COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Revision of the EU Pollinators Initiative A new deal for pollinators
Date: 2023-01-24
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, 24.1.2023  COM(2023) 35 final  COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Revision of the EU Pollinators Initiative     A new deal for pollinators   {SWD(2023) 18 final}  
 
 
1. 

INTRODUCTION 

The decline in wild pollinators and its consequences on food security, human health, quality of 
life and ecosystem functioning raises strong concerns across society. It has also prompted calls, 
in particular by scientists and civil society, for decisive action to address the causes behind the 
decline.  One  recent  example  is  the  European  Citizens’  Initiative  “Save  Bees  and  Farmers”1, 
which  calls  for  a  transition  towards  a  more  bee-friendly  agriculture,  and  was  successfully 
presented to the European Commission in October 2022 after having collected over one million 
statements of support from EU citizens.  

Around  four  in  five  crop  and  wild-flowering  plant  species  in  Europe  depend,  at  least  to  some 
extent,  on  animal  pollination  delivered  by  thousands  of  insect  species.  This  service  brings 
tangible benefits to the economy: its contribution to the EU’s agricultural output is estimated to 
be at least EUR 5 billion per year2. Most of the essential benefits that pollinators provide remain 
unquantified,  such  as  their  contribution  to  nutrition  security  and  health,  or  to  maintaining 
ecosystem health and resilience by pollinating wild plants. 

Yet, Europe and the world3 are confronted with a dramatic loss of wild pollinators. According to 
the European Red List4, the population of around one in three bee, butterfly and hoverfly species 
is declining. Moreover, one in ten bee and butterfly species, and one in three hoverfly species are 
threatened with  extinction. While these figures  already  raise alarm bells, the full picture is  not 
yet  known.  An  increased  understanding  of  the  state  of  pollinators  could  reveal  an  even  more 
concerning situation5.  

The  decline  of  pollinators  poses  a  threat  to  both  human  wellbeing  and  nature.  The  loss  of 
pollinators  undermines  long-term  agricultural  productivity,  further  exacerbating  a  trend 
influenced  by  other  factors,  notably  the  current  geopolitical  situation  with  Russia’s  war  of 
aggression against Ukraine.    

Global  efforts  have  been  made  to  address  the  biodiversity  crisis  at  the  15th  Conference  of  the 
Parties (COP15) to the United Nations Convention on Biological  Diversity in  December 2022. 
These  global  efforts  must  be  accompanied  by  ambitious  measures  to  protect  and  restore 
biodiversity at EU level, of which pollinators are an integral part. 

In  2018,  the  Commission  adopted  the  first-ever  EU  framework  to  address  the  decline  of  wild 
pollinators – the EU Pollinators Initiative6. This initiative set long-term objectives for 2030 and a 
comprehensive  set  of  actions  to  be  implemented  in  the  short-to-medium  term.  It  has  been 

1 https://europa.eu/citizens-initiative/initiatives/details/2019/000016_en. The European Commission will respond 
to this European Citizens’ Initiative through a dedicated communication in 2023. 
2 Vysna, V., Maes, J., Petersen, J.E., La Notte, A., Vallecillo, S., Aizpurua, N., Ivits, E., Teller, A., Accounting for 
ecosystems and their services in the European Union (INCA). Final report from phase II of the INCA project aiming 
to develop a pilot for an integrated system of ecosystem accounts for the EU. Statistical report. Publications office 
of the European Union, Luxembourg, 2021. 
3 IPBES (2016). Assessment report by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem 
Services on pollinators, pollination and food production. 
4 https://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/conservation/species/redlist  
5 Commission Staff Working Document accompanying the EU Pollinators Initiative (SWD(2018) 302), page 3. 
6 EU Pollinators Initiative (COM(2018) 395). 

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strongly supported across stakeholder groups, and garnered high public interest. The objectives 
of the initiative have been strongly boosted by the European Green Deal.  

The  EU  Biodiversity  Strategy  for  20307  set  the  overall  ambition  of  reversing  the  decline  in 
pollinator  numbers  and  diversity  by  2030  as  part  of  a  series  of  commitments  and  targets  for 
restoring  nature  in  the  EU.  The  strategy  also  established  the  EU  Biodiversity  Platform  under 
which  a  working  group  for  pollinators  was  set  up  as  the  main  governance  platform  for  the 
Pollinators Initiative. Other initiatives under the European Green Deal, such as the Farm to Fork 
Strategy,  the  Zero  Pollution  Action  Plan,  the  Forest  Strategy,  the  Strategy  on  Adaptation  to 
Climate Change8, help to tackle threats to pollinators. 

This  Communication  presents  a  revised  action  framework  for  the  EU  Pollinators  Initiative, 
building  on  comprehensive  stakeholder  consultations  and  institutional  feedback9  from  the 
European  Parliament,  the  Council,  the  Committee  of  the  Regions,  and  the  European  Court  of 
Auditors. It sets out actions to be taken by the EU and its Member States to reverse the decline of 
pollinators by 2030. 

The  revision  follows  up  on  the  review  of  progress  in  implementing  the  Pollinators  Initiative, 
which  the  Commission  undertook  in  202110.  The  review  showed  that,  while  it  remains  a  valid 
policy tool, significant challenges still need to be overcome to halt and reverse pollinator decline. 
In  particular,  further  action  has  to  be  taken  to  effectively  tackle  the  drivers  of  the  decline, 
underpinned  by  robust  monitoring  and  governance  mechanisms.  The  review  called  for  the 
Initiative to be revised to meet its long-term objectives. 

The revision also follows up on the European Court of Auditors’ special report11 on EU actions 
to  protect  wild  pollinators.  This  report  identified  gaps  in  key  EU  policies  addressing  the  main 
threats  to  wild  pollinators  and  it  recommended  that  the  Commission  assesses  the  need  to  add 
specific measures to address threats currently not considered in the Pollinators Initiative. It also 
pointed  to  the  need  to  better  integrate  actions  to  protect  wild  pollinators  in  EU  biodiversity 
conservation and agricultural policies and improve protection of wild pollinators from pesticides.   

