1Council Decision (EU) 2026/733 of 19 March 2026 on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union at the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals as regards proposals from various parties to amend the Appendices to that Convention

Council Decision (EU) 2026/733 of 19 March 2026 on the position to be taken on behalf of the European Union at the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals as regards proposals from various parties to amend the Appendices to that Convention THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 192(1), in conjunction with Article 218(9) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, Whereas: (1) The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (the Convention) was concluded by the Union by Council Decision 82/461/EEC Council Decision 82/461/EEC of 24 June 1982 on the conclusion of the Convention on the conservation of migratory species of wild animals (OJ L 210, 19.7.1982, p. 10, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/1982/461/oj). and entered into force on 1 November 1983. (2) Pursuant to Article XI of the Convention, the Conference of the Parties to the Convention (the Conference of the Parties) is able to adopt decisions to amend the Appendices to the Convention. (3) The Conference of the Parties, at its fifteenth meeting in March 2026, is to adopt decisions to amend the Appendices to the Convention on proposals regarding the inclusion in Appendix I to the Convention of the populations of Zimbabwe of Acinonyx jubatus, Hyaena hyaena, Pteronura brasiliensis, Pterodroma baraui, Pterodroma cervicalis occulta, Pterodroma hasitata, Pterodroma madeira, Pterodroma magentae, Pterodroma incerta, Pseudobulweria macgillivrayi, Pseudobulweria aterrima, Pseudobulweria becki, Numenius phaeopus hudsonicus, Limosa haemastica, Tringa flavipes, Alopias pelagicus, Alopias superciliosus, Alopias vulpinus, Sphyrna lewini and Sphyrna mokarran; regarding the removal from Appendix I to the Convention of Cervus elaphus yarkandensis (while maintaining Cervus elaphus yarkandensis in Appendix II); and regarding the inclusion in Appendix II to the Convention of the populations of Zimbabwe of Acinonyx jubatus, Hyaena hyaena, Pteronura brasiliensis, the populations of Australia and New Caledonia of Pterodroma leucoptera, Pterodroma brevipes, Pterodroma defilippiana, Pterodroma longirostris, Pterodroma cookii cookii, Pterodroma cookii orientalis, Pterodroma pycrofti, Pterodroma axillaris, Pterodroma neglecta juana, Pterodroma arminjoniana, Pterodroma alba, Pterodroma cervicalis cervicalis, Pterodroma externa, Pterodroma feae, Pterodroma deserta, Ardenna carneipes, Pseudobulweria rostrata, Bubo scandiacus, Sporophila iberaensis, Mustelus schmitti, Squatina guggenheim, Pseudoplatystoma corruscans. (4) It is appropriate to establish the position to be taken on the Union’s behalf at the meeting of the Conference of the Parties, as the decisions amending the Appendices to the Convention will be binding on the Union. (5) The Union should support all the above-mentioned proposals, with the exception for the proposal regarding Cervus elaphus yarkandensis, as they are science-based, in line with the Union’s commitment to international cooperation for the protection of biodiversity in accordance with Article 5 of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, and in line with decisions taken at the Conference of the Parties.

(6) The Union should not support the proposal regarding the Cervus elaphus yarkandensis as the criteria established in Article III(3) of the Convention are not met, HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The position to be taken on the Union’s behalf at the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (the Convention) shall be the following: (a) to support the inclusion in Appendix I to the Convention of the following species or subspecies: Populations of Zimbabwe of Acinonyx jubatus, Hyaena hyaena, Pteronura brasiliensis, Pterodroma baraui, Pterodroma cervicalis occulta, Pterodroma hasitata, Pterodroma madeira, Pterodroma magentae, Pterodroma incerta, Pseudobulweria macgillivrayi, Pseudobulweria aterrima, Pseudobulweria becki, Numenius phaeopus hudsonicus, Limosa haemastica, Tringa flavipes, Alopias pelagicus, Alopias superciliosus, Alopias vulpinus, Sphyrna lewini, Sphyrna mokarran; (b) not to support the removal from Appendix I to the Convention of the Cervus elaphus yarkandensis, as the criteria established in Article III(3) of the Convention are not met; (c) to support the inclusion in Appendix II to the Convention of the following species: Populations of Zimbabwe of Acinonyx jubatus, Hyaena hyaena, Pteronura brasiliensis, Populations of Australia and New Caledonia of Pterodroma leucoptera, Pterodroma brevipes, Pterodroma defilippiana, Pterodroma longirostris, Pterodroma cookii cookii, Pterodroma cookii orientalis, Pterodroma pycrofti, Pterodroma axillaris, Pterodroma neglecta juana, Pterodroma arminjoniana, Pterodroma alba, Pterodroma cervicalis cervicalis, Pterodroma externa, Pterodroma feae, Pterodroma deserta, Ardenna carneipes, Pseudobulweria rostrata, Bubo scandiacus, Sporophila iberaensis, Mustelus schmitti, Squatina guggenheim, Pseudoplatystoma corruscans.

Article 2

Refinement of the position referred to in Article 1, in light of developments at the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties or where the position referred to in Article 1 is likely to be affected by new scientific or technical information presented after the adoption of this Decision, may be agreed to during on-the-spot coordination meetings without a further decision of the Council.

Article 3

This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption. Done at Brussels, 19 March 2026. For the Council The President M. Raouna