The Habitats Directive (more formally known as Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the Conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora) is a directive adopted by the

European Community The European Economic Community (EEC) was a regional organization created by the Treaty of Rome of 1957,Today the largely rewritten treaty continues in force as the ''Treaty on the functioning of the European Union'', as renamed by the Lis ...

in 1992 as a response to the

Berne Convention The Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, usually known as the Berne Convention, was an international assembly held in 1886 in the Swiss city of Bern by ten European countries with the goal to agree on a set of leg ...

. The European Community was reformed as the

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are located primarily in Europe, Europe. The union has a total area of ...

the following year, but the directive is still recognised. The Habitats Directive required national governments to specify areas that are expected to be ensuring the conservation of flora and fauna species. This led to the setting up of a network of

protected area Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the ena ...

s across the EU, along with ' Special Areas of Conservation', which together with the existing

Special Protection Area A Special Protection Area (SPA) is a designation under the European Union Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds. Under the Directive, Member States of the European Union (EU) have a duty to safeguard the habitats of migratory birds and certa ...

s, became the so-called

Natura 2000 Natura 2000 is a network of nature protection areas in the territory of the European Union. It is made up of Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas designated under the Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive, respecti ...

network established to protect species and habitats. This directive is one of the main pillars of the European Union's system of wildlife and nature conservation, another being the Birds Directive. The Habitats Directive, together with the Birds Directive, are also called the "nature directives". The Habitats Directive consists of 24 articles of legislation to which all member states must comply. Article 17 of the directive sets the terms and standards for reporting on both the habitats and species listed in the annexes by the individual EU member countries. It stipulates a report from each member country on the state of nature every six years. The first preliminary reports were due in 2001 (but only published in 2004), the first actual assessments were due in 2007 (published 2009), the second in 2013 (published 2015), and the third set of assessment reports were due in 2019 (published 2020). The assessments of conservation status differ markedly from those of the

IUCN Red List The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data Book, founded in 1964, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biolo ...

. The aim in the case of the EU conservation status is to assess the distance from a defined favourable situation, as opposed to the distance from extinction. There are three classes of conservation status: favourable (FV), unfavourable-inadequate (U1) and unfavourable-bad (U2). The annexes of the directive outline the protected habitats and species: *Annex I covers habitats, *Annex II species requiring designation of Special Areas of Conservation, *Annex IV species in need of strict protection, and *Annex V species in which member countries may decide for themselves how to manage the population.

History

From 1988 to 1992, the policy was given importance at the national level by policy experts, scientists and ecologists; later on in the 1990s this spawned further political, social and administrative discussions among the relevant countries. Due to differences in nature conservation traditions, national problems have arisen in the implementation of the directive. Since member states in the

south South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþa ...

and east of Europe participated less in nature policies, these states experienced problems with the EU provisions. In

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwee ...

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

and

Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to ...

, the observation of conflicts between various government layers have caused prolonged delays in the management of nature policies. On the other hand, in member states such as the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...

and

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic countries, Nordic c ...

, positive outcomes have developed due to stakeholder involvement, pro-active authorities, agencies responsible for implementation and public participation. According to one 2014 report there are increasing incompatibilities with the Natura 2000 policy on economic development.

Annex I

Annex I lists the specific

habitat In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...

s which have been designated as the a

Special Area of Conservation A Special Area of Conservation (SAC) is defined in the European Union's Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), also known as the ''Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora''. They are to protect the 220 habitats and a ...

, to which a common EU-wide legislation applies. Certain habitats among those are furthermore designated as "priority habitat types". Habitats in the EU are given codes. An area or habitat can combine two habitats, and be designated as for example code 35.2 × 64.1 - Open grassland with ''

Corynephorus ''Corynephorus'' is a genus of European, North African, and Middle Eastern plants in the grass family.Agrostis ''Agrostis'' (bent or bentgrass) is a large and very nearly cosmopolitan genus of plants in the grass family, found in nearly all the countries in the world. It has been bred as a GMO creeping bent grass. Species * '' Agrostis aequivalvi'' ...

'' (35.2), in combination with continental dunes (64.1). Example Annex I habitats are: Open sea and tidal areas *Sea cliffs and shingle or stony beaches *Atlantic and continental salt marshes and salt meadows *

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on ...

and thermo-Atlantic salt marshes and salt meadows *Salt and gypsum continental steppes Dunes *Sea dunes of the Mediterranean coast *Continental dunes, old and decalcified Standing and running freshwater *Sections of water courses with natural or semi-natural dynamics (minor, average and major beds) where the water quality shows no significant deterioration Matorral *Mediterranean arborescent

matorral 300px, Springtime in Chilean matorral a few kilometers north of Santiago along the Pan-American Highway Matorral is a Spanish language, Spanish word, along with ''tomillares'', for shrubland, thicket or bushes. It is used in naming and describin ...

*Thermo-Mediterranean and pre-steppe brush * Phrygana Grasslands *Natural grasslands *Semi-natural dry grasslands and scrubland facies *Sclerophyllous grazed forests ( dehesas) *Semi-natural tall-herb humid meadows *Mesophile grasslands Bogs, mires and fens *Sphagnum acid bogs *Calcareous fens Rocky areas and caves *Scree, chasmophytic vegetation on rocky slopes *Other rocky habitats Forests - Only (sub-)natural *Forests of temperate Europe *Mediterranean deciduous forests *Mediterranean sclerophyllous forests *Alpine and subalpine coniferous forests *Mediterranean mountainous coniferous forests The full list of habitats is distributed over 9 main categories.

Annex II

Annex II lists species which determine if an area is a

. These include:

Animals

Mammals

* Pyrenean desman (''Galemys pyrenaicus'') *Bats: '' Rhinolophus blasii'', ''R. euryale'', ''R. ferrumequinum'', ''R. hipposideros'', ''R. mehelyi'', ''

Barbastella barbastellus The western barbastelle (''Barbastella barbastellus''), also known as the barbastelle or barbastelle bat, is a European bat in the genus ''Barbastella''. This species is found from Portugal to Azerbaijan and from Sweden to Canary Islands, whe ...

'', ''

Miniopterus schreibersi The common bent-wing bat (''Miniopterus schreibersii''), also known as the Schreibers's long-fingered bat or Schreibers's bat, is a species of insectivorous bat. They appear to have dispersed from a subtropical origin and distributed throughout ...

'', '' Myotis bechsteini'', ''M. blythi'', ''M. capaccinii'', ''M. dasycneme'', ''M. emarginatus'', ''M. myotis'' *Rodents: ''

Spermophilus citellus The European ground squirrel (''Spermophilus citellus''), also known as the European souslik, is a species from the squirrel family, Sciuridae. It is among the few European species in the genus ''Spermophilus''. Like all squirrels, it is a member ...

'', '' Castor fiber'', '' Microtus cabrerae'' *Carnivores: Lynx (''

Lynx lynx The Eurasian lynx (''Lynx lynx'') is a medium-sized wild cat widely distributed from Northern, Central and Eastern Europe to Central Asia and Siberia, the Tibetan Plateau and the Himalayas. It inhabits temperate and boreal forests up to an elev ...

''), otter ('' Lutra lutra'') and ''

Mustela lutreola The European mink (''Mustela lutreola''), also known as the Russian mink and Eurasian mink, is a semiaquatic species of mustelid native to Europe. It is similar in colour to the American mink, but is slightly smaller and has a less specialized ...

'' *

Grey seal The grey seal (''Halichoerus grypus'') is found on both shores of the North Atlantic Ocean. In Latin Halichoerus grypus means "hook-nosed sea pig". It is a large seal of the family Phocidae, which are commonly referred to as "true seals" o ...

and harbour seal *natural populations of wild goats (''

Capra aegagrus The wild goat (''Capra aegagrus'') is a wild goat species, inhabiting forests, shrublands and rocky areas ranging from Turkey and the Caucasus in the west to Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan in the east. It has been listed as near threaten ...

'') *natural populations of wild sheep ('' Ovis ammon musimon'') on

Corsica Corsica ( , Upper , Southern ; it, Corsica; ; french: Corse ; lij, Còrsega; sc, Còssiga) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the 18 regions of France. It is the fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean and lies southeast of ...

and

Sardinia Sardinia ( ; it, Sardegna, label=Italian, Corsican and Tabarchino ; sc, Sardigna , sdc, Sardhigna; french: Sardaigne; sdn, Saldigna; ca, Sardenya, label= Algherese and Catalan) is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, aft ...