In June 2022, the Commission presented a proposal for a Nature Restoration Law12, which aims 
to enshrine into law the ambition of the Biodiversity Strategy: it includes a legally binding target 
for EU Member States to reverse the decline of pollinator populations by 2030, and to maintain 
increasing  trends  thereafter.  The  Nature  Restoration  Law  and  this  revised  Pollinators  Initiative 
go hand-in-hand: the legislative proposal gives Member States the flexibility to decide, in their 
National Restoration Plans, the most effective measures to achieve the target. The actions in this 
revised  Initiative,  which  encompass  a  broad  range  of  EU  policies,  aim  to  support  and 
complement  the  national  restoration  measures  required  under  the  proposed  Nature  Restoration 
Law. 

7 EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 (COM(2020) 380).  
8 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_21_6687  
9 https://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/conservation/species/pollinators/policy_en.htm  
10 Report on progress in the implementation of the EU Pollinators Initiative (COM(2021) 261 final). 
11 ECA Special Report 15/2020. 
12 European Commission proposal for a Regulation on nature restoration (COM(2022) 304). 

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2.  EU ACTION TO REVERSE THE DECLINE OF POLLINATORS  

The  revised  Pollinators  Initiative  sets  objectives  for  2030  and  related  actions  under  three 
priorities: 

I: Improving knowledge of pollinator decline, its causes and consequences 

II: Improving pollinator conservation and tackling the causes of their decline 

III: Mobilising society and promoting strategic planning and cooperation at all levels 

The subsequent chapters develop these priorities and the related actions. The table in the annex 
lists all actions. 

2.1. 

PRIORITY  I:  Improving  knowledge  of  pollinator  decline,  its  causes  and 
consequences 

Action  to  help  pollinators  must  be  underpinned  by  robust  science.  Since  2018,  major  progress 
has  been  made  in  gathering  actionable  knowledge  for  pollinator  conservation,  but  significant 
knowledge gaps remain. Further efforts are needed to put in place a robust EU-wide monitoring 
system for pollinators, undertake critical assessments and spatial analyses, and promote targeted 
research and innovation activities.  

Establish a comprehensive monitoring system  

To  deploy  effective  conservation  and  restoration  measures  for  pollinator  populations,  it  is 
necessary to map their distribution, state and trends at adequately accurate spatial and temporal 
detail.  This  requires  a  robust  EU-wide  monitoring  scheme  that  provides  regular  and  frequent 
information over a long time frame. The Commission and the Member States are working on a 
monitoring methodology, building on technical options for an EU Pollinator Monitoring Scheme 
(EU-PoMS)13.  To  rigorously  measure  the  trends  in  pollinator  abundance  and  diversity  and 
reliably assess progress towards reversing their decline, monitoring will have to be undertaken at 
a sufficient number of sites. Under the proposed Nature Restoration Law, Member States would 
be  obliged  to  carry  out  the  monitoring  of  pollinator  species  every  year,  according  to  a 
standardised methodology.  

In  addition,  the  main  threats  to  pollinator  decline  should  also  be  monitored.  The  European 
Monitoring  of  Biodiversity  in  Agricultural  Landscapes  (EMBAL)  initiative14,  which  collects 
information  on  pollinator  habitat  in  agricultural  landscapes,  and  the  Insignia  project15,  which 
aims  to  monitor  pesticides  and  other  pollutants  using  the  honeybee  as  a  bioindicator,  offer 
efficient  ways  to  fill  information  gaps  on  the  state  of  pollinator  habitats  and  environmental 
pollution. These processes require systematic implementation in  the long-term.  Establishing  an 
integrated framework for monitoring pollinator decline, its causes and consequences,  according 
to the DPSIR (drivers, pressures, state, impact and response) model of intervention, would allow 
tracking the outputs and outcomes of relevant policy actions.  

13 https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC122225  
14 https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=25560696  
15 https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=36702461  

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Support research and assessment  

Research and innovation activities will continue to be needed to generate actionable knowledge 
based  on  systematically  collected  data  and  information,  supported  by  the  EU  framework 
programme for research and innovation – Horizon Europe – as well as national research efforts. 
We need to better understand the taxonomic and functional diversity of pollinator communities 
and  their  distribution,  as  well  as  the  threats  to  pollinators  and  their  interactions.  The  latter  in 
particular applies to less understood threats to pollinators (see Priority II).  

It will also be necessary to further develop assessment tools, such as the Red List assessment and 
the  EU-wide  mapping  of  key  pollinator  areas,  in  order  to  enable  targeted  conservation  and 
restoration measures.   

Promote capacity building and knowledge sharing 

Monitoring and research are resource-intensive, and financial and human resources will have to 
be used in a cost-effective manner. Strategic development of research infrastructure, monitoring 
tools and expertise can help in this regard. In particular, it will be important to raise the capacity 
of  both  professional  and  citizen  science  to  undertake  taxonomic  work,  by  providing  work, 
education, and training opportunities.    

Existing  online  tools,  such  as  the  EU  Pollinator  Information  Hive  and  the  Biodiversity 
Information System for Europe (BISE), should be fully utilised to share monitoring results and 
the knowledge generated through research and innovation. This requires engagement both at EU 
and  national  level,  with  support  from  the  European  Environment  Agency.  Knowledge  sharing, 
together with open access to data, will increase the efficiency of public investments and ensure 
transparency of the science-policy processes and decision making. 

2.2. 

