63,  the  Commission  also  addresses  the  specific  objectives  of  protecting  biodiversity, 
enhancing  ecosystem  services,  and  preserving  habitats  and  landscapes.  Recommendations  on 
these objectives are expected to help foster the conservation of wild pollinators on farmland.  

The ECA report recommended that the Commission verify that Member States include in their 
strategic plans, whenever necessary, management  practices that have a significant  and positive 
effect  on  wild  pollinators.  The  choice  and  design  of  interventions  and  management  practices 
proposed  by  Member  States  should  be  based  on  the  analysis  of  their  environmental  situation. 
This analysis should lead Member States to identify needs – including pollinator conservation if 
relevant  for  a  given  territory  –  to  be  addressed  by  the  strategic  plans.  The  Commission  will 
assess whether the proposed interventions and management practices efficiently contribute to the 
CAP specific objectives and specific needs identified by Member States. 

Under  action  1,  the  Commission  has  continued  its  work  to  develop  a  CAP  indicator  on  wild 
pollinators, with a view to including this indicator in the performance and monitoring framework 
once it is operational. Full finalisation of this indicator depends on the implementation of the EU 
pollinator-monitoring scheme in the Member States.    

2.6.  Action 6: Improve pollinator habitats in urban areas and the wider landscape 

In  2019,  the  Commission  collected  best  practices  and  developed  guidelines  for  pollinator-
friendly cities (action 6A). The guidelines64, published in January 2020, provide good examples 
and  recommendations  to  policymakers,  decision-makers,  spatial  planners,  project  developers, 
and land-use managers in towns and cities on how to create a favourable urban environment for 
pollinators.  

In  October  2020,  the  Commission  produced  a  dedicated  action  plan  on  the  sustainable  use  of 
land  and  nature-based  solutions65  as  part  of  the  urban  agenda  for  the  EU66.  Actions  on  green 
infrastructure  and  biodiversity  under  this  plan  will  support  a  pollinator-friendly  urban 
environment.  The  actions  for  pollinators  will  be  further  boosted  through  the  new  biodiversity 
strategy’s ‘green city accord’ initiative67 and urban greening plans68.  

63 COM(2020)846 final. 
64 https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/EUPKH/Cities  
65 https://ec.europa.eu/futurium/en/system/files/ged/sul-nbs_finalactionplan_2018.pdf  
66 The urban agenda is a partnership of cities, Member States, the European Commission and stakeholders such as 
non-governmental organisations or businesses. 
67 https://ec.europa.eu/environment/topics/urban-environment/green-city-accord_en  
68 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?qid=1590574123338&uri=CELEX:52020DC0380  

8 

 
 
                                                           
The  Commission  also  integrated  pollinator-relevant  criteria  into  the  application  forms  and 
guidance notes for both the European Green Capital69 and European Green Leaf awards70, within 
the ‘nature and biodiversity’ indicator area (action 6A).  

In  addition,  to  facilitate  more  effective  pollinator  actions,  the  Commission  has  developed  an 
approach  to  mapping  the  suitability  of  urban  areas  to  support  pollinators71.  Several  cities  have 
used the approach to understand how urban green spaces can be managed to increase pollinator 
populations. The Commission will widely promote this tool among city authorities. 

Conservation actions for pollinators – in urban areas or in the wider landscape – can benefit from 
EU  cohesion-policy  funding,  according  to  the  priorities  included  in  national  and  regional 
operational  programmes72.  In  partnership  with  the  European  Committee  of  the  Regions,  the 
Commission  organised  a  stakeholder  conference73  in  February  2020.  The  purpose  of  the 
conference was to increase awareness of these opportunities among: (i) managing authorities; (ii) 
regional  and  local  authorities;  and  (iii)  stakeholders  (action  6B).  The  conference  highlighted  a 
number of projects to conserve pollinators across the EU, funded primarily through the European 
territorial cooperation (Interreg) programmes74. Projects for pollinators have also been supported 
through other programmes under the European Regional Development Fund, as well as under the 
Cohesion Fund and the European Social Fund.75    

The  Commission  has  promoted  landscape-level  actions  that  maintain,  connect  and  restore 
pollinator habitats through its guidance on EU-level green infrastructure76 and on the integration 
of ecosystems and their services into decision-making77 (action 6C).  