. * ''Rupicapra rupicapra balcanica'' *the dolphin ''

Tursiops truncatus Bottlenose dolphins are aquatic mammals in the genus ''Tursiops.'' They are common, cosmopolitan members of the family Delphinidae, the family of oceanic dolphins. Molecular studies show the genus definitively contains two species: the common ...

'' and the harbour porpoise ''

Phocoena phocoena The harbour porpoise (''Phocoena phocoena'') is one of eight extant species of porpoise. It is one of the smallest species of cetacean. As its name implies, it stays close to coastal areas or river estuaries, and as such, is the most familiar ...

Reptiles and amphibians

*Land tortoises: ''

Testudo hermanni Hermann's tortoise (''Testudo hermanni'') is a species of tortoise. Two subspecies are known: the western Hermann's tortoise (''T. h. hermanni'' ) and the eastern Hermann's tortoise (''T. h. boettgeri'' ). Sometimes mentioned as a subspecies, ...

'', ''T. graeca'' and ''T. marginata'' *Freshwater turtles: ''

Emys orbicularis The European pond turtle (''Emys orbicularis''), also called commonly the European pond terrapin and the European pond tortoise, is a species of long-living freshwater turtle in the family Emydidae. The species is endemic to the Western Palea ...

'', '' Mauremys caspica'' and ''M. leprosa'' *Lizards: '' Lacerta monticola'', ''L. schreiberi'', ''Gallotia galloti insulanagae'', ''

Podarcis lilfordi Lilford's wall lizard (''Podarcis lilfordi'' ) is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to the Balearic Islands, Spain. Its natural habitats are temperate Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, rocky areas, and rock ...

'', ''P. pityusensis'', ''

Chalcides occidentalis ''Chalcides'' is a genus of skinks (family Scincidae). It is usually placed in the subfamily Scincinae (= Scincidae ''sensu'' Hedges 2014), a monophyletic clade of primarily African skinks. Species The following species are recognized as be ...

'' (a skink) and '' Phyllodactylus europaeus'' (a gecko) *Snakes: ''

Elaphe quatuorlineata ''Elaphe quatuorlineata'' (common names: four-lined snake, Bulgarian ratsnake) is a member of the family Colubridae. The four-lined snake is a non-venomous species and one of the largest of the European snakes. Description The species' common n ...

'', ''E. situla'' and ''

Vipera ursinii :''Common names: meadow viper, Ursini's viper, Mallow D, Ludwig D, Nilson G (2003). ''True Vipers: Natural History and Toxinology of Old World Vipers''. Malabar, Florida: Krieger Publishing Company. . meadow adder,Brown, John Haynes (1973). ''To ...

'' *Salamanders: '' Chioglossa lusitanica'', '' Mertensiella luschani'', '' Salamandrina terdigitata'', ''

Triturus cristatus The northern crested newt, great crested newt or warty newt (''Triturus cristatus'') is a newt species native to Great Britain, northern and central continental Europe and parts of Western Siberia. It is a large newt, with females growing up to ...

'', olm (''Proteus anguinus''), '' Speleomantes ambrosii'', ''S. flavus'', ''S. genei'', ''S. imperialis'' and ''S. supramontes'' *Toads: '' Bombina bombina'' and ''B. variegata'' *Frogs: '' Rana latastei'', '' Discoglossus jeanneae'', ''D. montalentii'' and ''D. sardus''

Fish

*All ''

Eudontomyzon ''Eudontomyzon'' is a genus of lamprey in the family Petromyzontidae. Most species are found in Eastern Europe. Species There are currently seven recognized species in this genus: * '' Eudontomyzon danfordi'' Regan The family name Regan, ...

'' species, '' Lampetra fluviatilis'', ''L. planeri'', '' Lethenteron zanandrai'', '' Petromyzon marinus'' *'' Aphanius iberus'' and ''A. fasciatus'' *only natural populations of '' Hucho hucho'' *only freshwater populations of salmon (''

Salmo salar The Atlantic salmon (''Salmo salar'') is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Salmonidae. It is the third largest of the Salmonidae, behind Siberian taimen and Pacific Chinook salmon, growing up to a meter in length. Atlantic salmon ar ...

''), the trout ''S. marmoradus'' and ''S. macrostigma'' *the cyprid fish '' Alburnus vulturius'', ''A. albidus'', ''

Anaecypris hispanica ''Anaecypris hispanica'', the Spanish minnowcarp, is a small species of ray-finned fish species in the family Cyprinidae. It is the only living member of the genus ''Anaecypris''. It is endemic to the Iberian Peninsula and is found in the basin of ...

'', ''

Aspius aspius The asp (''Leuciscus aspius'') is a European freshwater fish of the Cyprinidae family. It is sometimes considered by taxonomic authorities to be one of two members of the genus ''Aspius''. It is protected under Appendix III of the Bern Conventio ...

'', '' Barbus plebejus'', ''B. meridionalis'', ''B. capito'', ''B. comiza'', '' Chalcalburnus chalcoides'', '' Chondrostoma soetta'', ''Ch. polylepis'', ''Ch. genei'', ''Ch. lusitanicum'', ''Ch. toxostoma'', '' Gobio albipinnatus'', ''G. uranoscopus'', '' Iberocypris palaciosi'', '' Leuciscus lucomonis'', ''L. souffia'', all species of '' Phoxinellus'', '' Rutilus pigus'', ''R. rubilio'', ''R. arcasii'', ''R. macrolepidotus'', ''R. lemmingii'', ''R. friesii meidingeri'', ''R. alburnoides'', ''Rhodeus sericeus amarus'', ''

Scardinius graecus ''Scardinius graecus'', also called the Greek rudd or Yliki rudd, is a species of cyprinid fish, only known from a single lake, Lake Yliki Lake Yliki ( el, Υλίκη ''Yliki'', Ancient Greek: Ὑλίκη ''Hylike'', Latinised as ''Hylica'') is ...

'' *the

Cobitidae Cobitidae, also known as the True loaches, is a family of Old World freshwater fish. They occur throughout Eurasia and in Morocco, and inhabit riverine ecosystems. Today, most "loaches" are placed in other families (see below). The family inc ...

loaches '' Cobitis conspersa'', ''C. larvata'', ''C. trichonica'', ''C. taenia'', '' Misgurnis fossilis'', ''

Sabanejewia aurata ''Sabanejewia aurata'' is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Cobitidae. It is found in Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Croatia, Georgia, Hungary, Iran, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan Uzbekistan (, ; uz, Ozbeki ...

'' *of the perches: '' Gymnocephalus schraetzer'' and all ''

Zingel ''Zingel'' is a genus of fish in the family Percidae. They are long and slender, reaching 12 to 48 cm in length. They are found in rivers and streams in Europe. They feed mainly on aquatic invertebrates such as crustaceans and insect larvae ...

'' species except ''Z. asper'' and ''Z. zingel'' *

Gobiidae Gobiidae or gobies is a family of bony fish in the order Gobiiformes, one of the largest fish families comprising more than 2,000 species in more than 200 genera. Most of gobiid fish are relatively small, typically less than in length, and the ...

: '' Pomatoschistus canestrini'', '' Padogobius panizzai'', ''P. nigricans'' *the freshwater sculpins '' Cottus ferruginosus'', ''C. gobio'', ''C. petiti'' *all ''

Alosa ''Alosa'' is a genus of fish, the river herrings, in the family Clupeidae. Along with other genera in the subfamily Alosinae, they are generally known as shads. tp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/009/ac482e/ac482e27.pdf Subfamily AlosinaeFAO Fisherie ...

'' species, the river herrings or scads. *

Aristotle's catfish Aristotle's catfish (''Silurus aristotelis'') is a species of fish in the family Siluridae. It is endemic to Greece, where it occurs in the Acheloos River drainage. Its natural habitat is freshwater lakes. It is threatened by habitat loss. ...

(''Silurus aristotelis'')

Crustaceans

*the freshwater crayfish '' Austropotamobius pallipes''

Insects

*the beetles '' Buprestis splendens'', '' Cerambyx cerdo'', '' Cucujus cinnaberinus'', '' Dytiscus latissimus'', '' Graphoderus bilineatus'', '' Limoniscus violaceus'', ''

Lucanus cervus ''Lucanus cervus'', known as the European stag beetle, or the greater stag beetle, is one of the best-known species of stag beetle (family Lucanidae) in Western Europe, and is the eponymous example of the genus. ''L. cervus'' is listed as Near T ...

