Conflicting EU Funds - WWF

10
Key recommendations
If the EU is to realise its stated goal of halting biodiversity
loss by 2010, it is vital that all European
funds are applied in a manner that supports
this commitment and in full compliance with the
requirements of the nature and water protection
Directives. The Commission has shown that it
can take a strong position on withholding funds
where Member States are found to be in breach
of their obligations to protect their nature and
biodiversity. It is important that this approach to
effective enforcement continues.
Poor coordination between Member State
authorities or European agencies is not an
adequate excuse for failure to protect Europe’s
nature. It is clear from the case studies in this
report that all levels of governance (European,
national, regional, local), non-governmental
organisations, and individual consumers have
a role to play in ensuring wise use of European
funds, and in preserving European biodiversity
for future generations.
1. The use of EU funds that conflict with
the Community goal to halt the loss of
biodiversity by 2010 must be eliminated
(as species and habitats have been threatened
in the past).
2. The integration of biodiversity and
Natura 2000 as funding priorities into
the programmes of major EU funds must
become obligatory.
3. The partnership principle must be systematically,
correctly and fully applied in
the programming implementation and
evaluation processes for EU funds. This
means that environmental stakeholders
(public and non-governmental) should be
treated as equal partners, have full voting
rights, receive information in a timely fashion,
be consulted properly, have a right to
transparent feedback and be trained and
resourced to play their role efficiently.
It is critical that these lessons are applied in finalising
the legislation and guidelines governing EU
funds in the next financing period from 2007–
2013, and that expenditure in Member States is
monitored so that any impacts on biodiversity are
apparent and minimised. Detailed recommendations
are included after the individual chapters,
whereas the principal ones are as follows:
KEY RECOMMENDATIONS