On 5 June, the EU Council approved the European Commission’s proposal for a targeted amendment to the Habitats Directive, aimed at downgrading the protection status of the wolf. This decision follows the similarly favourable vote in the European Parliament on 8 May. Euromontana welcomes this final decision but emphasises that this measure alone is not sufficient to safeguard pastoralism.

From strictly protected to protected species

The recent votes in the European Parliament and the EU Council conclude the process launched in December 2023 to revise the protection status of the wolf in the European Union. They formalise the reclassification of Canis lupus from annex IV to annex V of the Habitats Directive, thus moving the species from the category of “strictly protected” to that of “protected.”

Under this new classification, Member States remain responsible for keeping the species out of danger and for ensuring its favourable conservation status. However, the reclassification will allow for greater flexibility, including for culling and shooting.

The amendment will enter into force 20 days after its publication in the EU Official Journal. Member States will then have 18 months to comply. During this period, they may notify the European Commission if they choose to maintain a stricter protection status at the national level, as allowed by EU treaties. For instance, Portugal, Belgium, Poland, and the Czech Republic have already announced their intention to maintain the wolf’s strict protection status.

An insufficient change to protect pastoralism

As a strong advocate of pastoralism and extensive livestock farming in mountain areas, Euromontana welcomes the targeted revision of the Habitats Directive. Nevertheless, this change alone cannot resolve all the challenges facing the sector. Greater political and financial support is urgently needed for the long term.

While debates on the future Common Agriculture Policy and the next Multiannual Financial Framework are raging, the difficult negotiations suggest a reduction in the budget and pose a risk to the financial CAP resources allocated to aid against predation. Euromontana therefore reiterates its call for an ambitious CAP post-2027 budget and suggests once again to explore the contribution of other funds, such as LIFE, to these investments.

In addition, urgent measures are needed to promote livestock-related professions, improve working conditions for farmers and shepherds, ensure fair incomes, and support the sector’s adaptation to climate change. These are crucial enabling factors for generational renewal and for making the profession more attractive in mountain areas. It is therefore essential that current and upcoming initiatives, including those related to the CAP, generational renewal, and the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists, provide concrete responses to these challenges.

For more information, see our position paper on cohabitation with large carnivores and our policy brief on the wolf downgrading process.