With 371 votes for, 162 against and 37 abstentions, Parliament supported the Commission’s proposal for a targeted change of the Habitats Directive to align the EU wolf protection status with the Bern Convention, lowering it from ‘strictly protected’ to ‘protected. The Commission’s proposal to alter the protection status of wolves in the EU came following a push from Parliament for it.
Member states will now have greater flexibility in managing their wolf populations to improve coexistence with humans and to minimise the impact of a growing wolf population in the EU. They will also be better able to take measures that are adapted to particular regional circumstances.
Member states must continue to ensure the wolf’s favourable conservation status and may continue to list the wolf as a strictly protected species in national legislation, and to have stricter measures in place for its protection.
Next steps
Parliament agreed on Tuesday to deal with the file under its urgent procedure. To enter into force, the draft law now requires formal approval by the Council, which endorsed the same text on 16 April 2025. The directive will enter into force 20 days after it has been published in the EU Official Journal. Member states will then have 18 months to comply.
Background
According to the Commission, there are over 20,000 wolves in Europe, and their populations and ranges are growing. This conservation success story has however led to increasing conflicts with human activities in some regions, in particular concerning livestock.
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