PRIORITY  II:  Improving  pollinator  conservation  and  tackling  the  causes  of 
their decline 

The major threats to wild pollinators include land-use change (including urbanisation), intensive 
agricultural management practices (including pesticide use), environmental pollution (including 
light  pollution),  invasive  alien  species  and  climate  change.  Other  threats  could  be  emerging, 
putting  extra  pressure  on  pollinators.  Some  threats,  such  as  intensive  agriculture  and  pesticide 
use,  are  better  understood  than  others.  The  appropriate  measures  to  mitigate  their  impacts  are 
well known. A rapid increase in the uptake of these measures is urgently needed.  

For other threats such as pollution by chemicals, air pollutants, and heavy metals, knowledge is 
insufficient to estimate the extent and distribution of their impacts on pollinators, or to design an 
appropriate intervention strategy. Here, further monitoring and research and innovation activities 
are needed to enable a science-based response to pollinator decline.  

Improve conservation of pollinator species and habitats 

Pollinator populations are subject to pressures across different landscapes and land uses, which 
interact with  each other,  further amplifying the harmful  impacts. Therefore, actions  to  mitigate 
those  impacts  should  not  be  taken  in  isolation  but  need  to  be  coordinated  across  sectors  and 
planned well to ensure consistency, synergies, and cost-effectiveness.  

4 

 
 
Protected areas and appropriate land management provide the backbone for conserving the rich 
diversity of pollinator species. Building on this, strategically planned restoration activities should 
be deployed to ensure adequate areas of well-connected, high-quality pollinator habitats. Species 
conservation plans16 are a key tool to coordinate such a strategic approach, in particular for the 
most  threatened  species.  They  provide  information  on  the  status,  ecology,  threats,  and  current 
conservation measures for each species and list the key actions that are required to improve their 
conservation  status  across  their  range  within  the  EU.  The  Commission  is  currently  developing 
three conservation plans for certain groups of threatened pollinator species. Two plans will cover 
agricultural and forest landscapes across the EU, and the third will cover a specific geographic 
area,  the  Canary  Islands.  Once  finalised,  their  broad  uptake  and  implementation  should  be 
ensured by support from various funding sources, including the LIFE Programme.  

Pollinator  conservation  should  be  well  integrated  into  the  management  of  protected  areas,  in 
particular the Natura 2000 network. Many habitat types protected by the Habitats Directive are 
essential  for  pollinators.  Including  pollinators  as  typical  species  in  the  monitoring  and 
assessment of these habitats’  conservation status  would  help  streamline  pollinator conservation 
in Natura 2000 management plans.  

The  rollout  of  pollinator  monitoring  will  help  to  better  map  rare  and  threatened  pollinator 
species. This information should be used for fine-tuning conservation and restoration efforts, and 
for  designating  new  protected  areas,  in  the  context  of  the  EU  target  to  achieve  30%  protected 
areas by 2030 under the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030.  

Land use and changes in land use, such as intensification in agriculture and forestry, urbanisation 
and infrastructure development can negatively impact pollinators by reducing the availability of 
pollinator habitats and increasing habitat fragmentation. An integrated approach is needed across 
natural and cultural landscapes to counteract habitat fragmentation. This can be achieved through 
a strategically  planned network of habitat stretches that jointly  form a  connected infrastructure 
across  the  landscape,  traversing  biogeographic  and  administrative  regions.  Such  ecological 
corridors  for  pollinators  –  which  we  propose  to  call  “Buzz  Lines”  –  would  enable  species  to 
move in search of food, shelter, and nesting and breeding sites. Moreover, these corridors would 
act  as  migration  routes  for  species  impacted  by  climate  change,  and  thus  support  adaptation 
efforts.  Spatial  planning  processes  at  all  governance  levels  are  of  critical  importance  for  the 
successful implementation of the Buzz Lines network.   

Actions for pollinators across landscapes should also be further supported through EU funds, in 
particular  the  EU’s  common  agricultural  policy  (CAP),  cohesion  policy  funds  and  the  LIFE 
programme.  Member  States  should  also  strongly  encourage  and  facilitate  cross-border 
cooperation in this regard. 

Restore pollinator habitats in agricultural landscapes 

Known  pressures  include  certain  agricultural  management  practices  such  as  monoculture,  high 
use of pesticides and intensive tillage, intensively performed  grazing or mowing, and, where it 
occurs,  over-fertilisation  of  grasslands17,  leading  to  the  decline  of  pollinators  in  agricultural 

16 https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/EUPKH/Action+plans  
17 Commission Staff Working Document accompanying the EU Pollinators Initiative (SWD(2018) 302 final) 

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landscapes.  A  greater  uptake  of  pollinator-friendly  agronomic  techniques,  in  particular 
agroecology, is key to reversing this trend.  

The CAP is one of the main instruments to support such a transition, through measures such as 
organic  farming,  maintaining  and  developing  landscape  features,  agro-forestry,  reduced 
chemicals use, and protection of pollinator-friendly plants on pastures and buffer strips. In 2023-
27,  the  CAP  will  be  governed  by  a  new  green  architecture  with  strengthened  baseline 
requirements and new ecoschemes under its Pillar I, in combination with measures under Pillar 
II,  such  as  agri-environment-climate  management  commitments.  Interventions  beneficial  for 
pollinators in  agricultural  landscapes  should be planned in  a strategic  and coordinated way, on 
the basis of the needs identified at local level. Pollinator-friendly landscapes are biodiverse, rich 
in  landscape  features  and  offering  an  adequate  quantity  of  high-quality,  well-connected 
habitats18. 

Within the CAP, Member States can design strategic interventions that contribute to the specific 
economic, environmental and social objectives. For example, results-based payment schemes can 
make  the  approach  more  effective  and  offer  more  flexibility  and  incentives  to  farmers  to 
implement  environmentally  friendly  practices.  Moreover,  Member  States  are  encouraged  to 
mitigate  pressures  at  landscape  level  through  collective  schemes,  which  incentivise  the 
collaboration  between  farmers  in  the  collective  implementation  of  agri-environment-climate 
commitments.  