'' and ''

Morimus funereus ''Morimus funereus'' is a species of beetle in family Cerambycidae. It is found in Greece, North Macedonia, Albania, Belgium, Croatia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Montene ...

'' *the butterflies '' Coenonympha oedippus'', '' Erebia calcaria'', ''E. christi'', '' Eriogaster catax'', ''

Euphydryas aurinia The marsh fritillary (''Euphydryas aurinia'') is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. Commonly distributed in the Palearctic region, the marsh fritillary's common name derives from one of its several habitats, marshland. The prolonged larval st ...

'', '' Graellsia isabellae'', '' Hypodryas maturna'', ''

Lycaena dispar The large copper (''Lycaena dispar'') is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. ''L. dispar'' has been commonly arranged into three subspecies: ''L. dispar dispar'', (single-brooded) which was commonly found in England, but is now extinct, ''L. ...

'', '' Maculinea nausithous'', ''M. teleius'', '' Melanagria arge'', ''

Papilio hospiton ''Papilio hospiton'', the Corsican swallowtail, is a species of butterfly in the family Papilionidae. It is found only in Corsica and Sardinia in the Mediterranean Sea. A medium-sized butterfly with a wingspan of , ''Papilio hospiton'' is a sh ...

'', '' Plebicula golgus'' *the praying mantis ''

Apteromantis aptera ''Apteromantis aptera'' is a species of praying mantis endemic to the Iberian Peninsula. It was first described by José María Hugo de la Fuente Morales in 1894. It was previously considered to be endangered by the IUCN, but has been downgrade ...

'' *the dragonflies '' Coenagrion hylas'', ''C. mercuriale'', '' Cordulegaster trinacriae'', '' Gomphus graslinii'', '' Leucorrhina pectoralis'', '' Lindenia tetraphylla'', ''

Macromia splendens ''Macromia splendens'' is a species of dragonfly in the family Macromiidae. It is found in France, Portugal, and Spain. Its natural habitats are rivers and water storage areas. It is threatened by habitat loss Habitat destruction (also te ...

'', ''

Ophiogomphus cecilia ''Ophiogomphus cecilia'', the green snaketail, green gomphid, or green club-tailed dragonfly, is a species of dragonfly in the family Gomphidae. Description The only snaketail in Europe; resembles a large clubtail in general coloration and ri ...

'', '' Oxygastra curtisii'' *the grasshopper '' Baetica ustulata''

Molluscs

Gastropods The gastropods (), commonly known as snails and slugs, belong to a large taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca called Gastropoda (). This class comprises snails and slugs from saltwater, from freshwater, and from land. The ...

(snails): '' Caseolus calculus'', ''C. commixta'', ''C. sphaerula'', '' Discula leacockiana'', ''D. tabellata'', '' Discus defloratus'', ''D. guerinianus'', '' Elona quimperiana'', ''

Geomalacus maculosus The Kerry slug or Kerry spotted slug (''Geomalacus maculosus'') is a species of terrestrial, pulmonate, gastropod mollusc. It is a medium-to-large sized, air-breathing land slug in the family of roundback slugs, Arionidae. Adult Kerry slugs g ...

'', '' Geomitra moniziana'', '' Idiomela subplicata'' (as ''Helix subplicata''), '' Leiostyla abbreviata'', ''L. cassida'', ''L. corneocostata'', ''L. gibba'', ''L. lamellosa'', ''

Vertigo angustior ''Vertigo angustior'', the narrow-mouthed whorl snail, is a species of minute land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk or micromollusk in the family Vertiginidae, the whorl snails. MolluscaBase eds. (2023). MolluscaBase. Vertigo ...

'', ''V. genesii'', ''V. geyeri'', ''V. moulinsiana'' *Bivalves: '' Margaritifera margaritifera'' and ''

Unio crassus ''Unio crassus'', the thick shelled river mussel, is a species of freshwater mussel, an aquatic bivalve mollusk in the family Unionidae, the river mussels. MolluscaBase eds. (2023). MolluscaBase. Unio crassus Philipsson, 1788. Accessed through: ...

Plants

Mosses and liverworts: '' Bruchia vogesiaca'', '' Buxbaumia viridis'', '' Dichelyma capillaceum'', '' Dicranum viride'', '' Distichophyllum carinatum'', '' Drepanocladus vernicosus'', '' Jungermannia handelii'', '' Mannia triandra'', ''

Meesia longiseta ''Meesia longiseta'' is a species of moss belonging to the family Meesiaceae Meesiaceae is a family of mosses belonging to the order Splachnales Splachnales is the botanical name of an order of Bryophyta or leafy mosses. References ...

'', '' Nothothylas orbicularis'', '' Orthotrichum rogeri'', '' Petalophyllum ralfsii'', '' Riccia breidleri'', '' Riella helicophylla'', '' Scapania massolongi'', '' Sphagnum pylaisii'', '' Tayloria rudolphiana'' Ferns and allies *the ferns '' Asplenium jahandiezii'', ''

Culcita macrocarpa ''Culcita macrocarpa'', the woolly tree fern, is a species of fern in the family Culcitaceae native to Macaronesia and parts of the Iberian Peninsula, where it might have been introduced. Description ''Culcita macrocarpa'' is a large plant ...

'', '' Trichomanes speciosum'' and '' Woodwardia radicans'' *the water ferns '' Marsilea batardae'', ''M. quadrifolia'' and ''M. strigosa'' *''

Botrychium simplex ''Botrychium simplex'', the little grapefern, is a species of fern in the family Ophioglossaceae that is native to North America and Greenland. It is a perennial. Conservation status in the United States It is listed as a special concern species ...

'' and '' Ophioglossum polyphyllum'' *the squillworts '' Isoetes boryana'' and ''I. malinverniana'' Monocots * Alismataceae: '' Caldesia parnassifolia'' and '' Luronium natans'' *'' Allium grosii'' *'' Eleocharis carniolica'' *''

Juncus valvatus ''Juncus'' is a genus of monocotyledonous flowering plants, commonly known as rushes. It is the largest genus in the family Juncaceae, containing around 300 species. Description Rushes of the genus ''Juncus'' are herbaceous plants that superf ...

'' *'' Hyacinthoides vicentina'' *'' Leucojum nicaeense'' *Daffodils: ''

Narcissus asturiensis ''Narcissus asturiensis'', the pygmy daffodil, is a perennial bulbous plant native to the mountains of North Portugal and Spain, where it grows at altitudes up to 2000 m (6000 ft). , Kew sources consider the correct name to be ''Narci ...

'', ''N. calcicola'', ''N. cyclamineus'', ''N. fernandesii'', ''N. humilis'', ''N. pseudonarcissus'' subsp. ''nobilis'', ''N. scaberulus'', ''N. triandrus'' subsp. ''capax'' and ''N. viridiflorus'' *Grasses: '' Avenula hackelii'', '' Bromus grossus'', ''

Coleanthus subtilis ''Coleanthus'' is a genus of Eurasian and North American plants in the grass family. The only known species is ''Coleanthus subtilis''. It has a scattered distribution, found on lakeshores, streambanks, and other wet places in central Europe ...

'', '' Festuca brigantina'', ''F. duriotagana'', ''F. elegans'', ''F. henriquesii'', ''F. sumilusitanica'', ''

Gaudinia hispanica ''Gaudinia'' is a genus of Mediterranean plants in the grass family. The genus name is a tribute to Swiss botanist Jean François Aimé Théophile Philippe Gaudin (1766-1833). ; Species * '' Gaudinia coarctata'' - Azores * ''Gaudinia fragili ...

'', ''Holcus setiglumis'' subsp. ''duriensis'', '' Micropyropsis tuberosa''. '' Pseudarrhenatherum pallens'' and ''

Puccinellia pungens ''Puccinellia'' is a genus of plants in the grass family, known as alkali grass or salt grass. These grasses grow in wet environments, often in saline or alkaline conditions. They are native to temperate to Arctic regions of the Northern and S ...

'' *Orchids: ''

Cypripedium calceolus ''Cypripedium calceolus'' is a lady's-slipper orchid, and the type species of the genus ''Cypripedium''. It is native to Europe and Asia. Taxonomy ''Cypripedium'' comes from the Greek Κυπρισ πεδιον (''Kupris pedion''), meaning Ven ...

