Within Europe the European Union adopts legislation in the form of Directives and Regulations. European Directives require member states to implement their provisions nationally for the benefit of Europe as a whole. Regulations directly implement EU policy in member states without the need for member states to enact their own legislation.

 

In relation to wildlife and nature conservation, the European Community has adopted two Directives in response to its obligations under the Bern Convention: Council Directive 79/409/EEC (the Birds Directive), and Council Directive 92/43/EEC (the Species and Habitats Directive). These Directives provide for the protection of animal and plant species of European importance and the habitats which support them, particularly through the establishment of a network of protected sites. More recently, the European Community has adopted Council Directive 92/43/EEC (the Water Framework Directive), under which member states are required to achieve stated targets for protecting and improving inland and coastal waters.

 

See navigation for summary information on the main European Directives relating to nature conservation. Each summary provides an overview of the Directive concerned, how the Directive is being implemented in the UK, and JNCC's role in this implementation. Links are provided to relevant areas of work within JNCC, and useful external sources of information (such as on-line versions of legislative text). Users should note that the summaries provided were correct at the time of writing; however, for up to date information, primary sources should be consulted.