Council Directive 79/409/EEC of 2 April 1979 on the conservation of wild birds3 has been substantially amended several times4. In the interests of clarity and rationality the said Directive should be codified.

Decision No 1600/2002/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 July 2002 laying down the Sixth Community Environment Action Programme5 calls for specific action for biodiversity, including to protect birds and their habitats.

A large number of species of wild birds naturally occurring in the European territory of the Member States are declining in number, very rapidly in some cases. This decline represents a serious threat to the conservation of the natural environment, particularly because of the biological balances threatened thereby.

The species of wild birds naturally occurring in the European territory of the Member States are mainly migratory species. Such species constitute a common heritage and effective bird protection is typically a trans-frontier environment problem entailing common responsibilities.

The conservation of the species of wild birds naturally occurring in the European territory of the Member States is necessary in order to attain the Community’s objectives regarding the improvement of living conditions and sustainable development.

The measures to be taken must apply to the various factors which may affect the numbers of birds, namely the repercussions of man’s activities and in particular the destruction and pollution of their habitats, capture and killing by man and the trade resulting from such practices; the stringency of such measures should be adapted to the particular situation of the various species within the framework of a conservation policy.

Conservation is aimed at the long-term protection and management of natural resources as an integral part of the heritage of the peoples of Europe. It makes it possible to control natural resources and governs their use on the basis of the measures necessary for the maintenance and adjustment of the natural balances between species as far as is reasonably possible.

The preservation, maintenance or restoration of a sufficient diversity and area of habitats is essential to the conservation of all species of birds. Certain species of birds should be the subject of special conservation measures concerning their habitats in order to ensure their survival and reproduction in their area of distribution. Such measures must also take account of migratory species and be coordinated with a view to setting up a coherent whole.

In order to prevent commercial interests from exerting a possible harmful pressure on exploitation levels, it is necessary to impose a general ban on marketing and to restrict all derogation to those species whose biological status so permits, account being taken of the specific conditions obtaining in the different regions.

Because of their high population level, geographical distribution and reproductive rate in the Community as a whole, certain species may be hunted, which constitutes acceptable exploitation where certain limits are established and respected, as such hunting must be compatible with maintenance of the population of these species at a satisfactory level.

The various means, devices or methods of large-scale or non-selective capture or killing and hunting with certain forms of transport must be banned because of the excessive pressure which they exert or may exert on the numbers of the species concerned.

Because of the importance which may be attached to certain specific situations, provision should be made for the possibility of derogations on certain conditions and subject to monitoring by the Commission.

The conservation of birds and, in particular, migratory birds still presents problems which call for scientific research. Such research will also make it possible to assess the effectiveness of the measures taken.

Care should be taken in consultation with the Commission to see that the introduction of any species of wild bird not naturally occurring in the European territory of the Member States does not cause harm to local flora and fauna.

The Commission will every three years prepare and transmit to the Member States a composite report based on information submitted by the Member States on the application of national provisions introduced pursuant to this Directive.

The measures necessary for the implementation of this Directive should be adopted in accordance with Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission6.

In particular, the Commission should be empowered to amend certain Annexes in the light of scientific and technical progress. Since those measures are of general scope and are designed to amend non-essential elements of this Directive, they must be adopted in accordance with the regulatory procedure with scrutiny provided for in Article 5a of Decision 1999/468/EC.

This Directive should be without prejudice to the obligations of the Member States relating to the time limits for transposition into national law of the directives set out in Annex VI, Part B,