Wolf Protection: Lawsuit Filed at the ECJ Against Downlisting
At the beginning of December, the protection status of the wolf was downgraded. Five environmental and animal protection organisations from various European countries have now filed a complaint with the Court of Justice of the European Union (ECJ) against the signatory states of the Berne Convention.
In order to restrict the protection of the wolf, the European Commission approached the Berne Convention directly to secure the adoption of the EU's downlisting, bypassing the usual 60-day deadline.
This haste prevented any annulment actions from being brought against this decision.
Science Against Political Pressure
However, more than 700 scientists and a group of IUCN specialists recommended that the Berne Convention either not permit this vote on the European Union's wolf proposal or vote against it, as the proposal is insufficiently supported by scientific evidence.
The EU's demand was based on a single report without proofreading or scientific validation, which facilitated the political implementation of the demands of the hunting lobby.
The European Commission's proposal to weaken legal protections for wolves was driven primarily by Ursula von der Leyen and the European People's Party (EPP), and was supported by right-wing and far-right groups in the previously elected European Parliament.
During the negotiation of the Commission's proposal to downgrade wolf protection in the EU Council, Spain and Ireland voted against it, while Belgium, Slovenia, Malta and Cyprus abstained.
Other EU countries such as Germany and Poland hesitated until the day before the vote. The Belgian EU Council Presidency postponed the vote twice, expressing doubts about the lack of scientific basis for the Commission's proposal.
Organisations File Complaint with the ECJ
«The EU proposal to reduce the protection of the European wolf is not scientifically sound and sets a dangerous precedent, which is why we have filed an objection», emphasized Gaia Angelini, President of Green Impact. The proposal «is based on a report commissioned and funded by the European Commission, prepared by a consultancy firm and not reviewed by experts», Angelini criticized in a press release.
The complaint was filed after procedural errors in the EU and the Bern Convention relating to wolf protection were uncovered. These included a lack of scientific support, no scientific review process, and missing democratic processes that barely take into account the demands of NGOs and citizens, the animal welfare advocates stressed.
Should the complaint of the five organizations be upheld, this could lead to the annulment of the legal acts based on Decision 2024/2669/EU (downgrading of wolf protection), including the proposal submitted by the EU at the meeting of the Standing Committee of the Bern Convention.
Participate: Due to the catastrophic policies of Federal Councillor Albert Rösti (SVP), demand a tax remission request from your municipality for federal and cantonal taxes in light of the recently approved shooting of wolves in Switzerland. You can download the template letter here: https://wildbeimwild.com/ein-appell-fuer-eine-veraenderung-in-der-schweiz/