The CAP  Strategic Plans  developed by Member States19 include  a variety of actions with  high 
potential for the protection of pollinators. For example, several Plans aim to create feeding areas 
for  wild  pollinators,  such  as  flower  strips,  cultivation  of  annual  melliferous  plants,  or  other 
suitable  landscape  features.  Other  commitments  concern  the  establishment  of  non-productive 
areas on arable land in order to improve, among others, the status of pollinators and to increase 
the  food  supply  for  pollinating  insects.  The  Plans  may  also  aim  to  replace  chemical  plant 
protection  products  by  biological  pest  control  methods,  contributing  significantly  to  the 
protection of pollinators.  

Risks  posed  by  agro-chemicals  (in  particular  pesticides  and  high  nutrient  loads)  must  also  be 
well  mitigated.  This  requires  common  efforts  and  cooperation  between  public  authorities  and 
farmers. Farm advisors who are well-trained in biodiversity and pollinator conservation, as well 
as demonstration and communication activities, are key elements to facilitate a better uptake of 
targeted measures. Once available, robust indicators based on the EU-wide pollinator monitoring 
methodology (see  Priority  I) should be used to  evaluate the impact of interventions. Under the 
CAP,  technical  assistance  at  the  initiative  of  the  Member  States  can  be  used,  among  other 
funding sources, to support deployment of the pollinator monitoring scheme (EU-PoMS).  

Mitigate the impacts of pesticide use on pollinators 

Pesticides  remain  a  major  driver  of  pollinator  decline,  and  their  impact  must  be  mitigated  by 
targeted policies and practices.  In the EU Farm to Fork Strategy and the Biodiversity Strategy, 

18 IPBES (2016). Assessment report by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and 
Ecosystem Services on pollinators, pollination and food production. 
19 The CAP Strategic Plans entered into force on 1 January 2023.  

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the  Commission  committed  to  reduce  the  risk  and  use  of  pesticides  and  the  use  of  more 
hazardous  pesticides  by  50%  by  2030.  These  targets  are  intended  to  be  implemented,  in 
particular,  by  the  proposed  Regulation  on  the  Sustainable  Use  of  Plant  Protection  Products 
(SUR)20.  The  Commission  will  also  undertake  further  work  to  improve  the  indicators  used  for 
quantifying the reduction of the risk and use of plant protection products.  

As  part  of  the  draft  SUR,  the  Commission  also  proposed  a  ban  on  the  use  of  pesticides  in 
sensitive  areas.  These  include  areas  protected  for  nature  conservation,  as  well  as  areas  hosting 
pollinators that are threatened with extinction. As part of the interinstitutional negotiations, the 
European Parliament and Council are looking in detail at the modalities for such a prohibition. 
The  draft  SUR  also  provides  for  increased  uptake  of  integrated  pest  management  (IPM).  This 
establishes  a  hierarchy  of  interventions  for  plant  protection,  where  the  focus  is  on  low-risk 
measures and chemical pesticides are only used as a last resort.  

One  growing  concern  is  the  granting  of  emergency  authorisations  by  Member  States  for 
pesticides that are no longer approved at EU level. The Commission will continue to monitor the 
situation  and  will  mandate  the  European  Food  Safety  Authority  (EFSA)  to  verify  whether  the 
justifications provided by Member States for these authorisations are valid. The Commission has 
already  done  this  repeatedly  in  relation  to  emergency  authorisations  for  the  use  of  certain 
neonicotinoids21. Furthermore, the Commission  is undertaking steps to  enhance the availability 
of low-risk alternatives to chemical pest control, in particular related to biological solutions such 
as micro-organisms22. 

The Commission is working towards reinforcing the risk assessment of pesticides for pollinators. 
This  includes  strengthening the  risk assessment for bees23 to  minimise the undesired effects  of 
pesticides  use  on  honeybees  and  wild  bee  species.  Moreover,  there  is  an  urgent  need  to 
accelerate  the availability  of test  methods  that  allow to  determine the toxicity of pesticides  for 
wild pollinators. It is also necessary to ensure that co-formulants are prohibited from being used 
together  with  active  substances  in  plant  protection  products  when  they  are  considered  to  have 
unacceptable effects on the environment, including pollinators.  

Enhance pollinator habitats in urban areas  

Urbanisation and infrastructure development reduce the availability of natural pollinator habitats. 
However,  if  properly  planned  and  managed,  urban  areas  can  act  as  refuges  to  pollinators, 
especially  in  a  wider  landscape  deprived  of  floral  resources.  They  can  also  improve  habitat 
connectivity by providing stepping-stone habitats, such as public parks, private gardens (also in 
rural areas), urban farms, and green walls and green roofs.  

The Commission has developed guidance on pollinator-friendly cities24, which should be further 
promoted and widely applied by cities. Furthermore, pollinator conservation should be taken into 

20 European Commission proposal for a Regulation on the sustainable use of plant protection products (COM(2022) 
305). 
21 https://food.ec.europa.eu/plants/pesticides/approval-active-substances/renewal-approval/neonicotinoids_en  
22 https://food.ec.europa.eu/plants/pesticides/micro-organisms_en  
23 https://food.ec.europa.eu/plants/pesticides/protection-bees_en  
24 https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/EUPKH/Pollinator-friendly+cities  

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account  in  developing  urban  greening  plans25.  Urban  areas  are  also  hotspots  for  engagement 
activities, and thus play an important role in scaling up involvement of citizens in conservation 
activities. 

Reduce the impacts of invasive alien species on pollinators  

Certain invasive alien species can exert direct or indirect pressures on pollinators. They may prey 
on native pollinators, be a vector for new diseases and pathogens or compete with them for food 
sources. Invasive alien plants may outcompete native plants, thus altering plant communities that 
native pollinators depend on.  

