Review of the EU legislation for 24/06/2025

Directive (EU) 2025/1237: Wolf Protection Status Adjustment

Directive (EU) 2025/1237 modifies the rules regarding wolf protection within the EU. The key change is the reclassification of the wolf. It moves from being a “strictly protected fauna species” to simply a “protected fauna species” under Council Directive 92/43/EEC. This legislative shift, achieved by amending Annexes IV and V of the original directive, aligns EU law with commitments under the Bern Convention. While this directive lowers the general protection level for wolves across the EU, Member States retain the power to implement and maintain stricter protection measures for wolves within their own territories, as long as these measures are in line with EU treaties. The deadline for Member States to incorporate this directive into their national laws is January 15, 2027.

Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1256: Sanctions for Human Rights Abuses in Syria

Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1256 strengthens the EU’s stance against human rights violations by imposing restrictive measures on five specific individuals linked to serious abuses in Syria. This regulation amends Annex I of Council Regulation (EU) 2020/1998, effectively adding these individuals to the EU’s sanctions list. The sanctioned individuals—Miqdad Lu’ay Fatiha, Ghaith Dalla, Suhayl al-Hasan, Mudalal Khoury, and Imad Khoury—are identified with detailed information, including their roles and involvement in human rights violations, primarily related to violence in Syria and support for the al-Assad regime. The regulation, effective immediately upon publication, directly applies in all EU Member States, obligating them to enforce the sanctions against these individuals.

Review of each of legal acts published today:

Directive (EU) 2025/1237 amends Council Directive 92/43/EEC concerning the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora, specifically regarding the protection status of the wolf (Canis lupus). This amendment transposes a decision made by the Standing Committee of the Bern Convention, which shifted the wolf from a “strictly protected fauna species” to a “protected fauna species.” The directive aims to align EU law with international obligations under the Bern Convention, ensuring biodiversity conservation.

The directive consists of four articles. Article 1 amends Directive 92/43/EEC by removing the entry for the wolf from Annex IV, which lists strictly protected animal species, and adjusts its entry in Annex V, which lists protected animal species. Article 2 requires Member States to implement the necessary laws, regulations, and administrative provisions to comply with the Directive by January 15, 2027, and to inform the Commission accordingly. It also requires Member States to communicate the main measures of national law they adopt in the field covered by the Directive. Article 3 states that the Directive will enter into force twenty days after its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union, and Article 4 specifies that the Directive is addressed to the Member States. The main change is the downlisting of the wolf from a strictly protected to a protected species under EU law, reflecting the decision made under the Bern Convention.

The most important provision is Article 1, which directly amends Annexes IV and V of Directive 92/43/EEC, altering the protection status of the wolf. However, it is crucial to note recital 6, which clarifies that Member States retain the freedom to maintain a higher level of protection for the wolf, notwithstanding this amendment, provided it is compatible with the Treaties. This allows individual Member States to implement stricter protective measures for the wolf if they choose to do so.

This Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1256 concerns restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses. It amends Annex I to Council Regulation (EU) 2020/1998 by adding five individuals to the list of those subject to restrictive measures. These individuals are deemed responsible for serious human rights violations and abuses in Syria, particularly in connection with the violence in the coastal region in March 2025 and their support for the former al-Assad regime. The regulation aims to reinforce the EU’s role in addressing human rights violations worldwide.

The structure of the act is straightforward. It consists of two articles and an annex. Article 1 states that Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2020/1998 is amended as per the Annex to this regulation. Article 2 specifies that the regulation comes into force on the date of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union and is binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. The Annex lists the new individuals subject to sanctions. Compared to the original Regulation (EU) 2020/1998, this implementing regulation adds specific individuals to the sanctions list based on recent events and updated information.

The most important provision of this act is the inclusion of the five individuals in Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2020/1998. These individuals are: Miqdad Lu’ay Fatiha, Ghaith Dalla, Suhayl al-Hasan, Mudalal Khoury, and Imad Khoury. The Annex provides detailed identifying information for each person, including their aliases, dates and places of birth, nationalities, and reasons for their listing. These reasons primarily relate to their involvement in human rights abuses in Syria, either through direct participation in violence or by providing support to entities involved in such abuses. The date of listing for all individuals is 23 June 2025.