For instance, population density in regions will soon be taken into account. The deterioration ban outside the Natura2000 areas, which was criticized by Minister Van der Wal, will be maintained but softened.
The European nature restoration law thus appears to be moving towards earlier Dutch (and also Flemish) concerns. The Flemish newspaper De Standaard claims to have seen the new Swedish compromise that leaked yesterday.
The rotating EU Presidency of Sweden ends at the end of this month, and the Swedes want to have the nature restoration law adopted at the ministers' meeting on June 20 in Luxembourg.
In this new version of the text, it is now stated that EU countries may take into account the diversity of regions, including population density. The Netherlands previously expressed fears that the new law would ‘lock down the Netherlands even further.’ The new compromise would now also acknowledge that the deterioration ban weighs too heavily outside the designated Natura2000 nature areas.
The European regulation would also be accompanied by substantial financial support, making the package ‘not an empty box,’ it is said.
Agreement in the EU Environment Council would be an important step, especially since the environmental committee (ENVI) of the European Parliament is also reporting rapprochement between political groups. This also points towards more flexibility for EU countries in implementing the regulation.
On this matter, an extraordinary committee meeting will be held next week during the full session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg (June 15).