'' and '' Liparis loeselii'' *Cretan date palm (''

Phoenix theophrasti ''Phoenix theophrasti'', the Cretan date palm, is a palm native to the eastern Mediterranean, with a very restricted distribution, confined to southern Greece, a few sites on Crete and nearby islands, as well as some places on the Turkish coa ...

'') Dicots *

Apiaceae Apiaceae or Umbelliferae is a family of mostly aromatic flowering plants named after the type genus '' Apium'' and commonly known as the celery, carrot or parsley family, or simply as umbellifers. It is the 16th-largest family of flowering plan ...

: ''

Angelica palustris ''Angelica palustris'' ( syn. ''Ostericum palustre''), commonly known as marsh angelica, is a biennial or a perennial plant species from the family Apiaceae. It can grow up to 1.2 meter tall. It has bipinnate leaves, meaning arranged opposite ...

'', '' Apium repens'', '' Athamanta cortiana'', ''

Eryngium alpinum ''Eryngium alpinum'', the alpine sea holly, alpine eryngo or queen of the Alps, is a herbaceous perennial plant in the family Apiaceae. Description ''Eryngium alpinum'' is a hemicryptophyte, its overwintering buds are situated just below the so ...

'', '' Petagnia saniculifolia'', '' Rouya polygama'' and '' Thorella verticillatinundata'' *''

Aldrovanda vesiculosa ''Aldrovanda vesiculosa'', commonly known as the waterwheel plant, is the sole extant species in the flowering plant genus ''Aldrovanda'' of the family Droseraceae. The plant captures small aquatic invertebrates using traps similar to those of t ...

'' *

Asteraceae The family Asteraceae, alternatively Compositae, consists of over 32,000 known species of flowering plants in over 1,900 genera within the order Asterales. Commonly referred to as the aster, daisy, composite, or sunflower family, Compositae ...

: '' Centaurea corymbosa'', ''C. gadorensis'', ''C. kartschiana'', ''Centaurea micrantha'' subsp. ''herminii'', ''C. pulvinata'', ''C. rothmalerana'', ''C. vicentina'', '' Crepis granatensis'', '' Erigeron frigidus'', '' Hymenostemma pseudanthemis'', '' Leontodon microcephalus'', ''L. boryi'', '' Leuzea longifolia'', ''

Ligularia sibirica ''Ligularia sibirica'' is the type species for the genus ''Ligularia''. It is a 0.3-1.3 m tall perennial plant, perennial herbaceous plant, native to fens and damp grassy meadows in Siberia, Central Europe, Central and Eastern Europe. Once fairly ...

'', '' Santolina impressa'', ''S. semidentata'' and '' Senecio nevadensis'' *

Boraginaceae Boraginaceae, the borage or forget-me-not family, includes about 2,000 species of shrubs, trees and herbs in 146, to 156 genera with a worldwide distribution. The APG IV system from 2016 classifies the Boraginaceae as single family of the ...

: '' Myosotis lusitanica'', ''M. rehsteineri'', ''M. retusifolia'', ''

Omphalodes kuzinskyana ''Omphalodes'' (navelwort) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Boraginaceae, widely distributed in the temperate Northern Hemisphere. In spring they produce blue or white flowers similar to forget-me-nots. Both the Greek ''Omphalodes'' ...

'' and ''

Solenanthus albanicus ''Solenanthus'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Boraginaceae Boraginaceae, the borage or forget-me-not family, includes about 2,000 species of shrubs, trees and herbs in 146, to 156 genera with a worldwide distribution. The AP ...

'' *

Brassicaceae Brassicaceae () or (the older) Cruciferae () is a medium-sized and economically important family of flowering plants commonly known as the mustards, the crucifers, or the cabbage family. Most are herbaceous plants, while some are shrubs. The leav ...

: ''

Alyssum pyrenaicum ''Alyssum'' is a genus of over a hundred species of flowering plants in the family Brassicaceae, native to Europe, Asia, and northern Africa, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean region. The genus comprises annual and perenni ...

'', ''

Arabis sadina ''Arabis sadina'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae. It is endemic to Portugal. Distribution and habitat ''Arabis sadina'' is endemic to the centre-west of Portugal, occurring in the districts of Leiria, Santarém, L ...

'', ''

Biscutella vincentina ''Biscutella'' is a genus of about 46 species of flowering plants in the family Brassicaceae Brassicaceae () or (the older) Cruciferae () is a medium-sized and economically important family of flowering plants commonly known as the mustards, t ...

'', '' Boleum asperum'', '' Brassica glabrescens'', ''B. insularis'', ''

Coincya cintrana ''Coincya cintrana'' is a flowering plant of the family Brassicaceae. It is a hemicryptophyte plant, and it grows on walls, in steep areas and in rocky slopes. It flowers A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive ...

'', '' Diplotaxis ibicensis'', ''D. vicentina'', '' Erucastrum palustre'', ''Iberis procumbens'' subsp. ''microcarpa'', ''

Ionopsidium savianum ''Ionopsidium'' is a genus of plants in the family Brassicaceae Brassicaceae () or (the older) Cruciferae () is a medium-sized and economically important family of flowering plants commonly known as the mustards, the crucifers, or the cabbag ...

'', ''

Sisymbrium cavanillesianum ''Sisymbrium'' is a genus of plants in the family Brassicaceae. Selected species * '' Sisymbrium altissimum'' – Jim Hill mustard, tall rocket, tall tumblemustard * '' Sisymbrium crassifolium'' * '' Sisymbrium erysimoides'' * '' Sisymbrium ...

'' and ''S. supinum'' * Campanulaceae: '' Asyneuma giganteum'', ''Jasione crispa'' subsp. ''serpentinica'' and ''J. lusitanica'' *

Caryophyllaceae Caryophyllaceae, commonly called the pink family or carnation family, is a family of flowering plants. It is included in the dicotyledon order Caryophyllales in the APG III system, alongside 33 other families, including Amaranthaceae, Cactacea ...

: '' Arenaria provincialis'', ''Dianthus cintranus'' subsp. ''cintranus'', ''D. marizii'', ''D. rupicola'', '' Herniaria algarvica'', ''H. berlengiana'', ''H. maritima'', '' Moehringia tommasinii'', ''

Petrocoptis grandiflora ''Petrocoptis'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Caryophyllaceae. Its native range is Pyrenees to Northern Spain. Species Species: *''Petrocoptis crassifolia'' *''Petrocoptis glaucifolia ''Petrocoptis'' is a genus of ...

'', ''P. montsicciana'', ''P. pseudoviscosa'', '' Silene cintrana'', ''S. hifacensis'', ''S. longicilia'' and ''S. mariana'' *'' Centranthus trinervis'' *

Cistaceae The Cistaceae are a small family of plants (rock-rose or rock rose family) known for their beautiful shrubs, which are profusely covered by flowers at the time of blossom. This family consists of about 170(-200) species in nine genera that ar ...

: ''

Cistus palhinhae ''Cistus ladanifer'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Cistaceae. It is native to the western Mediterranean region. Common names include gum rockrose, labdanum, common gum cistus, and brown-eyed rockrose. Description It is a shrub ...

'', ''

Halimium verticillatum ''Halimium'' (rockrose, false sun-rose, or halimium) is a genus of 12 species of evergreen or semi-evergreen subshrubs in the family Cistaceae, closely related to ''Cistus''. They are native to Europe, North Africa and Asia Minor, with the centr ...

'', '' Helianthemum alypoides'' and ''H. caput-felis'' *'' Daphne petraea'' *'' Erodium paularense'' *''

Euphorbia transtagana ''Euphorbia'' is a very large and diverse genus of flowering plants, commonly called spurge, in the family Euphorbiaceae. "Euphorbia" is sometimes used in ordinary English to collectively refer to all members of Euphorbiaceae (in deference to t ...

'' *

Fabaceae The Fabaceae or Leguminosae,International Code of Nomenc ...

: '' Anthyllis hystrix'', '' Astragalus centralpinus'', ''A. tremolsianus'', '' Genista dorycnifolia'', ''G. holopetala'', ''Melilotus segetalis'' subsp. ''fallax'' and '' Trifolium saxatile'' *

Gentianaceae Gentianaceae is a family of flowering plants of 103 genera and about 1600 species. Etymology The family takes its name from the genus ''Gentiana'', named after the Illyrian king Gentius. Distribution Distribution is cosmopolitan. Characteristi ...

