The governments of a dozen European Union member states, including Spain, have urged the European Commission to keep the wolf’s legal protection unchanged. They argue against a European Parliament resolution that would change its status in a move they say could increase harm to livestock.
In a letter spearheaded by Slovakia and sent recently to Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevicius, the agriculture and environment ministers of Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Spain, Ireland, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Austria, Portugal, Romania, and Slovenia rejected what they described as a trend toward weakening the wolf protections enshrined in EU law. They stressed that the gray wolf, like the Eurasian lynx and other large carnivores, helps regulate prey populations and contributes to ecosystem health. The Habitats Directive provides strong protection for these sensitive species, and deliberate harm to wild wolves is prohibited.
Yet last November the European Parliament approved a non-binding resolution promoting coexistence between humans, livestock, and large carnivores, especially in rural areas. It acknowledged that fluctuations in predator populations can trigger a range of environmental, agricultural, and socio-economic challenges. The ministers argued that the resolution should not override existing protections or ecological balances.
Members of the European Parliament have urged the European Commission and member states to act decisively to prevent livestock suffering. They called for monitoring the reappearance of large carnivores and for accurate assessments of their population sizes across affected regions.
Nevertheless, the twelve countries writing to the commission emphasized that animal damage is often seen as inevitable when large carnivores coexist with agricultural activities. They pointed out that many nations respond with compensation schemes for cattle losses or with precautionary measures to reduce human-wildlife conflicts.
Spanish wolf communities
Some ministers argued that the protection regime should be one that pairs strong preventive measures with fair compensation, effective communication with scientists and institutions, and open dialogue with the public. They asserted that a robust framework would support coexistence while mitigating harms to farmers.
Spanish officials, including Teresa Ribera, pressed Brussels to maintain a responsible approach to conserving rare species. They believe that a prudent conservation stance can accelerate fair compensation for damages and support the natural expansion of carnivores where scientifically justified, without compromising rural livelihoods.
The dispute over wolf conservation in Spain pits the central government against regional authorities in Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria, and Castilla y León. These regions have urged the government to remove the species from the List of Wild Species Under Special Conservation Regime, arguing that the wolf is not endangered in their territories and that livestock attacks continue to rise. They contend that listing the wolf under Lespre complicates inventories and governance without reliable data, a position they have raised before judicial authorities.
In response, officials described an ongoing information exchange between the European Commission and the affected regions. The commission committed to ongoing monitoring and support, with the aim of identifying realistic, EU-law-compliant solutions grounded in solid data while respecting the needs of rural communities.