“The concentration of wolf packs in some European regions has become a real danger especially for livestock,” von der Leyen said in a statement on Friday.
“To manage critical wolf concentrations more actively, local authorities have long been asking for more flexibility,” she said, adding today’s proposal “will help [them] find more targeted solutions to protect both, biodiversity and our rural livelihoods.”
With this proposal von der Leyen also fulfils one of the campaign promises made during the EU elections last year by her political family — the center-right European People’s Party, which proclaims itself the “farmer’s party.”
The draft legislation will now be discussed by the European Parliament and the Council of the EU, representing the 27 national governments, before it officially becomes law.
The Commission added that EU countries will still have the possibility to maintain a higher level of wolf’s protection, if they consider it necessary under their national law.
Yet, some governments, notably Austria, Finland, Sweden, Slovakia and Romania, as well as few conservative MEPs have suggested downgrading other protected species such as bears, lynxes, seals and cormorants.