: '' Gentiana ligustica'' and '' Gentianella angelica'' *

Lamiaceae The Lamiaceae ( ) or Labiatae are a family of flowering plants commonly known as the mint, deadnettle or sage family. Many of the plants are aromatic in all parts and include widely used culinary herbs like basil, mint, rosemary, sage, savory ...

: '' Dracocephalum austriacum'', '' Nepeta dirphya'', ''

Origanum dictamnus ''Origanum dictamnus'', the dittany of Crete, Cretan dittany or hop marjoram, is a tender perennial plant that grows 20–30 cm high. It is known in Greek as ''δίκταμο'' (''díktamo'', cf. " dittany") or in the Cretan dialect as '' ...

'', ''Sideritis incana'' subsp. ''glauca'', ''S. javalambrensis'', ''S. serrata'', '' Teucrium lepicephalum'', ''T. turredanum'' and '' Thymus carnosus'' *

Malvaceae Malvaceae, or the mallows, is a family of flowering plants estimated to contain 244 genera with 4225 known species. Well-known members of economic importance include okra, cotton, cacao and durian. There are also some genera containing familia ...

: ''

Kosteletzkya pentacarpos ''Kosteletzkya pentacarpos'', the seashore mallow, also known as the saltmarsh mallow, sweat weed, Virginia saltmarsh mallow, or hibiscus à cinq carpelles, is an herb found in marshes along the eastern seashore of North America, parts of coastal ...

'' *''

Najas flexilis ''Najas flexilis'' is an aquatic annual plant native to parts of North America and Europe. It is native to northern and central Europe from Norway to Ireland to Switzerland, and from there across Russia (including Siberia). It is also considered ...

'' * Paeoniaceae: '' Paeonia cambessedesii'', ''P. parnassica'' and ''P. clusii'' subsp. ''rhodia'' *'' Pinguicula nevadensis'' *'' Plantago algarbiensis'' and ''P. almogravensis'' *

Plumbaginaceae Plumbaginaceae is a family of flowering plants, with a cosmopolitan distribution. The family is sometimes referred to as the leadwort family or the plumbago family. Most species in this family are perennial herbaceous plants, but a few grow ...

: '' Armeria berlengensis'', ''A. negleta'', ''A. pseudarmeria'', ''A. soleirolii'', ''A. velutina'', ''Limonium dodartii'' subsp. ''lusitanicum'', ''L. lanceolatum'' and ''L. multiflorum'' *

Polygonaceae The Polygonaceae are a family of flowering plants known informally as the knotweed family or smartweed—buckwheat family in the United States. The name is based on the genus ''Polygonum'', and was first used by Antoine Laurent de Jussieu in ...

: '' Polygonum praelongum'' and '' Rumex rupestris '' * Primulaceae: '' Androsace mathildae'', Androsace pyrenaica, ''A. pyrenaica'', ''Primula palinuri'' and ''Soldanella villosa'' *Ranunculaceae: ''Adonis distorta'', ''Aquilegia bertolonii'', Aquilegia kitaibelii, ''A. kitaibelii'' and ''Pulsatilla patens'' *Rosaceae: ''Potentilla delphinensis'' *Saxifragaceae: ''Saxifraga berica'', Saxifraga florulenta, ''S. florulenta'', Saxifraga hirculus, ''S. hirculus'' and Saxifraga tombeanensis, ''S. tombeanensis'' *Scrophulariaceae: ''Antirrhinum charidemi'', Chaenorrhinum serpyllifolium, ''Chaenorrhinum serpyllifolium'' subsp. ''lusitanicum'', ''Euphrasia marchesettii'', ''Linaria algarviana'', Linaria coutinhoi, ''L. coutinhoi'', Linaria flava, ''L. flava'', Linaria tonzigii, ''L. tonzigii'', ''Odontites granatensis'', ''Verbascum litigiosum'' and ''Veronica micrantha'' *''Thesium ebracteatum'' *''Viola jaubertiana'' *Willow: Salix salviifolia, ''Salix salviifolia'' subsp. ''australis'' *''Zelkova abelicea''

Priority species

There are also a number of priority species:

Animals

*Microtus oeconomus, Dutch tundra vole (''Microtus oeconomus arenicola'') *Wolf (''Canis lupus''): Spanish populations: only those south of the Duero; Greek populations: only those south of the 39th parallel north, 39th parallel) *Brown bear *Iberian lynx *Monk seal (''Monachus monachus'') *Corsican red deer (''Cervus elaphus corsicanus'') *Pyrenean ibex (''Capra pyrenaica pyrenaica'') *Apennine chamois (''Rupicarpa ornata'') *Loggerhead sea turtle (''Caretta caretta'') *the lizard ''Gallotia simonyi'' *the viper ''Vipera schweizeri'' *Fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra, ''Salamandra salamandra aurorae'') *Majorcan midwife toad (''Alytes muletensis'') *the frog Pelobates fuscus, ''Pelobates fuscus insubricus'' *the sturgeons ''Acipenser naccarii'' and ''Acipenser sturio'' *the fish ''Valencia hispanica'' *some of the anadromous populations in certain sectors of the North Sea of ''Coregonus oxyrhynchus'' *the cyprid fish ''Ladigesocypris ghigii'' *the beetles ''Carabus olympiae'', ''Osmoderma eremita'' and ''Rosalia alpina'' *the butterfly ''Euplagia quadripunctaria'' (under the synonym ''Callimorpha quadripunctata'')

Plants

*the fern ''Dryopteris corleyi'' *the moss ''Bryoerythrophyllum machadoanum'' *the liverwort ''Marsupella profunda'' *the spruce ''Abies nebrodensis'' *''Androcymbium rechingeri'' *''Asphodelus bento-rainhae'' *''Muscari gussonei'' *the daffodil ''Narcissus nevadensis'' *''Carex panormitana'' *''Dioscorea chouardii'' (as ''Borderea chouardii'') *Grasses: ''Stipa austroitalica'', Stipa bavarica, ''S. bavarica'' and Stipa veneta, ''S. veneta'' *Orchids: ''Cephalanthera cucullata'' and ''Ophrys lunulata'' *

: ''Angelica heterocarpa'', ''Apium bermejoi'', ''Bupleurum capillare'', Bupleurum kakiskalae, ''B. kakiskalae'', ''Eryngium viviparum'', ''Laserpitium longiradium'', ''Naufraga balearica'', ''Oenanthe conioides'' and ''Seseli intricatum'' *

: ''Anthemis glaberrima'', ''Artemisia granatensis'', ''Aster pyrenaeus'', Aster sorrentinii, ''A. sorrentinii'', ''Carduus myriacanthus'', ''Centaurea alba'' subsp. ''heldreichii'' and subsp. ''princeps'', Centaurea attica, ''C. attica'' subsp. ''megarensis'', Centaurea balearica, ''C. balearica'', Centaurea borjae, ''C. borjae'', Centaurea citricolor, ''C. citricolor'', Centaurea horrida, ''C. horrida'', Centaurea kalambakensis, ''C. kalambakensis'', Centaurea lactiflora, ''C. lactiflora'', Centaurea niederi, ''C. niederi'', Centaurea peucedanifolia, ''C. peucedanifolia'', Centaurea pinnata, ''C. pinnata'', ''Crepis crocifolia'', ''Jurinea cyanoides'', Jurinea fontqueri, ''J. fontqueri'', ''Lamyropsis microcephala'', ''Leontodon siculus'' and ''Senecio elodes'' *''Atropa baetica'' *''Bassia saxicola'' *

: ''Anchusa crispa'', ''Lithodora nitida'', ''Omphalodes littoralis'' and ''Symphytum cycladense'' *

: ''Biscutella neustriaca'', ''Brassica macrocarpa'', ''Coincya rupestris'', ''Coronopus navasii'', ''Diplotaxis siettiana'', ''Iberis arbuscula'' and ''Ionopsidium acaule'' *''Campanula sabatia'' *

: ''Arenaria nevadensis'', ''Gypsophila papillosa'', Herniaria latifolia, ''Herniaria latifolia'' subsp. ''litardierei'', ''Silene hicesiae'', Silene holzmanii, ''S. holzmanii'', Silene orphanidis, ''S. orphanidis'', Silene rothmaleri, ''S. rothmaleri'' and Silene velutina, ''S. velutina'' *Convolvulaceae: ''Convolvulus argyrothamnus'' and Convolvulus fernandesii, ''C. fernandesii'' *

: ''Tuberaria major'' *''Daphne rodriguezii'' *''Euphorbia margalidiana'' *

Fabaceae The Fabaceae or Leguminosae,International Code of Nomenc ...

