Posted on March, 05 1999

WWF warned that while the Habitats Directive remained unimplemented areas of outstanding importance for nature conservation were under increasing threat across Europe.

Tony Long, WWF European Policy Officer, said "The Habitats Directive is potentially the most significant initiative for nature conservation in Europe in the last fifty years. It is a scandal that it is not being implemented. Every single deadline has been missed since the Directive was agreed in 1992. In the meantime areas which should be conserved are being threatened by road and dam building, over-grazing, drainage and other perils. In some cases the threats are coming from EU funded activities. One victim of member states lack of action could be the Iberian lynx. Time is running out for this very endangered cat."

Deadlines contained in the Directive which have been missed so far include: t Thirteen member states are now four years late in proposing all their Special Areas of Conservation (only Denmark and Greece have submitted a complete list); t The Commission and member states have not agreed a final list of sites for protection which they were supposed to do by June 1998, so these sites remain unprotected; t Transposition of the Directive into member state law has just finished - five years late. Austria, Belgium, Ireland, Spain and UK may have transposed it incorrectly.

In a report published today, WWF identifies sites in Austria, France, Greece, Spain and the UK which should be protected under the Habitats Directive but are instead under threat.

Marta Ballesteros, WWF Ecological networks Co-ordinator, said "EU countries are dragging their feet and undermining EU law. One alleged difficulty is money but WWF has identified several EU funds which could be used to support the Habitats Directive."

WWF's new report reveals there are at least 7 Structural Fund regulations and 6 CAP regulations which could be used to support the management, conservation and sustainable development of the Special Areas of Conservation.

WWF's Marta Ballesteros added "The Special Areas of Conservation must be set up and protected urgently."

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