The legislative process in the EU institutions to adopt a Commission proposal to downgrade the protection status of the endangered wolf in Europe continues in full speed and leaves not much time for animal welfare activists to change its course.
As previously reported, representatives of the EU Member States approved recently a Council’s mandate on changing the protection status of the wolf from ‘strictly protected' to ‘protected' following a previous vote last December in the Standing Committee of the Bern Convention. The change entered into force on 7 March 2025 but needs also to be adopted by the European Parliament and the Council.
The Parliament is expected to vote on the Commission’s ‘targeted amendment” on 8th May. If its position will be identical to the Council mandate, the Council will then formally adopt the amendment to the EU Habitats Directive.
Eurogroup for Animals organized on Thursday a protest action outside the European Parliament in Brussels against the proposal, listing several reasons: It is not backed by science as the vast majority of wolf populations do not have a favourable conservation status. Wolves do not pose a threat to humans and effective methods exist to prevent or reduce attacks on farmed animals.
At the protest action, a trailer (with English subtitles) from “Living with wolves”, a French documentary showcasing farmers successfully coexisting with wolves, was shown.
“What is happening to the wolf is a reflection of other discussions on environmental policy,” commented Léa Badoz, Wild Animals Programme Officer at Eurogroup for Animals. “EU nature legislation is now under threat as we see attacks on the very foundation of the protection of biodiversity: ensuring that species management is supported by science. “
“Wolf populations remain fragile and the science is clear: prevention of attacks is the solution! We must foster coexistence with wolves and other large carnivores and wild animals while phasing out harmful culling. This is why we call on MEPs to reject this proposal and safeguard wild animal protection in the EU.”
While the Commission says that it hopes for a swift adoption of its proposal, it is still undecided on how to deal with the on-going infringement case against Sweden on the annual culling of its wolf population. The case was opened in 2011 in response to a complaint by Swedish environmental organizations.
It resulted in two reasoned opinions but was neither referred to the European Court of Justice, not has it been closed. In an op-ed in The Brussels Times, the Swedish organisations reminded the Commission about the case and the need to finally refer it to the Court irrespective of the outcome of the vote in the Parliament.
A Commission spokesperson confirmed that the lowering of the protection of wolves will not release the Member States from their obligation to preserve and protect the Favourable Conservation Status (FCS) of wolves in the EU.
The absence of Commission legal action made it possible for Sweden to establish a systemic hunting practice of its wolves, which ruined the chances for the population to ever reach Favourable Conservation Status. The op-ed is supported by the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation, the largest environmental organisation in Sweden with over 200,000 members.
M. Apelblat
The Brussels Times