: ''Astragalus algarbiensis'', Astragalus aquilanus, ''A. aquilanus'', Astragalus maritimus, ''A. maritimus'', Astragalus verrucosus, ''A. verrucosus'', ''Cytisus aeolicus'', ''Ononis hackelii'' and ''Vicia bifoliolata'' *

: ''Centaurium rigualii'' and Centaurium somedanum, ''C. somedanum'' *Geraniaceae: ''Erodium astragaloides'' and Erodium rupicola, ''E. rupicola'' *''Euphorbia margalidiana'' *''Hypericum aciferum'' *

: ''Micromeria taygetea'', ''Nepeta sphaciotica'', ''Thymus camphoratus'' and Thymus cephalotos, ''T. cephalotos'' *''Linum muelleri'' *''Lythrum flexuosum'' *

: ''Armeria helodes'', Armeria rouyana, ''A. rouyana'', ''Limonium insulare'', Limonium pseudolaetum, ''L. pseudolaetum'' and Limonium strictissimum, ''L. strictissimum'' * Primulaceae: ''Primula apennina'' *Ranunculaceae: ''Aconitum corsicum'', Aquilegia pyrenaica, ''Aquilegia pyrenaica'' subsp. ''cazorlensis'', ''Consolida samia'' and ''Ranunculus weyleri'' *''Reseda decursiva'' *''Ribes sardum'' a currant from Saridnia *Rubiaceae: ''Galium litorale'' and Galium viridiflorum, ''G. viridiflorum'' *''Salicornia veneta'' *Scrophulariaceae: ''Euphrasia genargentea'', ''Globularia stygia'', ''Linaria ficalhoana'', Linaria hellenica, ''L. hellenica'', Linaria ricardoi, ''L. ricardoi'', Linaria tursica, ''L. tursica'' and ''Veronica oetaea'' *''Viola hispida''

Macaronesia

There is a separate list for plants from Macaronesia. *''Isoestes azorica'' *''Marsilea azorica'' *''Carex malato-belizii'' *Grasses: ''Deschampsia maderensis'', ''Phalaris maderensis'' *''Scilla maderensis'' *''Semele maderensis'' *Orchids: ''Goodyera macrophylla'' *

: ''Ammi trifoliatum'', ''Bupleurum handiense'', ''Chaerophyllum azoricum'', ''Ferula latipinna'', ''Melanoselinum decipiens'', ''Monizia edulis'', ''Oenanthe divaricata'' and ''Sanicula azorica'' *''Arceuthobium azoricum'' *

: ''Andryala crithmifolia'', ''Argyranthemum thalassophylum''. Argyranthemum winterii, ''A. winterii'', ''Atractylis preauxiana'', ''Calendula maderensis'', ''Cheirolophus duranii'', Cheirolophus ghomerytus, ''Ch. ghomerytus'', Cheirolophus junonianus, ''Ch. junonianus'', Cheirolophus massonianus, ''Ch. massonianus'', ''Cirsium latifolium'', ''Helichrysum gossypinum'', Helichrysum oligocephala, ''H. oligocephala'', ''Phagnalon benettii'', ''Stemmacantha cynaroides'' and ''Sventenia bupleuroides'' *''Beta patula'' *''Caralluma burchardii'' *

: ''Echium candicans'', ''Myosotis azorica'' and Myosotis maritima, ''M. maritima'' *

: ''Crambe laevigata'' and ''Sinapidendron rupestre'' * Campanulaceae: ''Musschia aurea'' *

: ''Cistus chinamadensis'' *Crassulaceae: ''Aeonium gomeraense'', Aeonium saundersii, ''A. saundersii'', ''Aichryson dumosum'', ''Monanthes wildpretii'' and ''Sedum brissemoretii'' *

: ''Spergularia azorica'' *''Erica azorica'' *''Euphorbia lambii'' and Euphorbia stygiana, ''E. stygiana'' *

Fabaceae The Fabaceae or Leguminosae,International Code of Nomenc ...

: ''Anthyllis lemanniana'', ''Lotus callis-viridis'' and ''Vicia dennesiana'' *''Frangula azorica'' *''Kunkeliella subsucculenta'' *

: ''Sideritis infernalis'', Sideritis marmorea, ''S. marmorea'', ''Teucrium abutiloides'' and Teucrium betonicum, ''T. betonicum'' *''Maytenus umbellata'' *Oleaceae: ''Jasminum azoricum'' and ''Picconia azorica'' *''Plantago malato-belizii'' *

: ''Limonium dendroides'' *''Rumex azoricus'' *Rosaceae: ''Bencomia sphaerocarpa'', ''Dendriopterium pulidoi'', ''Marcetella maderensis'', Prunus lusitanica, ''Prunus lusitanica'' subsp. ''azorica'' and ''Sorbus maderensis'' *''Scabiosa nitens'' *Scrophulariaceae: ''Euphrasia grandiflora'', ''Isoplexis isabelliana'', ''Odontites holliana'' and ''Sibthorpia peregrina'' *''Viola paradoxa''

Macaronesian priority species

*Mosses: ''Echinodium spinosum'' and ''Thamnobryum fernandesii'' ''Androcymbium psammophilum'' *

: ''Argyranthemum lidii'', ''Atractylis arbuscula'', ''Lactuca watsoniana'', ''Onopordum nogalesii'', Onopordum carduelinum, ''O. carduelinum'', ''Pericallis hadrosoma'' and ''Tanacetum ptarmiciflorum'' *

: ''Echium gentianoides'' *

: ''Crambe arborea'', Crambe sventenii, ''C. sventenii'' and ''Parolinia schizogynoides'' * Campanulaceae: ''Azorina vidalii'' and ''Musschia wollastonii'' *''Ceropegia chrysantha'' *

: ''Helianthemum bystropogophyllum'' *Convolvulaceae: ''Convolvulus caput-medusae'', Convolvulus lopez-socasii, ''C. lopez-socasii'' and Convolvulus massonii, ''C. massonii'' *''Euphorbia handiensis'' *

Fabaceae The Fabaceae or Leguminosae,International Code of Nomenc ...

: ''Anagyris latifolia'', ''Dorycnium spectabile'', ''Lotus azoricus'', ''Lotus kunkelii'', ''Teline rosmarinifolia'' and Teline salsoloides, ''T. salsoloides'' *''Geranium maderense'' *

: ''Sideritis cystosiphon'' and Sideritis discolor, ''S. discolor'' *''Myrica rivas-martinezii'' *''Pittosporum coriaceum'' *

: ''Limonium arborescens'', Limonium spectabile, ''L. spectabile'' and Limonium sventenii, ''L. sventenii'' *Rosaceae: ''Bencomia brachystachya'' and ''Chamaemeles coriacea'' *''Sambucus palmensis'' *''Solanum lidii'' *Scrophulariaceae: ''Euphrasia azorica'', ''Globularia ascanii'', Globularia sarcophylla, ''G. sarcophylla'' and ''Isoplexis chalcantha''

Annex III

This annex explains the criteria which are used to select sites which are eligible to be recognised as important for Europe, or as Special Areas of Conservation. The process consists of two stages. The first stage is to assess the importance at a national level, based on the habitats and species listed in Annex I and II. The second stage is to assess the importance for Europe as a whole, again based on the two earlier annexes.

Annex IV

Annex IV lists species of interest to Europe which are in need of strict protection.

