Conservation of African-Eurasian migratory waterbirds

SUMMARY OF:

Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds

Decision 2006/871/EC — conclusion on behalf of the European Community of the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE AGREEMENT AND THE DECISION?

The agreement commits signatory governments to:

coordinate measures to maintain, or restore, favourable conservation conditions for African-Eurasian migratory waterbirds;
give special attention to endangered species and those with an unfavourable conservation status.

The Council decision:

approves the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds;
authorises the European Commission, on behalf of the European Union (EU), to approve amendments to the agreement’s annexes that are consistent with the legislation of the EU.

KEY POINTS

Annex 1 defines the geographical coverage of the agreement (the ‘agreement area’). This stretches from Norway to South Africa and Iceland to Uzbekistan.
Parties to the agreement:
- give strict protection to endangered migratory waterbirds (Annex 2 lists the 255 species covered);
- ensure that any interaction with migratory waterbirds is based on best available knowledge of their ecology and is sustainable;
- identify and encourage the protection, management, rehabilitation and restoration of sites and habitats;
- coordinate efforts to ensure a network of suitable habitats is maintained or restored;
- investigate problems caused by human activity and take remedial action;
- cooperate in emergencies requiring an international response;
- ban the deliberate introduction of non-native waterbirds into the environment and try to prevent their unintentional release;
- initiate and support research, including monitoring programmes, into the birds’ biology and ecology;
- analyse training requirements for surveys, monitoring, ringing and wetland management;
- develop and maintain programmes to raise awareness and understanding of conservation issues;
- exchange information and research results;
- cooperate in implementing the agreement.
Annex 3 contains a table with the status of the populations of migratory waterbirds, a detailed action plan and conservation guidelines that cover:
- species conservation, including legal measures according to the status of the species;
- habitat conservation;
- management of human activities;
- research and monitoring;
- education and information;
- implementation.
Parties to the agreement:
- designate a national implementing authority and contact point;
- prepare for ordinary sessions of the agreement;
- contribute to the budget;
- may give voluntary contributions to a conservation fund;
- are encouraged to provide training and technical and financial support to other signatories.
The agreement stipulates:
- decision-making procedures;
- the composition and role of a technical committee;
- the duties of the secretariat;
- relations with existing international bodies;
- dispute settlement mechanisms;
- the four official language versions (Arabic, English, French and Russian).

DATE OF ENTRY INTO FORCE

The agreement entered into force on 1 November 1999.

BACKGROUND

The EU is a party to the 1979 Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals. Known as the Bonn Convention (see summary), it encourages international cooperation to achieve its aims.
Migratory waterbirds are particularly vulnerable. They travel over long distances and are dependent on wetlands that are becoming smaller and degraded by unsustainable human activity.
The agreement has 82 contracting parties — 44 from Eurasia, including the EU, and 38 from Africa.

MAIN DOCUMENTS

Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (OJ L 345, 8.12.2006, pp. 26–72).

Council Decision 2006/871/EC of 18 July 2005 on the conclusion on behalf of the European Community of the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (OJ L 345, 8.12.2006, pp. 24–25).