2.7.  Action 7: Reduce the impacts of pesticide use on pollinators 

In  2018,  the  Commission  discussed  with  Member  States  the  possibility  of  integrating  specific 
targets and measures for pollinators into the revised Member State national action plans (NAPs) 
under  the  Sustainable  Use  of  Pesticides  Directive78  (action  7A).  The  second  Commission 
progress report79 on the implementation of the Directive had no particular focus on pollinators. 
However, the Commission requested a study to  assess the level of integration of targets and/or 
measures on pollinator conservation in the NAPs. The final report from this study was published 
in November 2020, showing a low level of integration. Member States must make more efforts 
to strengthen the provisions for pollinating insects in the NAPs. 

Through  the  EU  biodiversity  and  farm-to-fork  strategies,  the  Commission  committed  to  take 
action  to  reduce  the  overall  use  and  risk  of  chemical  pesticides  by  50%  and  the  use  of  more 
hazardous pesticides by 50% by 2030. To this aim, the Commission will revise the Sustainable 
Use  of  Pesticides  Directive  enhancing  its  provisions  on  integrated  pest  management  (IPM),  as 

69 https://ec.europa.eu/environment/europeangreencapital  
70 https://ec.europa.eu/environment/europeangreencapital/europeangreenleaf  
71 https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC115375  
72 https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/en/funding  
73 https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/EUPKH/Stakeholder+conference+Feb+2020  
74 https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/en/policy/cooperation/european-territorial/  
75 https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/EUPKH/Regions  
76 SWD(2019) 193 final. 
77 SWD(2019) 305 final. 
78 Directive 2009/128/EC. 
79 https://ec.europa.eu/food/sites/food/files/plant/docs/pesticides_sud_report-act_2020_en.pdf  

9 

 
 
                                                           
well  as  promote  greater  use  of  safe  alternatives  to  protect  harvests  from  pests  and  diseases,  in 
particular through the CAP strategic plans. These measures will benefit biodiversity in general, 
and pollinating insects in particular.  

The Commission has worked to ensure that protection of pollinators is also taken into account in 
the  plant  protection  product  authorisation  as  required  by  the  EU  legislation  on  placing  of  the 
market  of  plant  protection  products80.  The  Commission  has  worked  with  Member  States  to 
ensure  their  endorsement  and  implementation  of  the  guidance  document  for  assessing  the 
potential  risk  posed  by  plant  protection  products  to  bees  (Apis  mellifera,  Bombus  spp.  and 
solitary bees)81, following its adoption by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in 2013 
(action 7B). However, since 2013, a clear majority of Member States has consistently objected to 
endorsing  the  parts  of  the  EFSA  guidance  document  related  to  chronic  toxicity  for  bees.  The 
Commission therefore proposed, at the end of 2018, to implement as a first step the parts of the 
guidance document for which there was sufficient support (i.e. the parts related to the acute risks 
to honeybees). 

In  July  2019,  a  qualified  majority  of  Member  States  agreed  to  a  draft  Commission  regulation 
amending the uniform  principles for  evaluating  and authorising plant protection products.  This 
amendment  to  the  uniform  principles  was  necessary  to  implement  the  parts  of  the  guidance 
document on acute toxicity to honeybees. However, in October 2019, the European Parliament 
objected82  to  this  draft  Regulation  and  called  on  the  Commission  to  present  a  new  draft 
Regulation covering also chronic toxicity and larval toxicity for honeybees and acute toxicity for 
bumblebees.  Therefore, 
the  partial 
implementation of the guidance document. 

the  Commission  could  not  proceed  further  with 

In March 2019, the Commission mandated EFSA83 to review the guidance document in light of 
new  scientific  knowledge  that  had  emerged  since  2013.  The  Commission  wanted  to  produce 
guidance  with  the  most  up-to-date  methodologies  for  conducting  risk  assessments  for  both 
managed  and  wild  bees.  The  review  is  ongoing84  and  is  expected  to  conclude  in  2021.  The 
Commission will seek endorsement of the complete guidance document thereafter85.    

The  ECA  report  called  on  the  Commission  to:  (i)  broaden  the  risk  assessment  safeguards  to  a 
representative range of wild pollinator species, (ii) prepare with Member States a work plan for 
the development of test methods in that regard, and (iii) define specific protection goals for wild 
pollinators.  The  Commission  is  addressing  these  recommendations  by  strengthening  the 
environmental risk assessment of plant protection products as indicated in the previous paragraph 
and committed to under the EU farm-to-fork strategy.   

