The Habitats Directive (more formally known as Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the Conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora)[1] is a directive adopted by the European Community in 1992 as a response to the Berne Convention. The European Community was reformed as the European Union the following year, but the directive is still recognised.
The Habitats Directive required national governments to specify areas that are expected to be ensuring the conservation of flora and fauna species. This led to the setting up of a network of protected areas across the EU, along with 'Special Areas of Conservation', which together with the existing Special Protection Areas, became the so-called Natura 2000 network established to protect species and habitats.[2]
This directive is one of the main pillars of the European Union's system of wildlife and nature conservation, another being the Birds Directive.[3] [4] The Habitats Directive, together with the Birds Directive, are also called the "nature directives".[5]
The Habitats Directive consists of 24 articles of legislation to which all member states must comply. Article 17 of the directive sets the terms and standards for reporting on both the habitats and species listed in the annexes by the individual EU member countries. It stipulates a report from each member country on the state of nature every six years.[6] The first preliminary reports were due in 2001 (but only published in 2004),[6] the first actual assessments were due in 2007 (published 2009),[6] [7] the second in 2013 (published 2015), and the third set of assessment reports were due in 2019 (published 2020).[6] The assessments of conservation status differ markedly from those of the IUCN Red List. The aim in the case of the EU conservation status is to assess the distance from a defined favourable situation, as opposed to the distance from extinction. There are three classes of conservation status: favourable (FV), unfavourable-inadequate (U1) and unfavourable-bad (U2).[8]
The annexes of the directive outline the protected habitats and species:
From 1988 to 1992, the policy was given importance at the national level by policy experts, scientists and ecologists; later on in the 1990s this spawned further political, social and administrative discussions among the relevant countries.
Due to differences in nature conservation traditions, national problems have arisen in the implementation of the directive. Since member states in the south and east of Europe participated less in nature policies, these states experienced problems with the EU provisions. In Germany, Austria, Italy and Belgium, the observation of conflicts between various government layers have caused prolonged delays in the management of nature policies. On the other hand, in member states such as the United Kingdom and Sweden, positive outcomes have developed due to stakeholder involvement, pro-active authorities, agencies responsible for implementation and public participation.
According to one 2014 report there are increasing incompatibilities with the Natura 2000 policy on economic development.[9]
Annex I lists the specific habitats which have been designated as the a Special Area of Conservation, to which a common EU-wide legislation applies. Certain habitats among those are furthermore designated as "priority habitat types". Habitats in the EU are given codes. An area or habitat can combine two habitats, and be designated as for example code 35.2 × 64.1 - Open grassland with Corynephorus and Agrostis (35.2), in combination with continental dunes (64.1). Example Annex I habitats are:
Open sea and tidal areas
Dunes
Standing and running freshwater
Matorral
Grasslands
Bogs, mires and fens
Rocky areas and caves
Forests - Only (sub-)natural
The full list of habitats is distributed over 9 main categories.[10]
Annex II lists species which determine if an area is a Special Area of Conservation. These include:
Pomatoschistus canestrini, Padogobius panizzai, P. nigricans
Mosses and liverworts: Bruchia vogesiaca, Buxbaumia viridis, Dichelyma capillaceum, Dicranum viride, Distichophyllum carinatum, Drepanocladus vernicosus, Jungermannia handelii, Mannia triandra, Meesia longiseta, Nothothylas orbicularis, Orthotrichum rogeri, Petalophyllum ralfsii, Riccia breidleri, Riella helicophylla, Scapania massolongi, Sphagnum pylaisii, Tayloria rudolphiana
