New Biogeographic Process Natura 2000 seminars Focus on improving the management of Natura 2000 sites Overall goal is achievement of FCS of selected habitats and species (linked to the 2020 strategy) Based on voluntary cooperation Not an instrument to assess progress of MS Natura 2000 Seminars

Plus points (1) No additional burden on Member States for information gathering (reference Article 17) Cooperation & Knowledge management process - not an additional reporting process Knowledge from experts put forward by MS but also NGOs, expert groups and other habitat/species experts (thus need not be a major burden on MS experts). Mechanism for achieving 2020 target, including Identification of barriers and bottlenecks that hamper habitat management and shared formulation of practical management solutions and effective policy recommendations Natura 2000 Seminars 2

Plus points (2) Coordination and facilitation of cross boundary and in-country projects (LIFE nature and other projects) Creation of networks of experts and practitioners Communication platform and free access to relevant data and information Pooling and dissemination of habitat management expertise Exploration of opportunities (e.g. for cross-border cooperation) Etc… Natura 2000 Seminars 3

Process: Boreal Natura 2000 Seminars Atlantic Biogeographic Region 4

Process: Atlantic Natura 2000 Seminars Atlantic Biogeographic Region 5

Key points in process (Boreal) Background document (knowledge) ‘Living document’ Seminar document (focusing discussions) Where we are in management Problems/threats Possible solutions Possible recommendations / conclusions for management and cooperative actions Seminar conclusions To be elaborated and adopted at the Seminar

Key points in process (Atlantic) Selection of Habitats (“Top 20”) Pre-scoping document (+species) Background document + habitat information sheet Preparatory Workshop – specific and cross cutting issues (June 20-21, The Hague, the Netherlands) Seminar document (to be prepared after workshop) Seminar (November 2012, The Hague, The Netherlands) Natura 2000 Seminars

Top 20 Habitat types - Atlantic Based on MS ranking NGO added for comparison +NGO = Same list of 20 (different order) Natura 2000 Seminars 8

Northern Atlantic wet heaths with Erica tetralix 7 # N2K code Habitat name SUM MS 1 4010 Northern Atlantic wet heaths with Erica tetralix 7 2 91E0 Alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior (Alno-Padion, Alnion incanae, Salicion albae) 3 6230 Species-rich Nardus grasslands, on silicious substrates in mountain areas (and submountain areas in Continental Europe) 5 4 6410 Molinia meadows on calcareous, peaty or clayey-silt-laden soils (Molinion caeruleae) 2190 Humid dune slacks 6 6510 Lowland hay meadows (Alopecurus pratensis, Sanguisorba officinalis) 7110 Active raised bogs 8 2130 Fixed coastal dunes with herbaceous vegetation ("grey dunes") 9 6210 Semi-natural dry grasslands and scrubland facies on calcareous substrates (Festuco-Brometalia) (* important orchid sites) 10 4030 European dry heaths 9

Transition mires and quaking bogs 4 11 7140 Transition mires and quaking bogs 4 12 2120 Shifting dunes along the shoreline with Ammophila arenaria ("white dunes") 13 3260 Water courses of plain to montane levels with the Ranunculion fluitantis and Callitricho-Batrachion vegetation 14 1130 Estuaries 15 1330 Atlantic salt meadows (Glauco-Puccinellietalia maritimae) 16 3130 Oligotrophic to mesotrophic standing waters with vegetation of the Littorelletea uniflorae and/or of the Isoëto-Nanojuncetea 17 3150 Natural eutrophic lakes with Magnopotamion or Hydrocharition - type vegetation 18 3110 Oligotrophic waters containing very few minerals of sandy plains (Littorelletalia uniflorae) 3 19 1310 Salicornia and other annuals colonizing mud and sand 20 7230 Alkaline fens 2 10

Species Annex II and IV species and also Annex I breeding bird species. Species which can be considered clearly associated to the selected habitat types using expert opinion of the ETC/BD. Natura 2000 Seminars 11

Communication Platform In preparation Expected to be operational in late 2012