Question reference: S4W-29255
- Asked by: Stewart Maxwell, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 11 January 2016
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Current status: Answered by Aileen McLeod on 26 January 2016
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to help Scotland play a leading role in ensuring that the EU birds and habitats directives are implemented better, and what the reason is for its position on this matter.
Answer
Scotland provides the largest component of the UK’s contribution to the European Union’s Natura 2000 network. The Scottish Government is continuing to participate in the European Commission’s “fitness check” of the EU birds and habitats directives, the conclusions of which have yet to be determined. Like the UK Government (as outlined by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Council of the EU Environment Council meeting on 16 December 2015), we do not wish to seek the renegotiation of the directives.