Council Decision (EU) 2025/2336 of 7 November 2025 on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union at the ninth session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds, as regards an amendment to Table 1 of Annex 3 to the Agreement
Date: 2025-11-07
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: United Kingdom, bird, environmental cooperation, multilateral agreement, protection of animal life, revision of an agreement








L_202502336EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
L series













2025/2336


18.11.2025







            COUNCIL DECISION (EU) 2025/2336
         
of 7 November 2025
         
on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union at the ninth session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds, as regards an amendment to Table 1 of Annex 3 to the Agreement


THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 192(1), in conjunction with Article 218(9) thereof,


Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

Whereas:







(1)


The Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (1) (the ‘Agreement’) was approved on behalf of the European Union by Council Decision 2006/871/EC (2), and entered into force on 1 November 1999.












(2)


Pursuant to Article X, paragraph 5 of the Agreement, the Meeting of the Parties may adopt amendments to Annexes to the Agreement.












(3)


During its ninth session, which is to take place from 11 to 14 November 2025, the Meeting of Parties to the Agreement (the ‘MOP’) is expected to adopt a resolution on the adoption of amendments to the Annexes to the Agreement. The proposed amendment to Table 1 of Annex 3 to the Agreement concerning the species Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola squatarola) would, if adopted, require amendment of Directive 2009/147/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (3). Therefore, the proposed amendment falls outside the scope of the amendments that can be approved by the Commission pursuant to Article 3(1) of Decision 2006/871/EC in conjunction with Article 3(3) thereof.












(4)


It is appropriate to establish the position to be taken on the Union’s behalf at the MOP as regards the proposed amendment to Table 1 of Annex 3 to the Agreement concerning the Grey Plover, as that amendment will be binding on the Union and capable of decisively influencing the content of Union law, namely Directive 2009/147/EC.












(5)


The proposed amendment to Table 1 of Annex 3 to the Agreement, submitted by the United Kingdom and set out in draft Resolution 9.1 of the MOP concerning the Grey Plover, should be approved on behalf of the Union, as it will help achieve a higher degree of protection of that species’ populations, which are in decline. However, in accordance with Article 3(4) of Decision 2006/871/EC, the Commission should enter a reservation with regard to the proposed amendment, since it would require an amendment to Directive 2009/147/EC, which would not be feasible within 90 days of the date of adoption of Resolution 9.1 by the MOP,





HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:



Article 1
The position to be taken on behalf of the European Union at the ninth session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (the ‘Agreement’) shall be to approve the amendment to Table 1 of Annex 3 to the Agreement, submitted by the United Kingdom and set out in draft Resolution 9.1 of the ninth session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Agreement, concerning the Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola squatarola).


Article 2
This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.




Done at Brussels, 7 November 2025.


For the Council


The President

M. BJERRE
            





(1)  
            OJ L 345, 8.12.2006, p. 26, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_internation/2006/871/oj.

(2)  Council Decision 2006/871/EC of 18 July 2005 on the conclusion on behalf of the European Community of the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (OJ L 345, 8.12.2006, p. 24, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2006/871/oj).

(3)  Directive 2009/147/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009 on the conservation of wild birds (OJ L 20, 26.1.2010, p. 7, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2009/147/oj).


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2025/2336/oj
ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)