The Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats, also known as the Bern Convention (or Berne Convention), is a binding international legal instrument in the field of Nature Conservation, it covers the

natural heritage Natural heritage refers to the sum total of the elements of biodiversity, including flora and fauna, ecosystems and geological structures. It forms part of our natural resources. Definition Heritage is that which is ''inherited'' from past gener ...

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

, as well as in some African countries. The Convention was open for signature on 19 September 1979 and came into force on 1 June 1982. It is particularly concerned about protecting natural habitats and

endangered species An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inv ...

, including migratory species.

Aims and objectives

The convention has three main aims, which are stated in Article 1:Council of Europe, 1979. Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Heritage. Bern, Switzerland. Available at: http://conventions.coe.int/Treaty/EN/Treaties/Html/104.htm * to conserve wild

flora Flora is all the plant life present in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring (indigenous) native plants. Sometimes bacteria and fungi are also referred to as flora, as in the terms '' gut flora'' or '' skin flora''. E ...

and

fauna Fauna is all of the animal life present in a particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is ''flora'', and for fungi, it is '' funga''. Flora, fauna, funga and other forms of life are collectively referred to as '' biota''. Zoo ...

and their natural habitats * to promote cooperation between states * to give particular attention to endangered and

vulnerable species A vulnerable species is a species which has been Conservation status, categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as being threatened species, threatened with extinction unless the circumstances that are threatened species, ...

including endangered and vulnerable migratory species

Structure

The convention is divided into: ;Preamble :Because this convention has a special nature, which is to include the maximum number of signatures possible, it included the eventual signing by non-members of the

Council of Europe The Council of Europe (CoE; french: Conseil de l'Europe, ) is an international organisation founded in the wake of World War II to uphold European Convention on Human Rights, human rights, democracy and the Law in Europe, rule of law in Europe. ...

: "the member States of the Council of Europe and the other signatories hereto, Considering that the aim of the Council of Europe is to achieve a greater unity between its members,...” ;Chapter I – General provisions :This chapter contains three articles, where it is stated the three aims of the Convention and general obligations of the Contracting Parties. ;Chapter II – Protection of habitats :Here are set out the obligations of the Contracting Parties concerning the conservation of the habitats. ;Chapter III – Protection of species :This chapter contains the obligations of the Contracting Parties regarding the Appendices I, II, III and IV and the exceptions of these obligations. ;Chapter IV – Special provisions for migratory species :This chapter contains the obligations of the Contracting Parties regarding migratory species. ;Chapter V – Supplementary provisions :This chapter contains supplementary obligations of the Contracting Parties, concerning co-operation, research, reintroduction and introduction of species. ;Chapter VI – Standing Committee :This chapter settles the functioning procedure of the Standing Committee and their tasks. ;Chapter VII – Amendments :This chapter contains the procedure of amendments regarding articles and Appendices of the Convention. ;Chapter VIII – Settlement of disputes :This chapter contains the procedure of the arbitration of any disputes that could arise between Contracting Parties. ;Chapter IX – Final provisions :This chapter contains the final arrangements of the Convention. ; Appendices :Four appendices set out particular species for protection. They are regularly updated by the Standing Committee, who are advised by a number of Expert Groups: :* Appendix I – Strictly protected flora species :* Appendix II – Strictly protected fauna species :* Appendix III – Protected fauna species :* Appendix IV – Prohibited means and methods of killing, capture and other exploitation

Ratifying states

Member States of the Council of Europe, status as of 15 February 2022. States not members of the Council of Europe International Organisations

Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , relig ...

Cape Verde , national_anthem = () , official_languages = Portuguese , national_languages = Cape Verdean Creole , capital = Praia , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , demonym ...

, the

Holy See The Holy See ( lat, Sancta Sedes, ; it, Santa Sede ), also called the See of Rome, Petrine See or Apostolic See, is the jurisdiction of the Pope in his role as the bishop of Rome. It includes the apostolic episcopal see of the Diocese of Rome ...