Ferns and allies
Monocots
Caldesia parnassifolia and Luronium natans
Dicots
Angelica palustris, Apium repens, Athamanta cortiana, Eryngium alpinum, Petagnia saniculifolia, Rouya polygama and Thorella verticillatinundata
Centaurea corymbosa, C. gadorensis, C. kartschiana, Centaurea micrantha subsp. herminii, C. pulvinata, C. rothmalerana, C. vicentina, Crepis granatensis, Erigeron frigidus, Hymenostemma pseudanthemis, Leontodon microcephalus, L. boryi, Leuzea longifolia, Ligularia sibirica, Santolina impressa, S. semidentata and Senecio nevadensis
Myosotis lusitanica, M. rehsteineri, M. retusifolia, Omphalodes kuzinskyana and Solenanthus albanicus
Alyssum pyrenaicum, Arabis sadina, Biscutella vincentina, Boleum asperum, Brassica glabrescens, B. insularis, Coincya cintrana, Diplotaxis ibicensis, D. vicentina, Erucastrum palustre, Iberis procumbens subsp. microcarpa, Ionopsidium savianum, Sisymbrium cavanillesianum and S. supinum
Asyneuma giganteum, Jasione crispa subsp. serpentinica and J. lusitanica
Arenaria provincialis, Dianthus cintranus subsp. cintranus, D. marizii, D. rupicola, Herniaria algarvica, H. berlengiana, H. maritima, Moehringia tommasinii, Petrocoptis grandiflora, P. montsicciana, P. pseudoviscosa, Silene cintrana, S. hifacensis, S. longicilia and S. mariana
Cistus palhinhae, Halimium verticillatum, Helianthemum alypoides and H. caput-felis
Anthyllis hystrix, Astragalus alopecurus (as Astragalus centralpinus), A. tremolsianus, Genista dorycnifolia, G. holopetala, Melilotus segetalis subsp. fallax and Trifolium saxatile
Gentiana ligustica and Gentianella angelica
Dracocephalum austriacum, Nepeta dirphya, Origanum dictamnus, Sideritis incana subsp. glauca, S. javalambrensis, S. serrata, Teucrium lepicephalum, T. turredanum and Thymus carnosus
Paeonia cambessedesii, P. parnassica and P. clusii subsp. rhodia
Armeria berlengensis, A. negleta, A. pseudarmeria, A. soleirolii, A. velutina, Limonium dodartii subsp. lusitanicum, L. lanceolatum and L. multiflorum
Polygonum praelongum and Rumex rupestris
Androsace mathildae, A. pyrenaica, Primula palinuri and Soldanella villosa
Adonis distorta, Aquilegia bertolonii, A. kitaibelii and Pulsatilla patens
Saxifraga berica, S. florulenta, S. hirculus and S. tombeanensis
Antirrhinum charidemi, Chaenorrhinum serpyllifolium subsp. lusitanicum, Euphrasia marchesettii, Linaria algarviana, L. coutinhoi, L. flava, L. tonzigii, Odontites granatensis, Verbascum litigiosum and Veronica micrantha
There are also a number of priority species:
Angelica heterocarpa, Apium bermejoi, Bupleurum capillare, B. kakiskalae, Eryngium viviparum, Laserpitium longiradium, Naufraga balearica, Oenanthe conioides and Seseli intricatum
Anthemis glaberrima, Artemisia granatensis, Aster pyrenaeus, A. sorrentinii, Carduus myriacanthus, Centaurea alba subsp. heldreichii and subsp. princeps, C. attica subsp. megarensis, C. balearica, C. borjae, C. citricolor, C. horrida, C. kalambakensis, C. lactiflora, C. niederi, C. peucedanifolia, C. pinnata, Crepis crocifolia, Jurinea cyanoides, J. fontqueri, Lamyropsis microcephala, Leontodon siculus and Senecio elodes
Anchusa crispa, Lithodora nitida, Omphalodes littoralis and Symphytum cycladense
Biscutella neustriaca, Brassica macrocarpa, Coincya rupestris, Coronopus navasii, Diplotaxis siettiana, Iberis arbuscula and Ionopsidium acaule
Arenaria nevadensis, Gypsophila papillosa, Herniaria latifolia subsp. litardierei, Silene hicesiae, S. holzmanii, S. orphanidis, S. rothmaleri and S. velutina
Convolvulus argyrothamnus and C. fernandesii
Tuberaria major
Astragalus algarbiensis, A. aquilanus, A. maritimus, A. verrucosus, Cytisus aeolicus, Ononis hackelii and Vicia bifoliolata
Centaurium rigualii and C. somedanum
Erodium astragaloides and E. rupicola
Micromeria taygetea, Nepeta sphaciotica, Thymus camphoratus and T. cephalotos
Armeria helodes, A. rouyana, Limonium insulare, L. pseudolaetum and L. strictissimum
Primula apennina
Aconitum corsicum, Aquilegia pyrenaica subsp. cazorlensis, Consolida samia and Ranunculus weyleri
Galium litorale and G. viridiflorum
Euphrasia genargentea, Globularia stygia, Linaria ficalhoana, L. hellenica, L. ricardoi, L. tursica and Veronica oetaea
There is a separate list for plants from Macaronesia.
