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Habitats Directive [92/43/EEC]
Overview of alignment with the acquis communautaire
Nature protection has been subject to legislation since the early 60s, with laws on town and country planning, forests, fisheries
and game and wild birds. Further legislative measures aimed at fully transposing the Community acquis will be incorporated
in the new law(s) for the environment. Full compliance with the nature protection acquis will be ensured by the end of 2002.
Sites and species on the basis of the Habitats Directive have not yet been exhaustively identified for inclusion
in its various Annexes. Cyprus reserves the right to submit the final lists of habitats and species until the just initiated
relevant LIFE-financed project (i.e. "Special Areas of Conservation") is concluded, in 2001. However, a provisional
indication of some of the expected proposals for additions to the Annexes is given below:
in Annex I, the following
habitat types: Scrub and low forest vegetation with Quercus alnifolia (Quercetalia alnifolia), Forests with Quercus infectoria
(Quercion calliprini), Cedrus brevifolia forests (Querco-Cedretalia libanii), Open scrubs with Ziziphus lotus and Crataegus
azarolus (Ziziphetum loti cyprium)
in Annex II, the following mammals: Rousettus aegyptiacus, Ovis gmelini ophion; and
reptiles: Chelonia mydas, Coluber cypriensis and Natrix natrix cypriaca
in Annex II, the following endemic plant species:
Ainos troodi Leblebici, Arabis kennedyae Meikle, Astragalus macrocarpus DC. ssp. Lefkarensis Agerer-Kirchoff et Meikle, Brassica
hilarionis Post, Centaurea akamantis T. Georgiades et G. Chatzikyriakou, Chionodoxa lochiae Meikle, Crocus cyprius Boiss.
et Kotschy, Crocus hartmannianus Holmboe, Cynoglossum troodi Lindberg f., Delphinium caseyi B. L. Burtt, Onosma troodi Kotschy,
Ophrys kotschyi H. Fleischm. et Soo, Phlomis brevibracteata Turill, Phlomis cypria Post, Pinguicula crystallina Sibth. et
Sm., Ranunculus kykkoensis Meikle, Salvia veneris Hedge, Scilla morrisii Meikle, Sideritis cypria Post and Tulipa cypria Stapf.
Provisionally, Cyprus would also like to indicate that approximately 30 areas are expected to be proposed for inclusion
in the NATURA 2000 Network of protected areas.
Capacity to implement the acquis communautaire
The Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment is responsible for almost all of the nature-related aspects
of the acquis, with some specific areas covered by responsibilities of the Ministry of Interior. Infrastructure and expertise
are in place to implement the acquis but according to needs additional technical improvements and strengthening of the administrative
structures will be introduced.
Birds Directive [79/409/EEC]
Overview of alignment with the acquis communautaire
The Game and Wild Birds Law of 1974, as amended in 1991 and 1996, covers most aspects of the wild birds Directive. This law
will be appropriately amended and together with provisions in the new law(s) for the environment will complete transposition
by the end of 2001 with full implementation by accession.
As regards Annex I of the wild birds Directive, Cyprus
would like to add to the list of species requiring special habitat protection, the following endemic species and subspecies:
Sylvia melanothorax (Cyprus Warbler) (protection of its habitat), Oenanthe cypriaca (Cyprus Pied Wheatear) (protection of
its habitat), Otus scops cyprius (Cyprus Scops Owl) (protection of old trees with nesting holes), Certhia brachydactyla dorotheae(Cyprus
Short-toed Treecreeper) (protection of the pine forests of the Troodos range), and Loxia curvirostra guillermardi (Cyprus
Crossbill) (protection of the Pinus nigra forests).
With regard to Annex II/2 of the Directive, Cyprus would like
to be added to the countries in which the following species may be hunted: Anser albifrons (White-fronted Goose), Netta rufina
(Red-crested Pochard), Alectoris chukar (Chukar), Coturnix coturnix (Quail), Vanellus vanellus (Lapwing), Columba oenas (Stock
Dove), Streptopelia turtur (Turtle Dove), Alauda arvensis (Skylark), Turdus merula (Blackbird), Turdus pilaris (Fieldfare),
Turdus philomelos (Song Thrush), Turdus iliacus (Redwing), Turdus viscivorus (Mistle Thrush), Sturnus vulgaris (Starling),
Pica pica (Magpie) and Corvus corone (Carrion Crow). In addition, Cyprus proposes that Francolinus francolinus (Black Francolin)
be added to the list as a species that may be hunted in Cyprus, as it is a locally common resident and a traditional game
species, whose protection of the main habitats has led to a great expansion of its range and which has been successfully introduced
in other parts of the country.
As regards Annex III/1 of the Directive, referring to the species for which commercial
transactions can take place, Cyprus wishes that its provisions only apply for the species Anas platyrhynchos (Mallard) and
Phasianus colchicus (Pheasant), which are the only ones in the Annex for which a license to deal in game is currently not
required in Cyprus. As the other species, with the exception of Columba palumbus (Woodpigeon), do not exist in Cyprus, it
is necessary that the provisions of the Annex do not include Cyprus, in order to prevent their shipment and introduction to
the island and their competition with local indigenous species. Cyprus also would like to include in the Annex, the native
subspecies Alectoris chukar (Chukar) cypriotes, which is locally abundant and increasingly reared in local game- farms.
Cyprus also would like to maintain the present practice of providing special permits to use methods to scare away the
migratory bird species Merops apiaster (Bee-Eater), as it causes considerable damage to beehives and threatens the livelihood
of the related traditional rural activity by small farmers.
Capacity to implement the acquis communautaire
The Ministry of Interior is the competent authority for regulating hunting under the provisions of the Game and Wild Birds
Law and the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment for wildlife management and the new law(s) for the
environment. Infrastructure and expertise to implement the acquis are in place but according to needs, all necessary technical
improvements and strengthening of the administrative structures will be introduced.
INTRODUCTION OF EEC NATURE PROTECTION LEGISLATION - TIMETABLE
(FT = Date of Full Transposition FI = Date of Full Implementation)
92/43/EEC: Directive on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora 01.01.2002 [FT]: 01.01.2003 [FI]
79/409/EEC: Directive on the conservation of wild birds
01.01.2002 [FT]: 01.01.2003 [FI]
Regulation (EC) No 338/97 on the protection of species of wild fauna and flora by regulating trade therein/ Regulation
(EC) No 2473/98 suspending the introduction into the Community of specimens of certain species of wild fauna and flora/
Regulation (EC) No 939/97 laying down detailed rules concerning the implementation of Regulation (EC) No 338/97 on the
protection of species of wild fauna and flora by regulating trade therein/
Regulation (EC) No 2551/97 suspending the
introduction into the Community of specimens of certain species of wild fauna and flora
01.01.2002 [FT]: 01.01.2003
[FI]
Regulation (EEC) No 348/81 on common rules for imports of whales or other cetacean products
01.01.2002
[FT]: 01.01.2002 [FI]
Regulation (EEC) No 83/129/EEC: Directive concerning the importation into Member States
of skins of certain seal pups and products derived therefrom
01.01.2002 [FT]: 01.01.2002 [FI]
Regulation
(EEC) No 3254/91 prohibiting the use of leghold traps and the introduction of pelts and manufactured goods of certain wild
animal species originating in countries which catch them by means of leghold traps or trapping methods which do not meet international
humane trapping standards/
Regulation (EC) No 35/97 laying down provisions on the certification of pelts and goods
covered by Regulation (EEC) No 3254/91
01.01.2002 [FT]: 01.01.2002 [FI]
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