The  use  of,  restrictions  and  bans  of  plant  protection  products  with  neonicotinoid  active 
substances have garnered strong attention in recent years due to their high toxicity to bees86. On 
29  May  2018,  the  Commission  adopted  implementing  regulations  amending  the  approval 

80 Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009. 
81 https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/3295  
82 https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-9-2019-0149_EN.html  
83 European Food Safety Authority. 
84 https://www.efsa.europa.eu/sites/default/files/event/Bee_Guidance_review.pdf  
85 In this regard, the Commission will take into account recommendations of the European Court of Auditors 
(Special Report 15/2020), https://www.eca.europa.eu/en/Pages/DocItem.aspx?did=54200.   
86 https://ec.europa.eu/food/plant/pesticides/approval_active_substances/approval_renewal/neonicotinoids_en  

10 

 
 
                                                           
conditions  for  neonicotinoids  imidacloprid87,  clothianidin88  and  thiamethoxam89  to  ban  all 
outdoor uses of the three substances (action 7C). In the light of these restrictions, the applicants 
for  the  renewal  of  approval  of  clothianidin,  thiamethoxam  and  imidacloprid  withdrew  their 
applications.  Consequently,  the  approval  of  these  substances  expired  on  31  January  2019,  30 
April 2019 and 1 December 2020, respectively.  

The ECA report and the European Parliament’s resolution of 18 December 201990 called on the 
Commission  to  ensure  that  emergency  authorisations  regarding  the  use  of  neonicotinoids  are 
duly  justified.  Regulation  (EC)  No  1107/2009  allows  Member  States  to  grant  emergency 
authorisations for plant protection products not authorised on their territory, for a limited period 
and a limited and  controlled use, where a danger cannot be  contained by any other  reasonable 
means.  Following  the  ban  of  outdoor  uses  of  the  three  neonicotinoids  and  the  expiry  of  their 
approvals,  several  Member  States  have  repeatedly  granted  emergency  authorisations  for  their 
use.  

The Commission  mandated EFSA in  2018 to  verify  whether  emergency  authorisations  granted 
repeatedly  on  certain  crops  were  justified  and  took  action  to  prevent  unjustified  emergency 
authorisations (for Romania91 and Lithuania92) in 2020. In October 2020, the Commission sent a 
second mandate to EFSA to assess by September 2021 whether certain emergency authorisations 
for the use of these substances in sugar beet fulfil the conditions set out in the Regulation. Based 
on  the  outcome  of  this  mandate,  the  Commission  may  take  further  action.  To  further  increase 
transparency,  notifications  of  emergency  authorisations  by  Member  States  are  published  in  the 
EU pesticides database93.  

2.8.  Action 8: Reduce the impacts of IAS on pollinators 

In  January  2020,  the  Commission  published  guidance  on  managing  IAS  to  protect  wild 
pollinators94  (action  8A).  The  guidance  is  addressed  primarily  to:  (i)  bodies  responsible  for 
managing  IAS  or  engaged  in  relevant  policy-making;  and  (ii)  European  residents  seeking  to 
monitor  and/or  prevent  the  introduction  and  spread  of  such  species.  The  guidance  covers  the 
most relevant measures to detect, control and eradicate some of the IAS that are most harmful to 
native wild pollinators in Europe. These IAS harmful to wild pollinators include the giant resin 
bee, the Asian hornet, or plants such as the common rhododendron and goldenrods. The Asian 
hornet  is  listed  as  IAS  of  Union  concern  under  the  Regulation  on  the  prevention  and 
management of the introduction and spread of invasive alien species95. In 2019, the Commission 
developed  guidelines  on  IAS  native  to  a  part  of  the  EU,  in  order  to  raise  awareness  of  the 

87 Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/783 of 29 May 2018 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 
No 540/2011 as regards the conditions of approval of the active substance imidacloprid, OJ L 132, 30.5.2018, p. 31. 
88 Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/784 of 29 May 2018 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 
No 540/2011 as regards the conditions of approval of the active substance clothianidin, OJ L 132, 30.5.2018, p. 35. 
89 Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/785 of 29 May 2018 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 
No 540/2011 as regards the conditions of approval of the active substance thiamethoxam, OJ L 132, 30.5.2018, p. 
40. 
90 2019/2803(RSP), https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2019-0104_EN.html. 
91 OJ L 33, 5.2.2020, p. 16. 
92 OJ L 33, 5.2.2020, p. 19. 
93 https://ec.europa.eu/food/plant/pesticides/eu-pesticides-database/ppp/pppeas/screen/home   
94 https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/EUPKH/IAS+Managers  
95 Regulation (EU) 1143/2014. 

