Revision of the EU Pollinators Initiative. A new deal for pollinators

Summary:

Communication adopted by the European Commission on 24 January 2023, seeking to tackle the decline in wild pollinating insects in the European Union (EU).

Further information:

The decline in wild pollinators and its consequences on food security, human health, quality of life and ecosystem functioning poses a number of challenges and risks. Global efforts have been made to address this biodiversity crisis during the 15th Conference of Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) in December 2022. In 2018, the European Commission adopted its first framework to address the decline of wild pollinators - the EU Pollinators Initiative. The EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 set the overall ambition of reversing the decline of pollinator numbers and diversity. This strategy established the EU Biodiversity Platform under which a working group for pollinators was set up as the main governance platforms for the Pollinators Initiative. Other strategies and actions plans put forward by the Commission also support the fight against threats.

This Communication presents a revised action framework for the EU Pollinators Initiative, building on stakeholder consultations and institutional feedback. It sets out actions to be taken by the EU and its Member States to reverse the decline of pollinators by 2030. The revision follow up on the review of progress in implementing the initiative, undertaken by the Commission in 2021. It also follows up on a special report published by the European Court of Auditors (ECA). It was adopted by the European Commission on 24 January 2023. It goes hand-in-hand with the draft Nature Restoration Law, which includes a legally binding target for EU Member States to reverse the decline of pollinator populations by 2030, and to maintain increasing trends thereafter.

• Primary Source

News

Reuters, 24/01/2023: EU to promote 'buzz lines' to help reverse decline of bees by 2030 https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/eu-promote-buzz-lines-help-reverse-decline-bees-by-2030-2023-01-24/

France24, 24/01/2023: EU eyes more help for shrinking bee populations https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20230124-eu-eyes-more-help-for-shrinking-bee-populations

TVP World, 24/01/2023: EU to establish “Buzz Lines” to save endangered bees https://tvpworld.com/65835879/eu-to-establish-buzz-lines-to-save-endangered-bees

RTL Today, 24/01/2023: EU eyes more help for shrinking bee populations https://today.rtl.lu/news/science-and-environment/a/2022641.html

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Official

EUR-LEX: SWD(2023)18: Staff Working Document accompanying the Communication - Stakeholder Consultation (Synopsis Report) https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=SWD:2023:18:FIN

European Commission: DG Environment: Pollinators https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/nature-and-biodiversity/pollinators_en

European Commission: EU Pollinator Information Hive https://wikis.ec.europa.eu/display/EUPKH/EU+Pollinator+Information+Hive

European Commission: Press Release, 24/01/2023: Food security and ecosystem resilience: Commission boosts action on pollinators https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_23_281

European Commission: Questions and Answers on A New Deal for Pollinators (24 January 2023) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/qanda_23_282

European Commission: Press remarks by Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius on the Revision of the EU Pollinators Initiative - A new deal for pollinators (24 January 2022) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/speech_23_348

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