Birds and Habitats Directives: scientists express concerns to U. von der Leyen over a legislative review

The european scientific community calls on Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, to safeguard the Birds and Habitats Directives, in an open letter sent on 4 November 2026.

They express their “deep concern” about the possibility that the European Commission may propose a legislative revision of the Directives, following the assessment currently underway and announced in December 2025 by the Commission.

According to them, reopening these Directives “would be a mistake, particularly at a time when Europe's biodiversity continues to decline and when strengthening the implementation of science-based conservation policies is more necessary than ever”.

Scientists put forward that the continued decline of Europe's biodiversity “does not demonstrate that the Directives have…