11 

 
 
                                                           
potential  negative  impacts  such  species  could  have  outside  their  native  range.  Among  other 
species, these guidelines addressed managed honey bee and bumblebee subspecies96. 

The LIFE programme has supported projects involving habitat restoration following the spread 
of  IAS.  Several  projects aimed at  building awareness,  or at  surveying and controlling  IAS  that 
negatively impact the native flora on which pollinators depend, such as common rhododendron, 
pampa grass and Himalayan balsam.97  

The commitment under the EU biodiversity strategy for 2030 to reduce the number of Red List 
species  threatened  by  IAS  by  50%,  will  also  help  to  further  mitigate  negative  impacts  on 
pollinators. 

The Commission integrated strong recommendations to use native plant and pollinator species, 
and  to  strictly  avoid  alien  species  and  IAS,  into  a  set  of  guidance  documents  for  pollinator 
conservation. These documents were targeted at the public, local authorities, and a wide range of 
business  sectors,  including  the  agricultural,  forestry,  landscape  architecture,  and  building 
sectors98 (action 8B). 

2.9.  Action 9: Encourage the business sector and citizens to act  

In  August  2018,  the  Commission  undertook  an  initial  examination  of  business  activities  on 
pollinator  conservation  through  the  EU’s  Business@Biodiversity  platform99.  After  this,  the 
Commission  contracted  the  development  of  specific  guidance  documents100  for  11  business 
sectors:  agriculture;  agri-food  and  beverage;  forestry;  horticulture;  apiculture;  retail;  landscape 
architecture;  building;  mining;  energy;  and  tourism  (action  9A).  These  guidance  documents 
further  examined  good  business  practices.  The  Commission  continues  to  promote  these  guides 
and encourage businesses to implement the result-driven actions for pollinator conservation. In 
addition,  the  Commission  continues  to  encourage  businesses  to  assess  and  integrate  into  their 
decision-making  their  impacts  and  dependencies  on  biodiversity101,  including  through  LIFE 
projects supporting pollinator-friendly carbon farming.  

The Commission  has also continued to  encourage the public to  act  for pollinator conservation, 
through  public  campaigns102,  communication  activities,  educational  material103  and  guidance104 
(action 9C). The Commission’s online pollinator-information hive105 is a key platform for this. 
Developed under action 3A, the pollinator-information hive facilitates access to information and 
engages the public and other stakeholders. The communication approach towards the public aims 
at  highlighting  the  diversity  of  pollinators  and  their  importance  for  humanity,  encouraging 
everybody to take action to protect them. Pollinators are one of the most popular nature topics 
among  Europeans,  and  they  are  very  easy  to  communicate  about.  For  this  reason,  the 

96 https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/EUPKH/IAS+Managers  
97 https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/EUPKH/LIFE+programme  
98 https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/EUPKH/Get+involved  
99 https://ec.europa.eu/environment/biodiversity/business/news/news-84_en.htm  
100 https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/EUPKH/Businesses  
101 https://ec.europa.eu/environment/biodiversity/business  
102 https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=23462237  
103 https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/EUPKH/Educational+materials  
104 https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/EUPKH/Citizens  
105 https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/EUPKH/EU+Pollinator+Information+Hive  

12 

 
 
                                                           
Commission  uses  pollinators  as  a  vehicle  to  communicate  EU  action  on  the  broader  issues  of 
biodiversity and the environment under the European Green Deal.     

The  Commission  supports  the  role  of  the  public  in  generating  knowledge  for  policy  action.  In 
July  2020,  it  published  a  report  on  best  practices  in  citizen  science  for  environmental 
monitoring106, which includes citizen science on pollinators (butterfly monitoring). Through the 
implementation  of  the  European  Parliament’s  pilot  project  ABLE107,  the  Commission  fostered 
the launch of the European butterfly-monitoring scheme in 10 Member States. Citizen science is 
also  set  to  be  an  integral  component  of  the  future  EU  pollinator-monitoring  scheme,  and  the 
scheme  for  environmental  monitoring  of  pesticide  use  through  honeybees,  developed  under 
action  1.  Through  the  STING  project108,  the  Commission  will  broaden  public  engagement 
activities on pollinators in 2021, particularly in the context of food security.  