San Marino San Marino (, ), officially the Republic of San Marino ( it, Repubblica di San Marino; ), also known as the Most Serene Republic of San Marino ( it, Serenissima Repubblica di San Marino, links=no), is the fifth-smallest country in the world an ...

and

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...

are among non-signatories that have observer status at meetings of the committee. The convention led to the creation in 1998 of the

Emerald network The Emerald network is a network of Areas of Special Conservation Interest to conserve wild flora and fauna and their natural habitats of Europe, which was launched in 1989 by the Council of Europe as part of its work under the Convention on the ...

Areas of Special Conservation Interest Area is the quantity that expresses the extent of a region on the plane or on a curved surface. The area of a plane region or ''plane area'' refers to the area of a shape or planar lamina, while ''surface area'' refers to the area of an open s ...

(ASCIs) throughout the territory of the parties to the convention, which operates alongside the European Union's Natura 2000 programme.

Duties of contracting parties

All countries that have signed the convention must: * promote national conservation policies * promote measures against pollution * promote educational and informative measures * co-ordinate efforts to protect migratory species * establish legislative and administrative measures

Monitoring the implementation of the convention

To achieve successfully the aims of this Convention, a number of monitoring devices were implemented.

Reporting system

* Compulsory biannual reports * Voluntary general reports (every four years) * Legal reports (one country per year) * National reports * Follow-up of recommendationsCouncil of Europe. Nature Convention on the conservation of European wildlife and natural habitats. Available at: http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/cultureheritage/nature/bern/default_en.asp

Groups of experts

The chosen experts are in charge of monitoring the implementation of the

Standing Committee A committee or commission is a body of one or more persons subordinate to a deliberative assembly. A committee is not itself considered to be a form of assembly. Usually, the assembly sends matters into a committee as a way to explore them more ...

recommendation regarding species and habitats, as well as doing their own recommendations about specific conservation problems.

Case-file system

The system is based in complaints for possible non-compliance or other problems related with the provisions of the Convention. These complaints are processed by the Secretariat, the Bureau and the Standing Committee and when they feel there is the need for further information, on-the-spot visits by independent experts can be arranged.Council of Europe. Nature Convention on the conservation of European wildlife and natural habitats. Available at:http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/cultureheritage/nature/bern/default_en.asp

References

{{reflist

External links

Text of treaty and appendices
Environmental treaties Treaties concluded in 1979 Treaties entered into force in 1982 Environment of Europe 1982 in the environment Wildlife law 1979 in Switzerland Council of Europe treaties Treaties of Albania Treaties of Andorra Treaties of Armenia Treaties of Austria Treaties of Azerbaijan Treaties of Belgium Treaties of Bosnia and Herzegovina Treaties of Bulgaria Treaties of Croatia Treaties of Cyprus Treaties of the Czech Republic Treaties of Denmark Treaties of Estonia Treaties of Finland Treaties of France Treaties of Georgia (country) Treaties of West Germany Treaties of Greece Treaties of Hungary Treaties of Iceland Treaties of Ireland Treaties of Italy Treaties of Latvia Treaties of Liechtenstein Treaties of Lithuania Treaties of Luxembourg Treaties of Malta Treaties of Moldova Treaties of Monaco Treaties of Montenegro Treaties of the Netherlands Treaties of Norway Treaties of Poland Treaties of Portugal Treaties of Romania Treaties of Serbia Treaties of Slovakia Treaties of Slovenia Treaties of Spain Treaties of Sweden Treaties of Switzerland Treaties of North Macedonia Treaties of Turkey Treaties of Ukraine Treaties of the United Kingdom Treaties of Belarus Treaties of Burkina Faso Treaties of Morocco Treaties of Senegal Treaties of Tunisia Treaties entered into by the European Union Animal treaties Treaties extended to Jersey