Agreement on the Conservation of Populations of European Bats

The Agreement on the Conservation of Populations of European Bats (UNEP / EUROBATS ) (English: Agreement on the Conservation of Populations of European Bats ) is an international treaty which obliges States Parties to protect bats. The agreement was established in 1991 and today includes 31 of 48 European Range States. It is under the auspices of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, also known as the " Bonn Convention " (English: Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals / CMS).

History

The text of the agreement was drawn up in September 1991 during the 3rd Conference of the Parties of the Bonn Convention in Geneva. On 4 December the same year it was presented as the " Agreement on the Conservation of Bats in Europe " for signature. On this day six states signed the Agreement. On January 16, 1994, the Convention finally entered into force after five countries ( Germany, Great Britain, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway and Sweden) had taken the necessary measures for ratification.

In 2000 the name was changed to the Agreement " Agreement on the Conservation of Populations of European Bats ." Since 2001 EUROBATS is incorporated into the Environment Programme (UNEP ) and has since been pursuing the abbreviation UNEP / EUROBATS.

Objectives of the Agreement

The main objective of the agreement is to give both the Member States and the countries have not yet joined a guideline for cooperation in the protection of bats in Europe. According to the agreement text is the deliberate capture, keeping and killing of bats in the Contracting States (except with special permission of the authorities ) prohibited by law. States Parties undertake to take appropriate measures to promote the conservation of bats and to raise public awareness of the importance of their preservation. They identify the important neighborhoods rearing of the young, refuge and protection sites and feeding sites of bats in their jurisdiction and protect them from damage or other disorders.

Other objectives are to monitor the status and trends of bat populations ( " biomonitoring " ) and the development of studies on their migratory behavior. The knowledge gained will be processed to recommendations and guidelines that should be in turn implemented by the Parties at the national level.

Institutions of the Agreement

Conference of the Parties

The Conference of the Parties ( the "Meeting of the Parties " ) is the highest decision-making body of the Convention and adopted resolutions. Each State Party shall have one vote. Eligible as observers are also representatives from the range States and organizations that are technically qualified in the field of conservation and management of bats.

The conference is held every three to four years at different locations, most recently in September 2006 in Ljubljana / Slovenia. (As of September 2007)

Advisory Committee

The Advisory Committee ( " Advisory Committee " ) is the scientific advisory board of the Agreement. It evaluates data and discussed scientific questions about bat research and protection, to establish priorities for the future work of the Convention. This involves issues such as the relationship of bat mortality and wind turbines, the impact of light pollution on bat colonies or sustainable forest management for bats. Furthermore, the Committee drafts the Resolutions to be adopted at the Conferences of the Parties.

It meets once a year, most recently in May 2007 in Budapest / Hungary. (As of September 2007)

See also: bat Museum Julianenhof

Standing Committee

The Standing Committee ( "Standing Committee " ) is the administrative body of the Agreement. He rated the budgetary situation and advises on other administrative matters such as personnel issues. The establishment of the Standing Committee was approved at the fifth Conference of the Parties in the fall of 2006 in order to relieve the Advisory Committee.

The Standing Committee meets once a year at the UN Campus in Bonn, starting in March 2007.

Secretariat

The EUROBATS Secretariat is the administrative body of the Agreement. It coordinates and organizes all activities of the Conference of the Parties, the Standing Committee and the Advisory Committee. It is also used to exchange information and to coordinate international research and monitoring activities Furthermore, the Secretariat shall take initiatives to implement the objectives and to recruit new members and is working to raise awareness among the public. The suggestion made in the EUROBATS Secretariat European Bat Night has become an event in more than 30 countries and takes place every year on the last weekend in August.

The establishment of the Secretariat was adopted at the first Conference of the Parties in July 1995 in Bristol / UK. In January 1996, it began its work in Bonn. Since June 2006 the Secretariat in the " Langer Eugen " is on the UN Campus. There reside many other UN agencies.

Agreement Area

The Agreement area covers the entire European continent, which is bounded on the east by Turkey and the Caucasus and on the south by the Mediterranean coast. In addition, include the British Isles, Ireland, Malta, Cyprus and most of the European countries belonging to the islands to (except the Canary Islands, Madeira and the Azores ).

Parties

The following 31 of the 48 possible Parties shall have the agreement has been ratified (as of December 2008); alphabetical order, in brackets, the date of ratification:

• Albania (22 June 2001)
• Belgium (14 May 2003)
• Bulgaria ( 9 November 1999)
• Denmark (6 January 1994)
• Germany (18 October 1993)
• Estonia (11 November 2004)
• Finland (20 September 1999)
• France (7 July 1995)
• Georgia (July 25, 2002)
• United Kingdom (9 September 1992)
• Ireland (21 June 1995)
• Italy (20 October 2005)
• Croatia (8 August 2000)
• Latvia (1 August 2003)
• Lithuania ( 28 November 2001)
• Luxembourg (29 October 1993)
• Macedonia (15 September 1999)
• Malta (2 March 2001)
• Moldova (2 February 2001)
• Monaco (July 23, 1999)
• Netherlands (17 March 1992)
• Norway ( signature: 3rd February 1993)
• Poland (10 April 1996)
• Portugal (10 January 1996)
• Romania ( 20 July 2000)
• Sweden ( signed: March 4, 1992)
• Slovakia (July 9, 1998)
• Slovenia (5 December 2003)
• Czech Republic (24 February 1994)
• Ukraine ( 30 September 1999)
• Hungary (22 June 1994)