The propose legislation presents an in-depth analysis of a proposal aimed at contributing to the continuous recovery of biodiverse and resilient natural ecosystems across the EU’s land and sea areas. The proposal aims to improve the quality of the environment in line with the principle of sustainable development, laid down in Article 37 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.
Through the restoration of ecosystems, the document outlines a detailed framework in which Member States will be required to protect, conserve and restore habitats, water bodies, and other natural features. Such protection will be monitored and enforced through information provided by Member States, implementation of restoration measures, and trends in restored areas. The Commission will draw up progress reports based on information from Member States as well as other data collected by the Commission, and application of the regulation will be reviewed by 2035 to ensure that its objectives are being met.
The report highlights that implementation of the proposal will require human resources in the Commission, for which existing allocations will be considered, and additional resources for the European Environment Agency will be needed. The report also identifies detailed budgetary implications and the human and administrative resources required.
The proposal takes into account stakeholder consultations, including representatives of Member States, environmental organizations, research institutes, agriculture and forest associations, and business representatives. It includes articles that give details of further work that will be needed to implement the regulation, including an empowerment to adopt delegated or implementing acts, for example, to develop a uniform format for national restoration plans or to revise the annexes.
Overall, the report will be of particular interest to professionals and enthusiasts in the field of Heritage for whom it will provide an empirical overview of the proposal’s key points, findings, and considerations concerning the restoration, conservation and protection of natural features across the EU’s land and sea areas.