Mammals

*Insectivores: Pyrenean desman (''Galemys pyrenaicus''), ''Erinaceus algirus'' and ''Crocidura canariensis'' *All species of Microchiroptera *Rodents: Beaver ('' Castor fiber''), ''Cricetus cricetus'', porcupine (''Hystrix cristata''), ''Sicista betulina'', suslik (''Citellus citellus''), ''Sciurus anomalus'', '' Microtus cabrerae'', Tundra vole, Dutch tundra vole (''Microtus oeconomus arenicola''), and all species of Gliridae except ''Glis glis'' and ''Eliomys quercinus'' *Carnivores: Grey wolf (except Spanish populations north of the Duero and Greek populations north of the 39th parallel), brown bear (''Ursus arctos''), otter , ''

'', wild cat (''Felis silvestris''), lynx (''

''), Iberian lynx (''Lynx pardinus'') and monk seal (''Monachus monachus'') *Hoofed animals: Corsican red deer (''Cervus elaphus corsicanus''), natural populations of wild goats (''

''), natural populations of wild sheep ('' Ovis ammon musimon'') on

and

, Balcan ( ''Rupicapra rupicapra balcanica'') and Apennine chamois (Rupicapra ornata, ''R. ornata'') *Cetaceans: All species

Reptiles and amphibians

Turtles *Tortoises: ''

'', ''T. graeca'' and ''T. marginata'' *Sea turtles: ''Caretta caretta'', ''Chelonia mydas'', ''Lepidochelys kempii'', ''Eretmochelys imbricata'' and ''Dermochelys coriacea'' *Freshwater turtles: ''

'', '' Mauremys caspica'' and ''M. leprosa'' Lizards *''Algyroides fitzingeri'', Algyroides marchi, ''A. marchi'', Algyroides moreoticus, ''A. moreoticus'' and Algyroides nigropunctatus, ''A. nigropunctatus'' *''Chamaeleo chamaeleon'' *''Gallotia atlantica'', Gallotia galloti, ''G. galloti'' (including specifically the subspecies ''insulanagae''), Gallotia simonyi, ''G. simonyi'' and Gallotia stehlini, ''G. stehlini'' *Geckoes: ''Cyrtopodion kotschyi'', '' Phyllodactylus europaeus'', ''Tarentola angustimentalis'', Tarentola boettgeri, ''T. boettgeri'', Tarentola delalandii, ''T. delalandii'' and Tarentola gomerensis, ''T. gomerensis''. *''Lacerta agilis'', Lacerta bedriagae, ''L. bedriagae'', Lacerta danfordi, ''L. danfordi'', Lacerta dugesi, ''L. dugesi'', Lacerta graeca, ''L. graeca'', Lacerta horvathi, ''L. horvathi'', Iberolacerta monticola, ''L. monticola'', ''L. schreiberi'', Lacerta trilineata, ''L. trilineata'' and Lacerta viridis, ''L. viridis'' *''Ophisaurus apodus'' *''Ophisops elegans'' *''Podarcis erhardii'', Podarcis filfolensis, ''P. filfolensis'', Podarcis hispanica, ''Podarcis hispanica atrata'', Podarcis lilfordi, ''P. lilfordi'', Podarcis melisellensis, ''P. melisellensis'', Podarcis milensis, ''P. milensis'', Podarcis muralis, ''P. muralis'', Podarcis peloponnesiaca, ''P. peloponnesiaca'', ''P. pityusensis'', Podarcis sicula, ''P. sicula'', Podarcis taurica, ''P. taurica'', Podarcis tiliguerta, ''P. tiliguerta'' and Podarcis wagleriana, ''P. wagleriana'' *Skinks: ''Ablepharus kitaibelli'', ''Chalcides bedriagai'', Chalcides occidentalis, ''Ch. occidentalis'', Chalcides ocellatus, ''Ch. ocellatus'', Chalcides sexlineatus, ''Ch. sexlineatus'', Chalcides viridianus, ''Ch. viridianus'' and ''Ophiomorus punctatissimus'' *''Stellio stellio'' Snakes *''Coluber caspius'', Coluber hippocrepis, ''C. hippocrepis'', Coluber jugularis, ''C. jugularis'', Coluber laurenti, ''C. laurenti'', Coluber najadum, ''C. najadum'', Coluber nummifer, ''C. nummifer'' and Coluber viridiflavus, ''C. viridiflavus'' *''Coronella austriaca'' *''Eirenis modesta'' *''Elaphe longissima'', Elaphe quatuorlineata, ''E. quatuorlineata'' and ''E. situla'' *''Eryx jaculus'' *Natrix natrix, ''Natrix natrix cetti'', Natrix natrix, ''N. natrix corsa'' and Natrix tessellata, ''N. tessellata'' *''Telescopus falax'' *''Vipera ammodytes'', Vipera schweizeri, ''V. schweizeri'', Vipera seoanni, ''V. seoanni'' (except Spanish populations), Vipera ursinii, ''V. ursinii'' and Vipera xanthina, ''V. xanthina'' Salamanders: *'' Chioglossa lusitanica'' *''Euproctus asper'', Euproctus montanus, ''E. montanus'' and Euproctus platycephalus, ''E. platycephalus'' *Olm (''Proteus anguinus'') *''Salamandra atra'', Salamandra salamandra, ''S. salamandra aurorae'', Salamandra lanzai, ''S. lanzai'' and Salamandra luschani, ''S. luschani'' *'' Salamandrina terdigitata'' *'' Speleomantes ambrosii'', ''S. flavus'', ''S. genei'', ''S. imperialis'', Speleomantes italicus, ''S. italicus'' and ''S. supramontes'' *''Triturus carnifex'', Triturus cristatus, ''T. cristatus'', Triturus italicus, ''T. italicus'', Triturus karelinii, ''T. karelinii'' and Triturus marmoratus, ''T. marmoratus'' Toads and frogs: *''Alytes cisternasii'', Alytes muletensis, ''A. muletensis'' and Alytes obstetricans, ''A. obstetricans'' *'' Bombina bombina'' and ''B. variegata'' *''Bufo calamita'' and Bufo viridis, ''B. viridis'' *''Discoglossus galganoi'', Discoglossus jeanneae, ''D. jeanneae'', ''D. montalentii'', Discoglossus pictus, ''D. pictus'' and ''D. sardus'' *Treefrogs: ''Hyla arborea'', Hyla meridionalis, ''H. meridionalis'' and Hyla sarda, ''H. sarda'' *''Pelobates cultripes'', Pelobates fuscus, ''P. fuscus'' and Pelobates syriacus, ''P. syriacus'' *''Rana arvalis'', Rana dalmatina, ''R. dalmatina'', Rana graeca, ''R. graeca'', Rana iberica, ''R. iberica'', Rana latastei, ''R. latastei'' and Rana lessonae, ''R. lessonae''

Fish

*Perches: ''Zingel asper'' *Sturgeons: ''Acipenser naccarii'' and Acipenser sturio, ''A. sturio'' *''Coregonus oxyrhynchus'' (anadromous populations in certain sectors of the North Sea) *''Valencia hispanica''

Insects

*Beetles: '' Buprestis splendens'', ''Carabus olympiae'', '' Cerambyx cerdo'', '' Cucujus cinnaberinus'', '' Dytiscus latissimus'', '' Graphoderus bilineatus'', ''Osmoderma eremita'' and ''Rosalia alpina'' *Dragonflies: ''Aeshna viridis'', '' Cordulegaster trinacriae'', '' Gomphus graslinii'', ''Leucorrhina albifrons'', Leucorrhina caudalis, ''L. caudalis'', Leucorrhina pectoralis, ''L. pectoralis'', '' Lindenia tetraphylla'', ''

'', ''

'', '' Oxygastra curtisii'', ''Stylurus flavipes'' and ''Sympecma braueri'' *Grasshoppers: '' Baetica ustulata'' and ''Saga pedo'' *Lepidoptera: ''Apatura metis'', ''Coenonympha hero'', Coenonympha oedippus, ''C. oedippus'', '' Erebia calcaria'', ''E. christi'', Erebia sudetica, ''E. sudetica'', '' Eriogaster catax'', ''Fabriciana elisa'', '' Hypodryas maturna'', ''Hyles hippophaes'', ''Lopinga achine'', ''

'', ''Maculinea arion'', Maculinea nausithous, ''M. nausithous'', ''M. teleius'', Melanagria arge, ''M. arge'', ''Papilio alexanor'', Papilio hospiton, ''P. hospiton'', ''Parnassius apollo'', Parnassius mnemosyne, ''P. mnemosyne'', '' Plebicula golgus'', ''Proserpinus proserpina'' and ''Zerynthia polyxena'' *Mantids: ''

Spiders

*''Macrothele calpeiana''

Molluscs

*Gastropods (snails): ''Patella feruginea'', '' Caseolus calculus'', ''C. commixta'', ''C. sphaerula'', '' Discula leacockiana'', ''D. tabellata'', Discula testudinalis, ''D. testudinalis'', Discula turricula, ''D. turricula'', '' Discus defloratus'', ''D. guerinianus'', '' Elona quimperiana'', ''

'', '' Geomitra moniziana'', ''Helix subplicata'', '' Leiostyla abbreviata'', ''L. cassida'', ''L. corneocostata'', ''L. gibba'' and ''L. lamellosa'' *Bivalves: ''Lithophaga lithophaga'', ''Pinna nobilis'', ''Margaritifera auricularia'' and ''