To prevent further introduction and spread of invasive alien species whose impact on pollinators 
may be severe, consideration will be given to including them in the list of invasive alien species 
of Union concern26.  

To ensure that restricting the use of pesticides in sensitive areas does not undermine the  future 
management  of  invasive  alien  plant  species,  it  will  be  important  to  increase  the  availability, 
uptake, and effectiveness of non-chemical management options.  

The  risk  of  the  introduction  and  spread  of  alien  species  harmful  to  pollinators  should  also  be 
further reduced by promoting the use of pollinator-friendly native plants and seed mixes in areas 
including private gardens, public areas, farmland, and forests.  

Tackle climate change and other causes of pollinator decline  

Climate change alters the local weather conditions in terms of temperature and precipitation, and 
therefore can reduce the resources available to pollinators (e.g. due to drought) and  disrupt co-
evolved  plant-pollinator  relationships,  such  as  the  timing  of  flowering  and  the  emergence  of 
specialised pollinators.  

In  particular,  many  species  are  expected  to  change  their  distribution  range  to  adapt  to  altered 
climatic conditions, which would require them to move to new areas. While the EU has put in 
place a series of climate policies and strategies to become the first climate-neutral and climate-
resilient continent by 205027, European ecosystems will inevitably be affected by climate change 
over  the  coming  decades.  Therefore,  it  will  be  important  to  consider  the  impact  of  climate 
change  on  pollinators  and  on  their  habitats  and  to  identify  the  most  vulnerable  zones  for 
pollinators  in  this  context,  with  a  view  to  devising  and  implementing  targeted  mitigation 
measures 

25 https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/urban-environment/urban-greening-platform_en  
26 Regulation (EU) 1143/2014 on the prevention and management of the introduction and spread of invasive  
alien species. 
27 https://climate.ec.europa.eu/index_en  

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As  regards  light  pollution,  its  impact  on  nocturnal  pollinators  is  well  understood,  enabling 
specific mitigation actions at national, regional, and local level. The Commission has integrated 
recommendations on how to mitigate light pollution into its guidelines for citizens28 and cities29 
and will continue to promote them. 

Pollinators can also be affected by biocides. The approval of active substances and authorisation 
of  biocidal  products  containing  them  are  subject  to  strict  risk  assessment30.  The  European 
Chemicals Agency is currently devising a specific approach for assessing the risks biocides pose 
to pollinators31.  

2.3. 

PRIORITY  III:  Mobilising  society  and  promoting  strategic  planning  and 
cooperation at all levels 

Help citizens and businesses to act 

Implementing  the  actions  outlined  under  the  previous  two  priorities  will  require  broad 
mobilisation  of  all  relevant  actors,  including  scientists,  policymakers,  citizens,  farmers,  and 
businesses.  

This should be underpinned by effective communication, mobilisation, and networking activities. 
Public  participation  in  the  monitoring  and  conservation  of  pollinators  should  be  further 
promoted.  This  should  encompass  citizen  science  as  well  as  organised  processes  of  public 
participation  in  monitoring  and  conservation  activities  at  all  relevant  levels.  The  European 
sustainability competence framework32 can empower citizens to act in this regard.  

As  the  decline  of  pollinators  is  expected  to  strongly  impact  future  generations,  particular 
attention should also be paid to youth engagement. In this regard, new technologies, such as the 
Pollinator Park virtual reality experience33, offer complementary channels for engaging society at 
large.  

Engagement of key business sectors should be further facilitated through existing networks, with 
a  view  to  promoting  the  uptake  of  the  guidelines  on  action  for  pollinator  conservation  across 
sectors. 

Promote strategic planning and cooperation at all levels 

The  Pollinators  Initiative  will  need  to  be  translated  into  well-devised  strategic  approaches  at 
national,  regional,  and  local  levels.  Only  a  consistent  course  of  action  across  all  governance 
levels will reverse the decline of pollinators.  

National pollinator strategies should coordinate  and stimulate efforts across all relevant sectors 
and policies to reverse the decline of pollinators by 2030, including through actions supported by 

28 https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/EUPKH/Citizens  
29 https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/EUPKH/Cities  
30 https://health.ec.europa.eu/biocides/biocidal-products_en  
31 https://echa.europa.eu/documents/10162/17234/scoping_paper_pollinators_guidance_en.pdf/7957c0f8-5ded-
4a6e-17a7-2a899bbb141a  
32 https://joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/greencomp-european-sustainability-competence-framework_en  
33 https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/nature-and-biodiversity/pollinator-park_en  

9 

 
 
                                                           
the EU cohesion policy funds. They should be translated into action plans at regional and local 
levels. The strategies and action plans need to be developed transparently, in close collaboration 
with all relevant stakeholders and using existing networks and platforms to facilitate multi-actor 
collaboration. Where needed, the setting up of new networks and platforms should be explored. 
For  topics  and  interventions  raising  controversy,  participatory,  deliberative  and  co-creation 
processes  offer  additional  means  of  addressing  tensions  between  different  actors,  including 
citizens.  An  active  role  for  the  European  Committee  of  the  Regions  will  be  of  particular 
importance, promoting regional engagement and collaboration.  

Finally, the decline of pollinators is not only a European challenge. EU efforts should contribute 
to international efforts to reverse this global trend, under the International Pollinators Initiative34 
and through other relevant international forums. 

3.  CONCLUSION   

There  is  no  alternative  to  halting  and  reversing  the  decline  of  wild  pollinators  if  the  EU  is  to 
preserve  biodiversity,  which  is  fundamental  to  human  wellbeing.  The  new  action  framework 
under  the  EU  Pollinators  Initiative  sets  out  a  path  for  the  EU  to  meet  this  challenge.  Together 
with  the  proposal  for  a  Nature  Restoration  Law,  it  represents  a  new  deal  for  pollinators  in  the 
EU.      

