Environment, biodiversity : community strategy

In a working document on the European biodiversity strategy, the Commission submits the first report on the implementation in the Union of the objectives of the International Convention on Biodiversity. In particular, in accordance with the Community's commitments in this field, the Commission seeks to monitor the development of biodiversity in the Member States at regular intervals (Decision II/17 of the Second Conference of the Parties to the Biodiversity Convention). The report is also a useful means of verifying compliance with the Union's obligations and commitments under the Convention. It contains an in-depth assessment of the biological situation in the Union and its importance, looking particularly at ecosystems, habitats and species. It gives an overview of the measures in progress or planned and of Community instruments which could help to pursue the objectives of the Convention. These objectives are being pursued in 8 priority sectors: -conservation of natural resources, -agriculture, -forestry, -fisheries, -regional policy and land-use planning, -transport and energy, -tourism, -development and economic cooperation. For each of these sectors, the Commission gives details of the measures taken.