Romanian Agriculture Minister Tanczos Barna urges EU to remove brown bear from strict protection

Interim Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Tanczos Barna requested the European Commission, represented by Environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall, to drop the brown bear from the EU list of strictly protected species and to introduce more flexible management rules for member states where the species is in a favourable conservation status. A Romanian expert team will present the results of a three‑year genetic study at a Brussels meeting.

The study, funded with more than €10 million from EU sources, involved around 800 specialists who collected roughly 24 000 genetic samples nationwide. It found that Romania hosts between 10 600 and 12 700 brown bears – the largest population and highest genetic diversity of the species in Europe. The EU is currently reviewing the Birds and Habitats Directives through a “stress‑test” process that includes a public consultation, and Romania seeks differentiated measures based on its specific situation. Barna also invited Commissioner Roswall to travel the Via Transilvanica route to observe Romania’s wildlife and rural communities.