This revised initiative will contribute to the objectives of the European Green Deal, in particular 
the Biodiversity and Farm to Fork Strategies. It will also provide a valuable contribution to EU 
progress towards the relevant UN Sustainable Development Goals and the commitments agreed 
under the Convention on Biological Diversity. 

The  Commission  invites  the  European  Parliament  and  the  Council  to  endorse  the  new  action 
framework under this Initiative and to actively engage in its implementation, in close cooperation 
with all relevant stakeholders. 

34 https://www.cbd.int/doc/decisions/cop-14/cop-14-dec-06-en.pdf  

10 

 
 
 
 
                                                           
ANNEX – NEW ACTION FRAMEWORK  

This annex provides an overview of the objectives and actions included under each priority of the revised EU Pollinators Initiative.   

PRIORITY I: Improving knowledge of pollinator decline, its causes and its consequences 

Objectives to be achieved by 2030 
The state of pollinators and the key causes of their decline are regularly monitored by means of an EU-wide monitoring system and regularly 
assessed.  This  provides  the  basis  for  developing  robust  indicators  to  inform  on  the  impacts  of  relevant  national  and  EU  policies  on 
pollinators.  Critical  knowledge  gaps  on  the  decline  of  pollinators,  its  causes  and  consequences  for  society  and  the  economy  are  plugged. 
There is open access to data and information on pollinators. 

ACTION 

COMPLETED BY 

1. ESTABLISH A COMPREHENSIVE MONITORING SYSTEM  

1.1 

1.2 

The  Commission  and  Member  States  should  finalise  the  development  and  testing  of  a  standardised 
methodology for an EU pollinator monitoring scheme (EU-PoMS). The methodology will ensure delivery 
of  annual  datasets  on  the  abundance  and  diversity  of  pollinator  species,  with  adequate  statistical  power  to 
assess  whether  the  decline  of  pollinators  has  been  reversed  both  at  EU  and  national  level.  Once  the 
methodology is available, Member States should deploy the scheme on the ground.        

The Commission will, with the support of Member States and the European Environment Agency, devise an 
integrated framework for monitoring pollinator decline, its causes and consequences35. The Commission will 
continue supporting the systematic collection of data on major threats to pollinators, in particular through 
the EMBAL36 and Insignia37 initiatives. 

2026 

2026 

1.3 

The Commission will develop indicators on the state of pollinator populations and the pressures they face and 

Continuous until 

35 This will follow the DPSIR (drivers, pressures, state, impact and response) model of intervention. 
36 https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=25560696  
37 https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=36702461  

11 

 
 
 
                                                           
will explore options for developing indicators on the impacts of pollinators on ecosystem health, the economy 
and human wellbeing. These indicators will be developed with a view to contributing, among other things, to 
the evaluation of relevant policies, such as the common agricultural policy (link to Action 5.4). 

2030 

2. SUPPORT RESEARCH AND ASSESSMENT 

The Commission and Member States should promote research and innovation on the state of pollinators, 
the  causes  and  the  consequences  of  their  decline,  as  well  as  effective  mitigation  measures.  Prioritised 
basic and applied research, supported through the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation – 
Horizon  Europe  –  and  national  research  efforts,  should  widen  the  knowledge  base  across  pollinator  groups 
and improve understanding of emerging threats to pollinators. 

Continuous until 
2030 

The  Commission  will  finalise  the  European  Red  List  assessment  for  key  insect  pollinator  groups  –  bees, 
hoverflies, butterflies, and moths. 

The Commission will, jointly with Member States and the European Environment Agency, identify and map 
Key Pollinator Areas in the EU, which should become the focus of conservation and restoration efforts.  

2024 

2025 

2.1 

2.2 

2.3 

3. PROMOTE CAPACITY BUILDING AND KNOWLEDGE SHARING 

3.1 

3.2 

3.3 

Based on an assessment of gaps, the Commission and Member States should support investment to increase 
the capacity of EU experts in pollinator taxonomy (i.e. the science of naming, describing and classifying 
those  organisms),  to  meet  research  and  monitoring  needs.  Member  States  should  increase  education  efforts 
and create work opportunities in this area. 

Continuous until 
2030 

The  Commission  will  continue  to  develop  a  database  on  pollinator  species  (including  the  description, 
images,  and  distribution  maps  of  each  species)  and  will  support  the  development  of  field  guides  and 
identification keys to facilitate pollinator monitoring. 

2025 

The  Commission  and  Member  States  should  promote  open  access  to  data  and  information  generated  by 
research and monitoring activities, as well as from other relevant data sources such as land-use data under the 
CAP’s Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS).  

Continuous until 
2030 

12 

 
 
 
 
3.4 

3.5 

The  Commission  and  the  European  Environment  Agency  will  continue  to  facilitate  knowledge  sharing 
through  the  EU  Pollinator  Information  Hive38  and  the  Biodiversity  Information  System  for  Europe 
(BISE)39.  

Continuous until 
2030 

The  Commission  and  Member  States  should  support  further  development  of  research  infrastructure 
important for improving the knowledge base on pollinators, including by building on existing initiatives such 
as  the  Distributed  System  of  Scientific  Collections  (DiSSCo)40  and  the  Long-Term  Ecosystem  Research  in 
Europe (eLTER)41. 

2026 

PRIORITY II: Improving pollinator conservation and tackling the causes of their decline 

Objectives to be achieved by 2030 
Appropriate  conservation  and  restoration  measures  have  been  identified  and  implemented  for  pollinators  and  their  habitats.  Pollinator-
relevant  measures  are  fully  integrated  into  the  common  agricultural  policy,  and  Member  States  are  making  full  use  of  the  funding 
opportunities to maintain and restore pollinator habitats in rural and urban areas, including under EU cohesion policy. Pollinator habitats 
are effectively connected in the wider landscape, allowing pollinators to disperse across the territory and respond to adverse climate impacts. 
Pollinators are safeguarded from the impacts of pesticides, other environmental pollutants, and invasive alien species. 

