Environment: EU celebrates 40 years of the Birds Directive | European Commission

Environment: EU celebrates 40 years of the Birds Directive | European Commission
The Birds Directive, one of the first pieces of environmental legislation in Europe, celebrates today its 40th anniversary. Protecting over 500 bird species, the directive is as relevant today as it was in 1979, when the Member States came together to address the sharp decline of Europe’s birds. The many conservation achievements of the Directive include the protection of the Great Bustard (Otis tarda), the Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia), the White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) and the Bearded Vulture (Gypaetus barbatus), whose populations in Europe are now secure or improving.