Echinoderms

*''Centrostephanus longispinus''

Plants

Annex IV contains all the plant species listed in Annex II (except the mosses and lichens), plus the plant taxa listed below: *Ferns: ''Asplenium hemionitis'' *''Dracaena draco'' *Iridaceae: ''Crocus etruscus'', ''Iris boissieri'' and Iris marisca, ''I. marisca'' *Liliaceae: ''Androcymbium europeum'', ''Bellevalia hackelli'', ''Colchicum corsicum'', Colchicum cousturieri, ''C. cousturieri'', ''Fritillaria conica'', Fritillaria drenovskii, ''F. drenovskii'', Fritillaria gussichiae, ''F. gussichiae'', Fritillaria obliqua, ''F. obliqua'', Fritillaria rhodocanakis, ''F. rhodocanakis'', ''Ornithogalum reverchonii'', ''Scilla beirana'' and Scilla odorata, ''S. odorata'' *''Narcissus longispathus'' and Narcissus triandrus, ''N. triandrus'' *Orchids: ''Ophrys argolica'', ''Orchis scopulorum'' and ''Spiranthes aestivalis'' *

: ''Bunium brevifolium'' *''Aquilegia alpina'' *

: Argyranthemum pinnatifidum, ''Argyranthemum pinnatifidum'' subsp. ''succulentum'', ''Helichrysum sibthorpii'', ''Picris willkommii'', ''Santolina elegans'', ''Senecio caespitosus'', Senecio lagascanus, ''S. lagascanus'' subsp. ''lusitanicus'' and ''Wagenitzia lancifolia'' *''Berberis maderensis'' *''Campanula morettiana'' and ''Physoplexis comosa'' *''Euphorbia nevadensis'' *Gesneriads: ''Ramonda heldreichii'' (as ''Jankaea heldreichii'') and ''Ramonda serbica'' *

: ''Rosmarinus tomentosus'', ''Teucrium charidemi'', ''Thymus capitellatus'' and Thymus villosus, ''T. villosus'' subsp. ''villosus'' *''Mandragora officinarum'' *''Moehringia fontqueri'' *''Murbeckiella sousae'' * Primulaceae: ''Androsace cylindrica'', ''Primula glaucescens'' and Primula spectabilis, ''P. spectabilis'' *''Saxifraga cintrana'', Saxifraga portosanctana, ''S. portosanctana'', Saxifraga presolanensis, ''S. presolanensis'', Saxifraga valdensis, ''S. valdensis'' and Saxifraga vayredana, ''S. vayredana'' *Scrophulariaceae: ''Antirrhinum lopesianum'' and ''Lindernia procumbens'' *''Sideroxylon marmulano'' *''Thymelaea broterana'' *''Viola athois'', Viola cazorlensis, ''V. cazorlensis'' and Viola delphinanth, ''V. delphinanth''

Annex V

Annex V details the species which are of 'interest' to the European Union, of which the taking or exploitation of wild may be subject to the management decisions of the individual countries concerned. This largely concerns plants or animals in which the hunting or gathering was/is an economic activity. Mammals *Carnivores: golden jackal (European jackal, ''Canis aureus moreoticus''), Spanish populations north of the Duera and Greek populations north of the 39th parallel of the grey wolf, ''Martes martes'', ''Mustela putorius'', all species of Phocidae (seals) not mentioned in Annex IV, ''Genetta genetta'' and ''Herpestes ichneumon'' *Mountain hare (''Lepus timidus'') *Hoofed mammals: ''Capra ibex'', Capra pyrenaica, ''C. pyrenaica'' (except ''C. pyrenaica pyrenaica'') and ''Rupicapra rupicapra'' (except R. rupicapra balcanica and R. ornata) Amphibians *''Rana esculenta'', Rana perezi, ''R. perezi'', Rana ridibunda, ''R. ridibunda'' and Rana temporaria, ''R. temporaria'' Fish *Lampreys: '' Lampetra fluviatilis'' and '' Lethenteron zanandrai'' *All sturgeon species not mentioned in Annex IV *Salmonidae: ''Thymallus thymallus'', '' Hucho hucho'', ''

'' (only when in fresh water) and all ''Coregonus'' spp. (except ''Coregonus oxyrhynchus'' - anadromous populations in certain sectors of the North Sea) *Cyprinids: all ''Barbus'' spp. *Perciformes: '' Gymnocephalus schraetzer'' and ''Zingel zingel'' *All ''

'' spp. *Catfish: ''Silurus aristotelis'' Other *Corals: ''Corallium rubrum'' *Molluscs: ''Helix pomatia'', '' Margaritifera margaritifera'', ''Microcondylaea compressa'' and ''Unio elongatulus'' *''Hirudo medicinalis'' *Crabs: ''Astacus astacus'', '' Austropotamobius pallipes'' and Austropotamobius torrentium, ''A. torrentium'' *Lobster: ''Scyllarides latus'' *Moth: '' Graellsia isabellae'' Plants *Red algae: ''Lithothamnium coralloides'' and ''Phymatholithon calcareum'' *Lichens: ''Cladonia'' subgenus ''Cladina'' *Mosses: ''Leucobryum glaucum'', all ''Sphagnum'' species except ''Sphagnum pylasii'' *:Clubmosses: all ''Lycopodium'' spp. (see lycopodium powder) *''Galanthus nivalis'', ''Narcissus bulbocodium'' and Narcissus juncifolius, ''N. juncifolius'' *''Iris lusitanica'' *''Lilium rubrum'' *''Ruscus aculeatus'' *

: ''Arnica montana'', ''Artemisia eriantha'', Artemisia genipi, ''A. genipi'', Doronicum plantagineum, ''Doronicum plantagineum'' subsp. ''tournefortii'' and ''Leuzea rhaponticoides'' *

: ''Alyssum pintadasilvae'', Malcolmia lacera, ''Malcolmia lacera'' subsp. ''graccilima'' and Murbeckiella pinnatifida, ''Murbeckiella pinnatifida'' subsp. ''herminii'' *

: ''Gentiana lutea'' *

: Teucrium salviastrum, ''Teucrium salviastrum'' subsp. ''salviastrum'' *

Fabaceae The Fabaceae or Leguminosae,International Code of Nomenc ...

: ''Anthyllis lusitanica'', Dorycnium pentaphyllum, ''Dorycnium pentaphyllum'' subsp. ''transmontana'' and ''Ulex densus'' *

: ''Armeria sampaio'' *Rosaceae: Rubus genevieri, ''Rubus genevieri'' subsp. ''herminii'' *Scrophulariaceae: ''Anarrhinum longipedicelatum'', ''Euphrasia mendonçae'', Scrophularia grandiflora, ''Scrophularia grandiflora'' subsp. ''grandiflora'', Scrophularia berminii, ''S. berminii'' and Scrophularia sublyrata, ''S. sublyrata''

Annex VI

This annex compiles the types of capture and killing (i.e. hunting) which are prohibited in the European Community (and now the European Union), as well as prohibited modes of transport (while hunting). These can vary according to form of life. Birds are covered by the older Birds Directive. *Mammals, for example, may not be hunted using explosives, gassing or smoking out burrows, poisons and poisoned or anaesthetic bait, tape recorders, artificial light sources, mirrors and other dazzling devices, blind or mutilated animals used as live decoys, non-selective nets or traps, crossbows and semi-automatic or automatic machine guns with a magazine capable of holding more than two rounds of ammunition. Other prohibited hunting devices are those to illuminate targets, electrical and/or electronic devices capable of killing or stunning and sighting scopes for night shooting with an electronic image magnifier or image converter. *Fish may not be caught using poisons or explosives. It is furthermore illegal to hunt wildlife in the European Union from an aircraft or moving motor vehicle.

References

External links

The Habitats Directive online at the EU's websiteConvention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats, Bern (1982)The Habitats Directive by Keulen, M. van (2002)
{{Authority control European Union directives European Union and the environment Environmental conservation Environmental law in the European Union 1992 in law 1992 in the environment 1992 in the European Economic Community

History

Annex I

Annex II

Animals

Mammals

Reptiles and amphibians

Fish

Crustaceans

Insects

Molluscs

Plants

Priority species

Animals

Plants

Macaronesia

Macaronesian priority species

Annex III

Annex IV

Mammals

Reptiles and amphibians

Fish

Insects

Spiders

Molluscs

Echinoderms

Plants

Annex V

Annex VI

See also

References

External links