The European Solidarity Corps (action 9C) supports projects involving young people in various 
solidarity-related  fields,  including  in  the  area  of  environmental  and  nature  protection.  Several 
ongoing projects address pollinators. Some focus on information and awareness-raising activities 
such  as  the  Wild  Bee  Pollinator  Conservation  project  or  the  Solidarity  Bees  project.  Another 
example  –  the  ecosystem-support  project  –  helps  to  create  favourable  habitats  for  wild 
pollinators and other insects109.  

Erasmus+ has funded projects aiming to raise awareness amongst pupils, providing them with an 
opportunity  to  learn  about  pollinators.  This  has  involved  engaging  pupils  in  activities  such  as 
monitoring  pollinators  in  the  field,  which  has  allowed  young  people  to  learn  about  the  habitat 
requirements of pollinators and the threats they face110. 

The  Commission  supports  citizens  in  their  role  as  consumers.  Consumption  choices  can 
substantially affect wild pollinators. The EU Ecolabel111 is one of the tools that can mitigate the 
negative impacts of consumer choices, for example with regard to gardening products that affect 
pollinators (action 9B). The Commission is currently focusing on maximising the success of the 
current  ecolabel  product  portfolio,  rather  than  developing  new  EU  ecolabel  criteria.  It  has  just 
started  to  revise  the  EU  Ecolabel  criteria  for  ‘growing  media,  soil  improvers  and  mulch’,  and 
will  ensure  that  the  revised  criteria  address  the  need  to  conserve  pollinators.  For  example,  the 
criteria could include safeguards to ensure that soil used for potted plants and gardening products 
is not sourced from pollinator habitats, or that mineral extraction does not cause the degradation 
of  pollinator  habitats.  In  the  food  sector,  the  LIFE  food  &  biodiversity  project  studied  insect 
protection  in  food  standards  and  labels,  and  produced  a  guide  for  quality  managers,  product 
managers, and procurement managers112. 

106 SWD(2020) 149 final. 
107 https://butterfly-monitoring.net/able  
108  STING (Science and Technology for Pollinating Insects) is a project implemented by the Commission’s Joint 
Research Centre,  
https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/sites/jrcsh/files/adopted_jrc_2019-20_wp_europa_v2.pdf.   
109 https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/EUPKH/Education+and+youth  
110 https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/EUPKH/Education+and+youth 
111 https://ec.europa.eu/environment/ecolabel/  
112 https://www.business-biodiversity.eu/en/publications/easy-guide--insect-protection  

13 

 
 
                                                           
2.10.  Action 10: Promote pollinator strategies and collaboration at all levels  

The  Commission  encourages  national,  regional  and  local  authorities  to  develop  pollinator 
strategies.  To  facilitate  this  process,  the  Commission  has  produced  templates113  for  such 
strategies, which can be tailored to specific territorial needs (action 10A).  

In  addition  to  ad  hoc  events  and  workshops,  the  Commission  has  facilitated  stakeholder 
collaboration  on  conserving  pollinators  through  the  European  innovation  partnership  for 
agriculture114, the Interreg programmes115, and the EU’s urban agenda116 (action 10B).  Interreg 
programmes  were especially helpful in  fostering  collaboration through joint  actions and policy 
exchanges  between  national,  regional  and  local  actors  from  different  Member  States.  The 
Commission has also continued facilitating connections between national, local and subnational 
governments and their counterparts elsewhere in the EU. Local operational groups117,118 for the 
innovative,  pollinator-friendly  management  of  farms  were  set  up  through  the  European 
innovation partnership for agriculture. 

In October 2020, under the EU’s environment partnership programme for accession119, an online 
regional  workshop120  on  IAS  and  the  EU  pollinators  initiative  was  organised  for  participants 
from  Albania,  Bosnia  and  Herzegovina,  Montenegro,  Serbia,  North  Macedonia,  Kosovo  and 
Turkey (action 10C). The workshop was supported through the instrument for pre-accession, and 
one of its aims was to promote the exchange of experiences on setting strategic objectives and 
putting in place actions to address the decline of pollinators in the EU and contribute to global 
conservation efforts.  

