European Parliament against wolf protection – a substantive or political decision?

The wolf is not only a symbol of wild nature – it is a species that plays the role of a regulator in the ecosystem. Hunting mainly deer and wild boar, it limits their excessive population, helping to protect young trees and vegetation from overgrazing. In this way, it contributes to maintaining healthy, diverse forests. It also reduces the risk of crop damage and limits the spread of diseases among wild and farm animals.

That is why the European Parliament’s decision to lift the strict protection of wolves in the EU sparked opposition among many scientists and conservationists. Do we really need greater control over the wolf population – or rather a better understanding of their role in the environment?

European Parliament imposes restrictions on the wolf population

The European Parliament has adopted a decision to change the protection status of the wolf at the European Union level. The species, which was previously under strict protection, will be moved to the category of general protection – and in an accelerated manner. The change was supported by 371 MEPs, 162 voted against, and 27 abstained. The decision is linked to the need to adapt EU law to the provisions of the Bern Convention, which allows for a more flexible approach to wolf protection.

The amendment to the Habitats Directive was proposed by the European Commission in response to strong pressure from the Parliament, especially MEPs from countries where the wolf population is growing rapidly. In practice, this means that Member States will gain more freedom in managing this species – also concerning the specifics of local environmental, economic, and social conditions. At the same time, EU countries will still be required to ensure that wolf populations remain at a level that allows their long-term survival, in line with EU law.

The application of the urgent procedure means that the amended directive will come into force 20 days after its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. Member States will have 18 months to implement it and practically regulate the new wolf protection rules at the national level.

Wolf protection – scientific communities oppose the European Parliament’s decision

The European Parliament’s decision, which weakens the protective status of wolves, was perceived by scientific communities as a step backward in nature conservation policies. Experts point out that this change may lead to an increase in the number of wolf culls, which in the long run threatens to halt the recovery of this species. According to them, this is not only a controversial decision but also a dangerous precedent that undermines the principles derived from the Habitats Directive. EU regulations clearly state that changes in species protection must be based on reliable scientific evidence.

According to data from the European Environment Agency, in six out of seven biogeographical regions of the European Union, the conservation status of wolves is still considered unfavorable. It was the strict protection in place that allowed for the gradual rebuilding of this predator’s population. As noted by Ilaria Di Silvestre, Director of European Policy and Advocacy at the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), the current decision threatens to undo many years of achievements in species protection and may undermine the effectiveness of the entire nature conservation system in the EU.

Many researchers believe that wolf culling does not resolve conflicts with farmers nor does it increase the number of game animals that wolves prey on. On the contrary – it leads to the destabilization of wolf pack family structures, which can increase the number of attacks on livestock. Di Silvestre points out that the vote in Parliament was political rather than substantive and did not consider thorough ecological analyses. Meanwhile, Léa Badoz from the Eurogroup for Animals organization assesses that the EU – so far a leader in nature conservation – is sacrificing a key species for short-term political interests, without offering real solutions.

The protection status of wolves in Poland

In the Polish context, the European Parliament’s decision also met with divided reactions. Nature conservation organizations remind that the new EU regulations do not automatically mean the end of strict protection – Member States retain the right to maintain a higher level of protection if they deem it necessary. Each state is still obligated to ensure the so-called favorable conservation status of the wolf population on its territory.

In Poland, the positions of the ministries were divergent. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development welcomed the decision to change the status, citing the damage caused by wolves to farms. The Ministry of Climate and Environment, on the other hand, supported maintaining strict species protection. Deputy Minister Mikołaj Dorożała emphasized that the current regulations in Poland would not change, and the wolf would still be under the highest level of legal protection. During the meeting of the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the EU Member States (COREPER), Poland formally abstained from voting.

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