1. CGBN
Co-ordination Group
for Biodiversity and Nature
16th meeting – 27/03/2014
Agenda item 3.2 Suggestions for the future development of the Natura 2000 Biogeographical Process

2. Achieving the 2020 Biodiversity goals
Natura 2000 covers one fifth of the land territory and includes most areas of highest biodiversity value in the EU The management and restoration agenda for Natura 2000 is the single most practical and obvious measure towards achieving the 2020 goal The process is central to achieving Target 1 of the Biodiversity Strategy & has an important contribution to make to other Targets (2, 3 & 5)

3. Strategic objectives of the Process (1)
To ensure significant progress towards the EU 2020 Biodiversity Strategy targets, through improved and strengthened implementation of Natura 2000
To strengthen common understanding of the role of the network in achieving favourable conservation status

4. Strategic objectives of the Process (2)
To develop new management insights and help put in place priority management actions
To establish a framework for networking, sharing information and experience and building knowledge

5. Strategic objectives of the Process (3)
To develop cooperation between Member States, stakeholder organisations, environmental NGOs and specialist networks
To strengthen recognition and action on how to manage Natura 2000 in ways that also significantly contributes to socio-economic objectives, through the multiple benefits that derive from such action

6. Proposed areas for optimizing the Process (1)
To ensure greater focus on strategic priorities and targets
To review the way that practical networking and collaboration activities are organized
To build upon the evidence from Article 17 HD/Article 12 BD reporting to help clarifying favourable reference values, identifying conservation objectives and measures at different levels within a biogeographical region

7. Proposed areas for optimizing the Process (2)
To enable Steering Committees to play a more strategic role
To mobilize greater inputs from strategic stakeholders and increased participation from practitioners
To increase opportunities for networking and generating recommendations for practical Natura 2000 management, matched by shared commitments for future actions

8. Proposed areas for optimizing the Process (3)
To ensure a flexible approach, for example by moving beyond habitats to include flagship species where useful as indicators and in raising public awareness
To identify appropriate forms of collaboration on agreed common priorities, including exploring scope for potential initiatives involving EU co-financing

9. Main steps to achieve specific outcomes
Primary Steps
Outcomes 1
State where we are currently
Know what practical measures and actions are required to maintain or improve habitats’ condition and status. 2
Agree priorities for progress
Common problems and issues defined and scope for cooperative actions identified. 3
Agree what we need to do
Collaborative actions for shared priorities, matched by commitments to act on the priorities so that work gets done. 4
Communicate: Share knowledge and best practice, publish results of networking events
Intensively using the Natura 2000 Communication Platform

10. Proposed new organization of the Process (1)
There will be no more so-called 'seminar cycles', composed by a 'Preparatory workshop' and a 'Natura 2000 Seminar'
In each biogeograhical region the process will start with the organization of a so-called 'kick-off seminar'

11. Proposed new organization of the Process (2)
There will be an active networking programme, (the 'Natura 2000 Biogeographical Networking Programme'), including ad-hoc expert meetings and thematic workshops
There will be so-called 'review seminars' at intervals of three to four years as appropriate

12. The Natura 2000 Platform
The Natura 2000 Communication Platform will be further developed and improved along with greater volumes of relevant Natura 2000 information.
It will become a major inter-active web-based tool for networking, dialogue and exchanging information on the management of the Natura 2000 network.

13. Technical assistance for follow-up events
Under the existing technical assistance contract (2014 – 2016) the contractor can support 5 events per year. He can:
help organising the events, assist chairpersons , prepare and distribute agendas, invitations and meeting documents
help the host organisation with the venue, coffee and catering, local transport
cover travel costs of max. 10 participants per event

14. Technical assistance for thematic workshops (New TA contract 2015 – 2017)
In the context of the planned Natura 2000 Biogeographical Networking Programme the future contractor will provide similar assistance for the organisation of six thematic workshops per year. This will be in addition to the support already foreseen under the existing TA contract (2014 – 2016).

15. Tentative planning for up-coming events
BioGeo
Region
Kick-off Seminar
Thematic events
Review Seminar
(indicative dates)
Thematic Events
BOR
2012
ongoing
2015
Continue
After 2015
ATL
2016
After 2016
ALP
2013
MED
2014
As from
2017
After 2017
MAC
As from 2015
2018
After 2018
CONT/PAN/
BS/STEPP
2014 /2015
2014/2015
MARINE

16. The CGBN is invited to consider the following questions (1):
Do you support the proposed general strategic orientation and objectives of the process?
Do you support the proposed structure and organisation of the future seminars?
Do you support the proposed active role of Member States and other actors in organising and supporting events under the process?

17. The CGBN is invited to consider the following questions (2):
Are you prepared to host and / or support particular events, such as seminars or thematic workshops?
Are you prepared to propose / nominate experts to lead on specific issues for cooperation and networking?

18. Working together in Natura 2000
The Natura 2000 Platform