From 7 March 2025, the modification of wolf protection under the Bern Convention enters into force. On 6 December 2024, the Standing Committee of the Bern Convention adopted a proposal submitted by the European Union to modify the protection status of the wolf (Canis lupus) from "strictly protected fauna species" (Appendix II) to "protected fauna species" (Appendix III). This decision, involving a reduction in the level of protection, was set to enter into force three months later, unless objected to by at least one-third of the Parties to the Convention (17).
During this three-month objection period, three Parties formally lodged objections: the Czech Republic, Monaco, and the United Kingdom. As a result, the decision to modify the protection status of the wolf does not apply to these three Parties. However, the decision takes immediate effect (as of 6 March 2025) for the remaining Parties to the Convention, subject to any reservations or declarations they may have made at the time of ratification of the Convention.
