Six MEPs from the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group have asked the European Commission whether it will propose targeted amendments to the Birds and Habitats Directives to extend a population-level, mitigation-based approach to species protection beyond the current Article 8 of the environmental assessments proposal. The written question, submitted on 20 May 2026, argues that existing rules on nests, eggs, breeding sites, and protected plants create legal uncertainty and delays for strategic projects even when population-level impacts are negligible.
The question, led by Beatrice Timgren (ECR, Sweden) and co-signed by Pietro Fiocchi, Anna Zalewska, Sander Smit, Paolo Inselvini, and Alexandr Vondra, cites recent Council discussions and a Politico report indicating growing Member State concern that the current framework does not provide sufficient legal certainty. The MEPs also reference the ongoing stress test of the Birds and Habitats Directives launched by the Commission.
What the question asks
The MEPs pose three specific questions to the Commission. First, they ask whether the Commission agrees that Article 8 of the proposal for a regulation on speeding-up environmental assessments reflects a broader shift towards population-level, mitigation-based species protection. Second, they inquire whether the Commission will assess targeted amendments to the Birds and Habitats Directives in light of the Council debate and the stress test. Third, they question whether the current specimen-based approach is proportionate for strategic projects where significant population-level impacts are excluded.
Policy direction and ambition
The question signals a clear push by the ECR group to expand the scope of the ongoing revision of EU nature legislation. By focusing on bottlenecks outside Article 8, the MEPs aim to reduce administrative burden and legal uncertainty for infrastructure and energy projects. The reference to the Council debate and the stress test suggests the group sees momentum for a more ambitious overhaul of species-protection rules, moving from strict individual-specimen protection to a population-level, mitigation-based framework.
Expected follow-up
The Commission is expected to reply within approximately six weeks. Its answer will indicate whether it is open to extending the revision beyond the current proposal, potentially shaping the final outcome of the environmental assessments regulation and the broader fitness check of the Birds and Habitats Directives. The reply will also signal the Commission's stance on balancing biodiversity protection with the need to accelerate strategic projects.
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