4. IMPROVE CONSERVATION OF POLLINATOR SPECIES AND HABITATS 

4.1 

4.2 

The Commission  will finalise the  development  of conservation plans for threatened pollinator species. Two 
plans  will  cover  agricultural  and  forest  landscapes,  and  the  third  will  cover  the  Canary  Islands.  The 
Commission and Member States should support their implementation.  

2026 

The  Commission  will  identify  pollinators  typical  of  habitats  protected  under  the  Habitats  Directive. 
Member  States  should  ensure  that  the  measures  implemented  for  these  habitats,  in  particular  under  Natura 

Continuous until 
2030 

38 https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/EUPKH/EU+Pollinator+Information+Hive  
39 https://biodiversity.europa.eu  
40 https://www.dissco.eu  
41 https://elter-ri.eu   

13 

 
 
 
                                                           
2000  management  plans,  take  pollinator  conservation  into  account.  Member  States  should  secure  adequate 
funding for those measures. 

4.3 

Member  States  should  address  the  needs  of  threatened  pollinator  species42  in  the  management  of  existing 
protected areas, and in their pledges for new protected areas under the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. 

Continuous until 
2030 

4.4 

The Commission and Member States, with the support of the European Environment Agency, should devise a 
blueprint  for  a  network  of  ecological  corridors  for  pollinators  –  “Buzz  Lines”  –  and  develop  a  plan  of 
measures for implementing it. The plan will build on the mapping of Key Pollinator Areas and the creation of 
new  habitat  areas  through  restoration.  To  support  the  implementation  of  the  Buzz  Lines  network  Member 
States should integrate pollinator conservation into spatial planning policies at national, regional, and local 
levels. 

2027, with 
continuous 
implementation 
until 2030 

4.5 

The Commission and Member States should continue to promote activities for pollinator conservation through 
the LIFE Programme. 

Continuous until 
2030 

5. RESTORE POLLINATOR HABITATS IN AGRICULTURAL LANDSCAPES 

The Commission will continue to work with Member States to increase support for pollinator-friendly farming 
under the common agricultural  policy (CAP). Member States  should develop and implement targeted and 
strategically planned interventions to reverse the decline of pollinators in agricultural landscapes by 2030, as 
part of the CAP and other relevant instruments (e.g. national or regional nature conservation measures). They 
should  also  ensure  consistency  and  synergies  between  these  different  instruments  and  measures.  In  view  of 
this need, the Commission will explore options on how best to address pollinator conservation and restoration 
in the future reform of the CAP. 

Continuous until 
2030 

The  Commission  will  continue  to  encourage  Member  States  and  stakeholders  to  share  best  practice  and 
organise  coordination  activities  under  the  current  CAP  to  facilitate  the  design  and  uptake  of  effective 
instruments  that  benefit  pollinators,  such  as  results-based  payment  schemes  and  collective  measures  by 

5.1 

5.2 

42 According to the European Red List assessments, https://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/conservation/species/redlist.  

2027 

14 

 
 
 
                                                           
farmers, including through the EU CAP Network and other stakeholder platforms. 

Member  States  should  enhance  the  capacity  of  farm  advisory  services  for  pollinator  conservation  and 
restoration. Member States should also implement communication and demonstration activities for pollinator-
friendly schemes. 

Continuous until 
2030 

The Commission will continue the development of a pollinator indicator with a view to integrating it into the 
CAP’s performance monitoring and evaluation framework,  once the EU  pollinator monitoring scheme (EU-
PoMS) is sufficiently implemented.  

6. MITIGATE THE IMPACTS OF PESTICIDE USE ON POLLINATORS 

The Commission will require that all Member States establish systems in line with relevant legal requirements 
to ensure that professional users of plant protection products implement integrated pest management (IPM), 
with a view to minimising the impact of plant protection products on pollinators. 

2026 

2026 

The Commission will assess options for improving the existing  harmonised  risk indicators, or developing 
new ones, to better estimate the trends in the risk and use of plant protection products, including the risks for 
pollinators. 

Continuous until 
2030 

The  Commission  will  continue  to  monitor  emergency  authorisations  for  pesticides  that  are  harmful  to 
pollinators  and,  if  considered  necessary,  ask  EFSA  to  assess  the  justifications  provided  by  Member  States. 
The  Commission  will  mandate  EFSA  to  develop  specific  protocols  to  evaluate  those  justifications.  When 
emergency  authorisations  are  found  to  be  unjustified,  the  Commission  will  continue  to  adopt  decisions  to 
prohibit  them.  The  Commission  will  monitor  the  implementation  of  the  guidance  document  on  emergency 
authorisations,  and,  if  necessary,  will  consider  setting  legally  binding  criteria  under  Regulation  (EC) 
No 1107/2009 on when emergency authorisations can be granted. 

Continuous until 
2030 

5.3 

5.4 

6.1 

6.2 

6.3 

6.4 

Once  it  is  published,  the  Commission  will  work  with  Member  States  towards  full  endorsement  and 

2024 

15 

 
 
 
implementation of the revised European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Bee Guidance Document on the 
assessment of risks to bees from the use of pesticides43. The Commission will ask EFSA for another review 
when new knowledge or modelling tools become available. 

6.5 

6.6 

The  Commission,  together  with  Member  States,  will  set  up  a  work  plan  to  develop,  validate  and  ring-test 
additional test methods for determining the toxicity of pesticides for pollinators, including wild pollinators. 
This  work  plan  will  consider  the  indicator  species  that  need  to  be  tested  and  will  include  sub-lethal  and 
chronic effects of pesticides. It will include support for the international recognition of those methods through 
new Test Guidelines from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). 

