The European Commission confirmed, that thanks to the most successful campaign ever, the nature conservation directives of the European Union stay unchanged. The civil society urges the implementation of the directives.

07.12.2016 The European Commission and its President, Jean-Claude Juncker confirmed today, that the two fundamental pillar of the European Union's nature conservation - Birds's and Habitat Directive - stay unchanged despite the strong request from the industrial lobby. The speculations in the last two years about the future of the directives vanished. The Commission is going to elaborate an action plan in order to ensure the more effective compliance of the directives.

This success is the merit of more than 500,000 citizens, who participated in the campaign of European NGO in spring 2015. The campaign was supported in Hungary by the three largest NGOs: National Society of Conservationists – Friends of the Earth Hungary, BirdLife Hungary and coordinated by WWF Hungary backed by 9000 signatures the success of the international initiative.

^{The Bird's Directive and the Habitat Directive are the core pillars of the Union's nature conservation. These directives ensure the protection of over 1400 endangered species and the protection of one million squarekilometers of Natura 2000 areas. Unprecedented alliance of citizens, scientists, researchers, companies, national government and the European Parliament in order to protect the professionally recognized directives}.

The nature conservation organisations welcome the news, however they call the attention, that the vast majoriy of the work is to be done, as determined steps need to be taken in order to proper implementation of the directives. That is the only way to take on the fight against the destruction of nature, such as against industrialized large-scale agricultural, unsustainable forestry and water management practices or against nature harming investments on protected Natura 2000 areas.

Budapest, 7th December 2016

More information at

Attila Králl, BirdLife Hungary

+36-20-460-5231, krall.attila@mme.hu

Ildikó Ladányi-Benedikt, National Society of Conservationists – Friends of the Earth Hungary

+36-70-391-4764, ladanyi.ildiko@mtvsz.hu

Éva Zanin , WWF Hungary

+36-30-655-2407, eva.zanin@wwf.hu