EU Court of Justice rules against wolf hunting for economic reasons
The EU Court of Justice ruled that economic reasons alone, such as preventing losses of livestock, are not sufficient to allow hunting of wolves, as EU member states consider reducing protection for the species. The protection of wolves in the EU is governed by the EU Habitats Directive and the Bern Convention, which allows derogations from the hunting ban in cases of extreme urgency.
The ruling comes from a case in Austria where the Land of Tyrol granted a temporary bypass to hunt a specific wolf that had killed sheep to prevent losses for livestock farmers. However, the CJEU clarified that a derogation for economic reasons can only be granted if the wolf population is at a favorable conservation status, which is not the case in Austria.
The CJEU emphasized that milder measures such as herd protection should take precedence over shooting wolves, which should be a last resort. The decision is seen as good news for the conservation of the species and sets a precedent for other states considering similar derogations.
The European Commission proposed to lower the protection level for wolves from “strictly protected” to “protected” to allow more hunting opportunities, but member states are divided on the issue. Some countries called for rapid adoption of the proposal, while others wanted more data on the species’ situation before making a decision.
The Hungarian presidency aims to advance discussions on the proposal during their term. Overall, the CJEU ruling highlights the importance of balancing protection measures with the conservation status of wolf populations to ensure their survival.
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John Peterson graduated with a degree in Agricultural Sciences from Wageningen University in the Netherlands. His specialization is in sustainable crop production and soil health management. John is passionate about integrating modern technology with traditional farming methods to enhance productivity while preserving the environment. He currently works as a consultant, helping farmers adopt sustainable practices.