Romania and Slovakia Seek EU Flexibility on Brown Bear Management

Romania and Slovakia, which together host over half of the European Union’s brown bear population, have asked the European Commission to re‑evaluate the strict protection regime applied to the species under the Habitats Directive. The two governments propose a more flexible management approach, similar to recent measures for wolves, to address rising safety concerns, agricultural damage and the financial burden on rural communities.

The joint position will be discussed at the upcoming AGRIFISH Council meeting, initiated by the two states. Deputy Prime Minister and interim Agriculture Minister Barna Tánczos said, “Conservation success cannot be measured only by the number of specimens; it must also consider the impact on people.” The ministries seek recognition of scientific population‑density control as a legitimate management tool and request clarification on applying the directive to large carnivores in a favorable conservation status.