Natura 2000 is a network of protected ecological areas throughout the European Union. It is a combination of two seperate directives which were both aimed at protecting Europe’s most threatened habitats and species. The Birds Directive of 1979 required the establishment of Special Protection Areas for some of Europe’s most endangered birds and for over a decade this directive stood alone; however, in 1992 the European Union adopted the Habitats Directive, which set up similar Special Areas of Conservation for over 200 habitats and over 1,000 additional species. While the aims of this program certainly are commendable, the lack of cohesion amongst member states has caused a number of problems and raised concerns for the program’s future success.
While Natura 2000 works to combat ecological destruction by scaling up, a lack of clear guidelines and structure has created a number of issues. As part of Natura 2000, each EU member state must make a list of all habitats and species listed in either the Habitat of Bird Directive and out of this list are selected the protected areas. Both the extent role of Natura 2000 cause severe disagreements among states however and the question of governance is still undefined. Some states, especially newer members, have more or less disregarded the rules for conservation but as of yet have only received warnings.