“The change in EU policy shows that the management-based hunting of large carnivores is important for maintaining large carnivore populations in a socially and economically sustainable manner, while ensuring the protection of large carnivores. The Finnish Hunters' Association and the European Federation for Hunting and Conservation (FACE) have long called for a change to the protection status of the wolf. The Commission has finally gotten the message after years of work,” says Tuomas Hallenberg, Chairman of the Finnish Hunters' Association.
Finland must define a favourable conservation status for wolves at national level so that hunting of wolves can be ensured under the current and potentially changing protection classification conditions.
“The Commission's proposal to the Bern Convention’s Standing Committee and the subsequent amendment to the EU Habitats Directive will take at least two years. The next meeting of the Bern Convention's Standing Committee will only be held a year from December 2024 and only then will be it be able to discuss the downward adjustment in the protection status of wolves. After this, an annex must still be added to the Habitats Directive. The fastest action the Commission could now take would be to amend the Habitats Directive's application guideline in line with today's statement,” states Hallenberg.
National action needed
The Finnish Hunters' Association notes that the Commission's policy change only concerns wolves. No change has been proposed to the protection status of the bear and lynx.
“The Finnish Hunters' Association’s view is that Finland should amend legislation on large carnivores and administration should be developed so that local social and economic perspectives are taken into account in issuing of hunting permits for large carnivores and in legal proceedings. The President of the Supreme Administrative Court, Kuusiniemi, also spoke about taking locality into account earlier in December.
Today's press release from the Commission on the wolf reminded us that Member States should make use of the derogations in the Habitats Directive. The proposal to change the protection status of wolves is an important change in EU policy and its significance is underlined by the fact that President of the European Commission von der Leyen, Environment Commissioner Sinkevičiusja and Agriculture Commissioner Wojciechowski all signed the press release.