Ammi trifoliatum, Bupleurum handiense, Chaerophyllum azoricum, Ferula latipinna, Melanoselinum decipiens, Monizia edulis, Oenanthe divaricata and Sanicula azorica
Andryala crithmifolia, Argyranthemum thalassophylum. A. winterii, Atractylis preauxiana, Calendula maderensis, Cheirolophus duranii, Ch. ghomerytus, Ch. junonianus, Ch. massonianus, Cirsium latifolium, Helichrysum gossypinum, H. oligocephala, Phagnalon benettii, Stemmacantha cynaroides and Sventenia bupleuroides
Echium candicans, Myosotis azorica and M. maritima
Crambe laevigata and Sinapidendron rupestre
Aeonium gomeraense, A. saundersii, Aichryson dumosum, Monanthes wildpretii and Sedum brissemoretii
Spergularia azorica
Anthyllis lemanniana, Lotus callis-viridis and Vicia dennesiana
Sideritis infernalis, S. marmorea, Teucrium abutiloides and T. betonicum
Jasminum azoricum and Picconia azorica
Bencomia sphaerocarpa, Dendriopterium pulidoi, Marcetella maderensis, Prunus lusitanica subsp. azorica and Sorbus maderensis
Euphrasia grandiflora, Isoplexis isabelliana, Odontites holliana and Sibthorpia peregrina
Androcymbium psammophilum
Argyranthemum lidii, Atractylis arbuscula, Lactuca watsoniana, Onopordum nogalesii, O. carduelinum, Pericallis hadrosoma and Tanacetum ptarmiciflorum
Crambe arborea, C. sventenii and Parolinia schizogynoides
Azorina vidalii and Musschia wollastonii
Helianthemum bystropogophyllum
Convolvulus caput-medusae, C. lopez-socasii and C. massonii
Anagyris latifolia, Dorycnium spectabile, Lotus azoricus, Lotus kunkelii, Teline rosmarinifolia and T. salsoloides
Sideritis cystosiphon and S. discolor
Limonium arborescens, L. spectabile and L. sventenii
Bencomia brachystachya and Chamaemeles coriacea
Euphrasia azorica, Globularia ascanii, G. sarcophylla and Isoplexis chalcantha
This annex explains the criteria which are used to select sites which are eligible to be recognised as important for Europe, or as Special Areas of Conservation. The process consists of two stages. The first stage is to assess the importance at a national level, based on the habitats and species listed in Annex I and II. The second stage is to assess the importance for Europe as a whole, again based on the two earlier annexes.
Annex IV lists species of interest to Europe which are in need of strict protection.
Turtles
Lizards
Snakes
Salamanders:
Toads and frogs:
Annex IV contains all the plant species listed in Annex II (except the mosses and lichens), plus the plant taxa listed below:
Crocus etruscus, Iris boissieri and I. marisca
Androcymbium europeum, Bellevalia hackelli, Colchicum corsicum, C. cousturieri, Fritillaria conica, F. drenovskii, F. gussichiae, F. obliqua, F. rhodocanakis, Ornithogalum reverchonii, Scilla beirana and S. odorata
Bunium brevifolium
Argyranthemum pinnatifidum subsp. succulentum, Helichrysum sibthorpii, Picris willkommii, Santolina elegans, Senecio caespitosus, S. lagascanus subsp. lusitanicus and Wagenitzia lancifolia
Rosmarinus tomentosus, Teucrium charidemi, Thymus capitellatus and T. villosus subsp. villosus
Androsace cylindrica, Primula glaucescens and P. spectabilis
Antirrhinum lopesianum and Lindernia procumbens
Annex V details the species which are of 'interest' to the European Union, of which the taking or exploitation of wild may be subject to the management decisions of the individual countries concerned. This largely concerns plants or animals in which the hunting or gathering was/is an economic activity.Mammals
Amphibians
Fish
Thymallus thymallus, Hucho hucho, Salmo salar (only when in fresh water) and all Coregonus spp. (except Coregonus oxyrhynchus - anadromous populations in certain sectors of the North Sea)
Gymnocephalus schraetzer and Zingel zingel
Other
Plants
Clubmosses: all Lycopodium spp. (see lycopodium powder)
Arnica montana, Artemisia eriantha, A. genipi, Doronicum plantagineum subsp. tournefortii and Leuzea rhaponticoides
Alyssum pintadasilvae, Malcolmia lacera subsp. graccilima and Murbeckiella pinnatifida subsp. herminii
Teucrium salviastrum subsp. salviastrum
Anthyllis lusitanica, Dorycnium pentaphyllum subsp. transmontana and Ulex densus
Armeria sampaio
Rubus genevieri subsp. herminii
Anarrhinum longipedicelatum, Euphrasia mendonçae, Scrophularia grandiflora subsp. grandiflora, S. berminii and S. sublyrata
This annex compiles the types of capture and killing (i.e. hunting) which are prohibited in the European Community (and now the European Union), as well as prohibited modes of transport (while hunting). These can vary according to form of life. Birds are covered by the older Birds Directive.
It is furthermore illegal to hunt wildlife in the European Union from an aircraft or moving motor vehicle.