The European Community has deposited its instrument of accession to AEWA and will become 51th Contracting Party as of 1 October 2005.

The European Community currently has 25 Member States. The EU Birds Directive, which celebrated its 25th Anniversary last year, provides a framework for bird conservation across the EU, defining the minimum legal requirements and standards that all Member States must comply with, to protect and conserve wild birds and their habitats in their territory and in the EU as a whole. Many of these birds migrate to wintering areas located outside Europe. One of the findings presented at the Conference held at the occasion of the 25th Anniversary of the Bird Directive was that long-distance migrants are still in decline. The ratification of AEWA by the EU therefore is of high importance for the EU as well as for AEWA. In a combined effort we will try to halt the loss of biodiversity by 2010, which is the target set for Europe.

The EU has ratified the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the Ramsar Convention and the Bern Convention.

The UNEP/AEWA Secretariat is pleased to welcome the European Community on behalf of the Contracting Parties.