The  Commission  will  prepare  an  Implementing  Regulation44  setting  out  a  procedure  and  criteria  for 
identifying  unacceptable  co-formulants  in  plant  protection  products,  which  will  comprise  environmental 
protection criteria that cover pollinators. 

2025 

2024 

7. ENHANCE POLLINATOR HABITATS IN URBAN AREAS 

7.1 

7.2 

The Commission and Member States should encourage cities to implement the guide for pollinator-friendly 
cities45. 

Continuous until 
2030 

When developing Urban Greening Plans46, European cities should take into account pollinator conservation 
requirements. 

Continuous until 
2030 

8. REDUCE THE IMPACTS OF INVASIVE ALIEN SPECIES ON POLLINATORS 

8.1 

The Commission will assess threats to pollinators from invasive alien species not yet included in the list of 

2025 

43 https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/3295  
44 Under Article 27 of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009. 
45 https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/EUPKH/Cities  
46 https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/urban-environment/urban-greening-platform_en  

16 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
invasive alien species of Union concern under Regulation (EU) No 1143/2014 and prepare risk assessments 
for the most problematic ones. 

8.2 

8.3 

The  Commission  will  assess  management  options  for  invasive  alien  plant  species  most  harmful  to  wild 
pollinators, with a view to increasing the availability, uptake, and effectiveness of non-chemical management 
options. 

The Commission will develop guidelines to promote the use of  pollinator-friendly native plants and seed 
mixes in areas including private gardens, public areas, farmland, and forests.  

2028 

2027 

9. TACKLE CLIMATE CHANGE AND OTHER CAUSES OF POLLINATOR DECLINE 

9.1 

9.2 

The  Commission  will,  with  the  support  of  the  European  Environment  Agency,  identify  most  vulnerable 
zones  for  pollinators  in  the  context  of  climate  change,  and  devise  and  implement  targeted  mitigation 
measures. Member States should consider the impact of climate change on pollinators and on their habitats in 
their national climate adaptation strategies. 

Continuous until 
2030 

Member  States  should  mitigate  the  impact  of  light  pollution  on  pollinators  through  national,  regional  and 
local policies. The Commission will promote the uptake of guidance for the public47 and cities48 in this regard.  

Continuous until 
2030 

9.3 

The European Chemicals Agency will develop guidelines for assessing the risks of biocides on pollinators.  

2024 

PRIORITY III: Mobilising society and promoting strategic planning and cooperation at all levels  

Objectives to be achieved by 2030 
Action plans for reversing the decline of pollinators have been developed and implemented at national, regional and local level. The impact of 
public policies has been scaled up by effectively mobilising the general public  and businesses. The impact of individual measures has been 
increased through better collaboration and coordination of relevant actors at all levels. The EU is taking the lead at global level to support 

47 https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/EUPKH/Citizens  
48 https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/EUPKH/Cities  

17 

 
 
 
                                                           
and facilitate international action on pollinators.     

10. HELP CITIZENS AND BUSINESSES TO ACT 

10.1 

The Commission and Member States should continue raising public awareness about pollinator decline and 
engaging the public in action to tackle it, by supporting communication and networking activities. 

Continuous until 
2030 

10.2 

The Commission and Member States should promote citizen science and facilitate public participation in the 
monitoring  and  conservation  of  pollinators,  and  in  particular  should  support  youth  engagement  and 
participatory governance. 

Continuous until 
2030 

10.3 

The  Commission  and  Member  States  should  promote  the  uptake  of  the  guides  on  action  by  key  business 
sectors to protect pollinators49, including through the EU Business @ Biodiversity Platform. 

Continuous until 
2030 

11. PROMOTE STRATEGIC PLANNING AND COOPERATION AT ALL LEVELS 

11.1 

11.2 

Member  States  should  develop,  in  close  collaboration  with  stakeholders  and  citizens,  national  pollinator 
strategies  that  will  coordinate  and  stimulate  efforts  across  all  relevant  sectors  and  policies  to  reverse  the 
decline of pollinators by 2030. The Commission will support Member States in this regard, including through 
the EU Biodiversity Platform’s working group on pollinators. 

2025 

The  Commission  and  Member  States  should  support  and  encourage  action  for  pollinator  conservation  at 
regional  and  local  levels,  including  through  the  EU  cohesion  policy  funds.  Regional  and  local  authorities 
should develop, in close collaboration with stakeholders and local communities, action plans that contribute 
to EU and national efforts for reversing the decline of pollinators by 2030. 

Continuous until 
2030 

11.3 

The  European  Committee  of  the  Regions  should  support  the  implementation  of  the  Pollinators  Initiative 
among local and regional authorities, promoting the sharing of knowledge and best practice on how to protect 

Continuous until 
2030 

49 Guides on action to protect pollinators by the agri-food and beverage; retail; forestry; horticulture; building; landscape architecture; tourism, energy; 
apiculture; and extractives sectors; see https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/EUPKH/Businesses  

18 

 
 
 
 
                                                           
pollinators.  The  Commission  and  the  European  Committee  of  the  Regions  should  cooperate  to  promote 
involvement  of  all  levels  of  government,  ensuring  adequate  support,  encouragement  and  coordination  for 
actions implemented at local and regional level. 

11.4 

11.5 

The Commission will continue to facilitate multi-actor collaboration through existing platforms such as the 
EU Biodiversity Platform’s Working Group on Pollinators, the Interreg policy platform, the TAIEX-EIR Peer 
2  Peer  programme,  the  EU  CAP  Network  and  the  EU  Urban  Greening  Platform.  The  Commission  will 
investigate additional needs for increasing the collaboration capacity between multiple actors at EU level. 

Continuous until 
2030 

The  Commission  and  Member  States  should  continue  to  promote  effective  international  action  on 
pollinators, including in the framework of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the Convention 
on Biological Diversity and the OECD. 

Continuous until 
2030 

19