Updated Wolf Protection Laws across EU
Accelerated wolf population reduction: EU member states endorse legislative amendment - Swift approval of law modification: European nations agree on accelerated wolf culling
Taking a step towards managing wolf populations, the EU has downgraded the wolf from its strictly protected status. However, the species' preservation remains a priority. This change means that the conditions for wolf culling will become less stringent in the near future. For instance, time-consuming DNA analyses will no longer be required.
Individual governments of EU countries now have the freedom to decide on whether or not to lower the protection status of wolves within their jurisdictions. In Germany, a majority of political parties have expressed support for swifter culling, with the federal states being particularly keen on this change.
In recent years, farmers across Europe have raised concerns about wolf attacks. As per data from the Bonn Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, there were approximately 1,600 wolves in Germany during the past observation year 2023/24, marking a rise of around 260 from the previous year. Over 5,000 livestock suffered injuries, deaths, or disappearances due to wolf attacks in 2023, the majority of which were sheep.
Post-Change Scenario
- Hunting and Management: With the wolf's statuschange from "strictly protected" (FFH IV Annex) to "protected" (FFH V Annex), member states can now manage wolf populations more flexibly. Regulated hunting under specific conditions may also be considered.
- Timeline: The new regulations will come into effect 20 days after publication in the EU Official Journal, providing member states 18 months to incorporate these changes into their national laws.
EU Commission's Role
Driving this change was the EU Commission, which proposed the amendment to the Habitats Directive. The Commission's proposal was backed by both the European Parliament and the EU Council, enabling them to realign EU law with the Bern Convention and establish a framework for more versatile wolf management among member states.
Impact on Germany and Luxembourg
- Germany: Given the increasing wolf-livestock conflicts and a significant population, Germany may leverage the new rules to better manage its wolf populations. There could be a possible inclusion of regulated hunting in the country.
- Luxembourg: Although details about Luxembourg's response are scarce, it, like other EU member states, will need to adhere to the new regulations. This may involve devising strategies for appropriately managing wolf populations under the new protection status.
EU Council and Parliament Approval
The law change received approval from the EU Council on June 5, 2025, following a vote in the European Parliament in early May. This approval marked the final step for the amendment to go into effect, with four countries, including Portugal, opting to maintain stricter protections for wolves despite the EU-wide change.
- The European Union (EU) has downgraded the wolf's status from a strictly protected species to a protected one, enabling Environmental-science policy-and-legislation changes that will make wolf culling conditions less stringent in various EC countries.
- As a result of the changes, individual EU countries, such as Germany and Luxembourg, will have the freedom to decide on modifications to wolf protection within their jurisdictions, potentially allowing for General-news like regulated hunting under specific conditions.
- In General-news related to the impact on Germany, the new rules may provide the country with the flexibility to manage its rapidly growing wolf population and address increasing conflicts between wolves and livestock, reportedly causing injuries, deaths, or disappearances of over 5,000 livestock in 2023.
