1. Agenda item 2.1 Progress on Target 1 of the 2020 Biodiversity Strategy CGBN Co-ordination Group for Biodiversity and Nature 12 th meeting - 29/03/12

2. Action 1: Completion of the Network (1) Site Designations Habitats Directive: 6 new Union Lists* adopted on 18 November 2011 Plus 166 SCI/SAC sites (now 22 558 sites) Total SCI/SAC area : 728 745 km² (+ 2,65 %) Most expansion in the marine Update of “reserves” based on end 2010 list Still 833 reserves left (MAJ, MOD, SR) Of these 712 terrestrial, 121 marine * (Alpine, Atlantic, Boreal, Continental, Mediterranean, Pannonian)

4. Sufficiency of Natura 2000 network Terrestrial part (species and habitat types) SR: Scientific reserve, further inventories required IN MAJ: Major insufficiency IN MOD: Moderate insufficiency IN MIN: Minor insufficiency SUF: Sufficient designation of sites

5. Sufficiency of Natura 2000 network Marine part (species and habitat type) SR: Scientific reserve, further inventories required IN MAJ: Major insufficiency IN MOD: Moderate insufficiency IN MIN: Minor insufficiency SUF: Sufficient designation of sites

6. Action 1: Completion of the Network (2) Management Natura 2000 Seminars Boreal Natura 2000 seminar: Preparatory Workshop held in Helsinki, 25 & 26 January 2012; Pilot Seminar: Finland, 28 – 29 May 2012 Atlantic Seminar: Preparatory Workshop: 20 – 21 June 2012, ATL Seminar: End 2012 in NL Next: Alpine Seminar: June 2013, Lead: Austria Further progress in Management Group (next meeting in September / October 2012), Paper on SAC designation finalized Paper on Conservation objectives finalized Guidance on management instruments in progress Guidance on Wilderness and Natura 2000 close to be finalized Guidance on Climate change & Natura 2000 close to be finalized

7. Action 1: Completion of the Network (3) Management – marine issues 2012 critical for achieving substantial progress in marine designations (Target1-Biod strategy) Ongoing follow-up to marine expert group meeting of 28/10: site designation, links with MSFD, management/fisheries/CFP reform. FAQ and Common methodology for assessing fisheries impacts on marine Natura 2000 sites to be finalised by summer (to be circulated soon for final consultation). Enhance synergies between nature and marine implementation issues. Streamlining of reporting. Possible back-to-back meetings of marine expert group and MSFD expert groups.

8. Action 2: Financing of Natura 2000 See separate agenda item

9. Action 3: Stakeholder awareness & involvement and enforcement Stakeholders - Guidance docs Inland water transport: final discussions on last meeting on 14/11, CGBN/Hab ctee consulted, finalisation/publication in May/June Aquaculture: also nearly finalised (last meeting of WG in mid March, finalisation in June) Art 6 guidance doc update: underway, taking into account Court rulings and work under N2000 man. group re. management planning Natura 2000 and agriculture: 2 meetings of the working group and a stakeholder workshop, next meeting WG 19/4 Preparation of the 1st meeting of the working group on forestry & Natura 2000 (probably in autumn) Revision of Bird Species Action Plans and Management Plans Cormorants: guidance on derogations to be published by summer Energy infrastructure: Work has started, completion by end 2012 Enforcement Illegal Killing of Birds: outcome of contract on “stocktaking” discussed with stakeholders, “roadmap” to be prepared for Ornis ctee, activities underway (EU-TWIX, training for judges, web-page)

10. Action 3: Stakeholder awareness & involvement and enforcement Habitats Directive/LIFE 20 Years – celebrations Natura 2000 Brochure 5 Natura 2000 LIFE site live events SuperAlp! walk Key celebratory Conference Also other events in MS (BE-Flanders, Latvia, Germany (NGOs), Eurosite PL/CZ Transboudary, …) LIFE project events: more than 190 announced so far And LIFE brochure: The Voices of LIFE

