EU reconsiders protecting wolves

Supporters of wolf shooting received unexpectedly positive signals from the highest authority in Brussels on Monday. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen spoke personally in a broadcast: “The concentration of wolf packs in some European regions has become a real threat to livestock and potentially to humans as well. I urge local and national authorities to do so to take action wherever necessary. The EU rules in force today expressly provide for such powers.”

As in Austria, state politicians in Germany are in favor of relaxing the protection status of predators. In the European Parliament, the Conservatives are leading an alliance to change the Habitats Directive – a majority of MPs voted in favor of this at the end of November. Specifically, Parliament called on the Commission to regularly review populations of protected species such as wolves and bears, so that their conservation status could be changed in certain regions once the desired conservation status has been reached.

And this demand could soon be taken into account. The Commission is “heralding today a new phase in dealing with the challenges associated with the return of wolves,” it said on Monday. The authority wants to collect data on growing wolf populations and their consequences by September 22nd. On this basis, the Commission will then decide on a proposal “if necessary to change the status of wolf protection in the EU and to update the legal framework”. This could lead to “further flexibility” in dealing with the wolf, i.e. to more kills.