The Royal Spanish Hunting Federation (RFEC) has requested, in a letter addressed to the Minister of Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge (MITERD), Teresa Ribera, that “rreconsider the negative position regarding the European Commission’s proposal to relax the protection status of the Iberian wolf and to raise the possibility of supporting the measure.
The vote on this issue, which will probably take place next week in the Council of the European Union, will examine whether member states They will be able to manage the wolf with greater flexibilityadapting conservation measures to the specific needs of their territories, without compromising the protection of the species.
The Spanish opposition
In this sense, if the Commission’s proposal is successful, Spain will maintain its sovereignty decide how to manage the species, while ensuring its conservation at a general level.
“Spain’s opposition to the European Commission’s proposals, expressed by its ministry, raises concerns about the possibility of blocking them. countries facing increasing conflicts with the species and they want to manage it more efficiently,” the federation explained to the minister.
Qualified majority
For the European Commission’s proposal to classify the Iberian wolf as a “protected” species to succeed, an agreement must be reached qualified majority in the Council of the European Unionwhich implies the support of 65% of the EU population and at least 15 Member States.
The RFEC recalls that it has already been informed in previous meetings with representatives of MITERD that Spain’s current position is one of rejection of the Commission’s proposal.
Wolf Conflict
In the letter sent to Minister Teresa Ribera, the RFEC states that, given the growing conflict in some areas due to the expansion of wolf populations, it would be beneficial for coexistence between canids and livestock that Spain considers a more flexible position, which will guarantee the balance of populations and a favourable conservation status.
Furthermore, the federation understands that Spain’s opposition to the European Commission’s proposals, expressed by its ministry, raises concerns about the possibility of blocking countries facing increasing conflicts with the species and I want to manage it more efficiently.
Wolf Defense
Last Thursday, a coalition of more than 300 civil society and animal rights organizations signed a joint statement in which calls on the Member States of the European Union to reject the proposal of the European Commission where, within the Berne Convention, “the protection of the wolf is degraded”.
In this sense, the organizations called for intensifying efforts to promote coexistence with the big carnivores including preventive measures and safeguarding decades of success in conservation.