11. 5 Natura 2000 site live events Denmark: Lille Vildmose Poland: Ujście Warty Bulgaria: Kalofer Slovenia: Kozjanski Park Spain: 21 May 20121 June 20126 – 7 June 201220 July 2012tbc VIPs, media and general public VIPs, celebrity, media, general public VIPs, media, general public tbc Official speeches, cooking battle, Tour of N2K are and LIFE projects, bulldozing soil and view from crane Official speeches, picnic area with info stands, School quiz with celebrity, giant N2K logo, Tour of N2K area and LIFE projects Official speeches, musical entertainment, photography lessons, Hiking tour through N2K area and LIFE projects Visit of castle, planting of plant species, observation of butterflies, Tour of N2K area and LIFE projects, musical entertainment tbc

12. The SuperAlp! 6 walk with the Alpine Convention Date: 4-11 July 2012 Place: France, Italy, Austria, Slovenia Participants: Journalists, possibly highlevel Commission representatives Theme: Natura 2000

13. Key Celebratory Conference Date: 22-25 October 2012 Place: Hoge Kempen National Park Participants: Commissioner, VIPs, 3-500 stakeholders Integrated into Europarc annual conference Key note speeches, Workshops, Site visits

14. Action 4: Reporting nature directives Last meeting of Reporting Group: 22 March 2012 Formats & guidelines for Art.17, Art.12 & SDF data- flows were finalised in mid 2011: new phase Technical implementation of tools (Art. 17/12, Natura 2000 SDF) Reference Portals (Art. 17/12, Natura 2000 SDF) Work-plan 2012-2015 Art.17/12 established Conservation status & Natura 2000: further work with new sub-group needed Natura 2000: SDF software is ready for use, please note: transition phase ends September 2012 Streamlining with MSFD first proposal to streamline on certain habitats and species for 2012 report under MSFD

15. Action 4: Reporting nature directives Draft new TOR for the Reporting Group, focus on …all needs relating to data-flows under the nature directive …contribution to other initiatives, e.g. targets under the 2020, streamlining with other reporting such as MFSD, WFD Approval envisaged in Habitats Committee 26 April 2012 Target 1 (2020 strategy) – debate on how the European target was built (the logic behind it) On MS-level similar logic could be used, which would not necessarily lead to the same target Important is the focus on the overall goal on FCS & measurable improvement

16. Progress of MS in preparing for Art.12/17 Reporting – Questionnaires The Commission regularly monitors the progress of Member States in their preparation for the 2013 reports (Art.17/12). Tool: expert questionnaires A first questionnaire was distributed in Nov. 2011 (18 MS responded) A second questionnaire was distributed in March 2012 (so far 13 MS responded) Timely and good quality delivery of these reports is very important for a range of initiatives (e.g. mid- term review of 2020 strategy

17. Progress Art. 17 Report Do you have systems in place in your country for monitoring the status of species & habitats on biogeographic level? 13 MS out of 13 have systems in place, but not for all features Do you have systems in place for monitoring the status of species and habitat types at the network level? 13 MS out 13 have such systems, but most of them only for parts of the features/sites

18. Based on today's best guess: Will your country be able to provide the Article 17 report within the deadline of 30/6/2013? 12 out of 13 MS are optimistic to provide the Art.17 report by the deadline Progress Art. 12 Report Do you have a system in place for the monitoring of status and trends of bird species on national level? All 13 MS consulted have such a system, but 4 of them for less than half of the species

19. Progress Art. 12 Report Do you have systems in place for monitoring the status of bird species at the level of individual SPAs? All 13 MS consulted have such systems in place at individual SPAs level, 3 of which for most SPAs. Based on today's best guess: Will your country be able to provide the Article 12 report within the deadline of 31/12/2013? 12 out of 13 MS are optimistic to provide the Art. 12 report by the deadline

20. Conclusion: A lot underway Let’s celebrate 20 years Questions, comments? Thank you!