In its work beyond the EU, the Commission has also included specific support for the objectives 
of both the EU pollinators initiative and the 2018-2030 action plan for the second international 
pollinator initiative (action 10C). For example, the Commission has supported the 2019 EU-FAO 
project that has facilitated implementation of multilateral agreements by countries in Africa, the 
Caribbean,  and  the  Pacific121.  This  project  seeks  to  promote  ecosystem-based  agricultural 
practices, including the preservation of natural habitats for wild pollinators and the mitigation of 
risks posed by pesticides. A global seminar on strengthening and enforcing pesticide regulations 
to protect pollinators will be organised for pesticide regulatory authorities, so they can build their 
capacity to develop and enforce pesticide regulations that protect pollinators122. 

In November 2018, the EU joined the ‘coalition of the willing on pollinators’123 during the 14th 
meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (action 10D). 

113 https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/EUPKH/Public+authorities  
114 https://ec.europa.eu/eip/agriculture/en/european-innovation-partnership-agricultural  
115 https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/EUPKH/Regions  
116 https://ec.europa.eu/futurium/en/system/files/ged/sul-nbs_finalactionplan_2018.pdf  
117 https://ec.europa.eu/eip/agriculture/en/find-connect/projects/protecting-farmland-pollinators  
118 https://ec.europa.eu/eip/agriculture/en/find-connect/projects/pasture-pollinators  
119 https://eppanetwork.eu/project  
120 https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/EUPKH/International+action  
121 https://ec.europa.eu/international-partnerships/news/eu-provides-extra-eu9-million-support-faos-work-
promoting-nature-friendly-agricultural_en   
122 https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/EUPKH/International+action  
123 https://promotepollinators.org/about/history  

14 

 
 
                                                           
Since then, the Commission has supported the objectives of the coalition by sharing knowledge 
and experience on the implementation of EU actions on pollinators with other countries.  

As part of the preparation and implementation of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework124, 
the  EU  is  rallying  its  international  partners  towards  greater  conservation  of  pollinators  and 
appreciation of the ecosystem services they deliver.  

3.  CONCLUSION  

This  review has shown that  a significant  progress  has been made in  the implementation of the 
Initiative’s  actions.  The  Initiative  has  provided  an  overarching  framework  for  EU  actions  on 
pollinators  across  sectoral  policies.  Actions  to  develop  key  policy  enablers  have  been 
successfully  launched  and  substantially  progressed.  These  policy  enablers  include  schemes  to 
monitor pollinator species and the drivers of their decline.  A pollinator-information system and 
tailored research initiatives should further support the initiative.  

Overall,  the  Initiative  remains  a  valid  policy  tool  that  allows  the  EU,  Member  States  and 
stakeholders to tackle the decline of pollinators. However, there remain significant challenges in 
tackling the drivers of decline. Efforts will need to be stepped up, particularly to address the loss 
of  habitats  in  farming  landscapes  and  the  impacts  of  pesticides.  Other  challenges  that  remain 
include  tackling  threats  to  pollinators  that  are  not  addressed  directly  by  the  Initiative,  such  as 
climate change and environmental pollutants other than pesticides.  

Progress towards reaching the Initiative’s long-term objectives will be substantially strengthened 
by the EU biodiversity strategy, the EU farm-to-fork strategy and the EU zero pollution action 
plan, in  particular through the commitments to  expand protected  areas and restore ecosystems. 
Furthermore, promoting agro-ecological approaches such as organic agriculture, restoring high-
diversity  landscape  features  on  farmland  and  reducing  the  impacts  of  pesticides  and  other 
environmental pollutants harmful to pollinators are of vital importance.    

The Commission will work closely with Member States in the next stage of the implementation 
of  the  Initiative.  The  Commission  therefore  welcomes  the  Council  conclusions125  on  the  ECA 
report,  in  particular  on  the  need  to  ensure  an  adequate  use  of  resources,  set  up  an  EU-wide 
governance  and monitoring  framework on pollinators and better integrate  pollinator needs into 
the CAP and pesticide-legislation framework. 

In the second half of 2021, the Commission will launch consultation activities to collect views 
and  more  comprehensive  evidence,  insights  and  experience  from  stakeholders  and  the  general 
public on the implementation of the existing framework. These suggestions will be an important 
indication on how to improve this framework and identify further measures that would be needed 
to fully implement the Initiative’s long-term objectives.  

The Commission will then revise the Initiative, taking into account the feedback received so far 
from other institutions and stakeholders as well as the results of the consultations.  

124 https://www.cbd.int/conferences/post2020  
125 https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-14168-2020-INIT/en/pdf  

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