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European Commission - Speech [Check Against Delivery] Commissioner Roswall's keynote speech at the conference 'The Stress Test of the Nature Directives: Next Steps for Wildlife Management' Brussels, 29 September 2026 Dear Juan, Honourable Members, Representatives of FACE and the European Landowners' Organisation, Ladies and gentlemen, We have just experienced a scorching, destructive summer – estimated to have cost t...
European Commission - Speech [Check Against Delivery] Commissioner Roswall's keynote speech at the conference 'The Stress Test of the Nature Directives: Next Steps for Wildlife Management' Brussels, 29 September 2026 Dear Juan, Honourable Members, Representatives of FACE and the European Landowners' Organisation, Ladies and gentlemen, We have just experienced a scorching, destructive summer – estimated to have cost the EU 180 billion euros, and counting. So, I cannot think of a more pressing topic than the state of our natural world – and its foundational importance to our economy and future. And I cannot think of a better place to have this discussion. This Intergroup has a long history. For more than 40 years, it has provided a space where different political families, institutions and stakeholders can discuss one of Europe's most important questions: How do we preserve Europe's natural heritage while ensuring that our countryside remains vibrant, productive and lived in? Our environment is the bedrock of our societies. It is the guarantor of our long-term resilience. The guarantor of so much of our culture, jobs, food, and energy – as many of you know firsthand. But nature conservation is not a question that can be answered in Brussels or capitals alone. It has to be answered together with the people who live in our rural areas. Who own and manage land. Who farm and work in forests. Who manage wildlife, who hunt, who conserve habitats. And those who, every day, experience the changes taking place in Europe's landscapes. And that is why today's discussion is so important. Ladies and gentlemen, Europe should be proud of its Nature Directives. These two laws have become the backbone of EU biodiversity policy – creating created common objectives, common standards and common responsibilities. But good governance requires constant examination and constant questioning. Our continent is changing. Our climate is changing. Our natural world is changing. We need to change with it – as long as that change brings value to the EU and its citizens. Let me share some areas I believe we need to prioritise. First: we need to invest more in nature – for the sake of our farmers and foresters, our hunters and rural communities, our big industry and our small businesses. Nature as essential to our economic security, our food and energy security and more. That's why we have proposed that 35 percent of the next EU budget should be spent on climate and the environment. Honourable Members – I count on your support for this important step. We are also investing billions in water resilience, wildfire prevention, drought management and other crucial areas that connect nature, biodiversity, and economic security. This is something that more and more businesses are addressing. A recent study found that six out of ten businesses ranked nature in their three most important sustainability issues. And a similar number of investors are exploring or deploying capital into nature-related investment opportunities. The message here is clear – an investment in nature is an investment in our future. Second: we need to deliver concrete impact as simply and efficiently as possible. That's where the stress test comes in. Can we achieve the objectives in the Nature Directives more efficiently and with less administrative burden — while maintaining their ambition and level of nature protection? That's also why our Environmental Omnibus, proposed last December, was such a vital step. But let me be very clear. Simplification does not mean lowering our environmental standards or ambition. Instead, simplification can bring our ambition to life. Crucially, it should be guided by some simple questions for our nature and the people who manage it. For example - is a farmer or landowner buried in unnecessary administration? Are we using available data in the most effective and efficient way? Are our rules clear enough for those who need to implement them? And do they have enough flexibility to handle local differences? This is particularly relevant when we talk about wildlife management. A protection regime is only successful if populations are actually recovering or maintained in a healthy state. And a wildlife policy is only durable if it can be implemented in the real world. The goal here is to reverse negative trends in species populations and ensure sustainable hunting. The Turtle Dove has been the flagship test case -- and a very successful one at that. Following the hunting moratorium in the Western Flyway, its population increased by over 40% between 2021 and 2024. This has been a collective achievement we should all be proud of. As a result, limited hunting resumed under a scientific quota. This shows how science, adaptive management, and collaboration can result in the recovery of species populations for the benefit of everyone. Let me share another key point. A very large part of Europe's biodiversity exists on land that is privately managed. The people managing that land therefore cannot be an afterthought in nature policy. They must be partners. This is the principle we need to carry into the stress test. This brings me to my third point. We need to adapt to a changing world. And that means focusing on forward-looking, dynamic restoration. After this summer, it's clear that we need forests that are resilient to drought and wildfires. And it's vital that we keep waterfront and centre in our polices and our planning. But we also need to deepen our understanding of nature, its management, and its tipping points. Which species are struggling, which are thriving, what do we prioritise, and how can we deliver the greatest benefit? We are also exploring how we can more easily adapt the protection status of certain species to changes in their conservation status? There are fundamental issues that we need to examine, together – as part of an open and honest discussion. Our stress test is an opportunity to do exactly that. Ladies and gentlemen, The stress test is not a question of whether we still believe in nature conservation. We certainly do – for the sake of our society, our economy and so much more. Instead, it examines whether we can achieve our nature conservation objectives in a more efficient and effective way. So let us use this stress test as an opportunity to strengthen what works and adapt what doesn't. To address unnecessary complications. To support those who deliver conservation on the ground. And, above all, to ensure that European nature policy is one in which nature conservation and land management, work together. In which biodiversity and rural livelihoods are both protected. And in which European ambition and local action reinforce one another. The Nature Directives have already shaped Europe. Our task now is to make sure they are equipped to shape Europe's future. Remember – nature is connected. Our ecosystems, rivers, forest and biodiversity all flow or fly across borders and between regions. That means our efforts to conserve them must also be connected. If we can bring institutions, Member States, scientists, conservation organisations, hunters, landowners, farmers and rural and coastal communities around the same table — and if we are prepared to listen to one another — I am confident that we can build a stronger Europe. Rich in biodiversity and ready for the future. Resilient in economy and prosperous for everyone. Thank you. SPEECH/26/2015 <@rel_link@>
Speech Brief