In October 1994 the European Commission Directorate General XI
(DGXI) (now DG Environment), the UK Environment Departments and the
JNCC jointly organised a meeting of the nine EC Member States with
territory in the Atlantic Biogeographical Region. This was the
first of a series of meetings for each of the biogeographical
regions. Its purpose was to assist Member States in the preparation
of their national lists. Agreements were reached concerning the
interpretation and application of the Annex III Stage 1 criteria.
It was also recognised by all Member States represented at the
meeting that consideration of certain of the Stage 2 criteria,
particularly those related to the habitat and species diversity of
the sites, was relevant during Stage 1 to ensure a proper
representation of sites and consistency across the biogeographical
region.
A detailed report of this meeting is given by
Hopkins & Buck (1995). The agreed
conclusions are set out below; the procedures for site selection
adopted in the UK are fully consistent with these
conclusions.
Provision of information
1. Acknowledging that the quality and extent of
information about habitat types and species varies within the
Region, Member States will provide information to the Commission in
the Natura 2000 data entry form using the best scientific
information available at the time according to the format agreed by
the Habitats Committee.
Balancing the national lists
2.) Acknowledging that outstanding single interest
sites in terms of quality, extent or range make an important
contribution to the Natura 2000 network, special emphasis will be
given to identifying and delimiting sites containing complexes of
interests on Annexes I and II as valuable ecological functional
units.
3. Member States will give significant additional emphasis in
number and area to sites containing priority habitat types and
species.
4. In considering the degree of representativity of Annex I
habitat types on individual sites, Member States will take account
of the best examples in extent and quality of the main type (which
is most characteristic of the Member State) and its main variants,
having regard to geographical range.
5. Acknowledging that sites containing Annex I habitat types
and Annex II species at the centre of their range will make an
important contribution to Natura 2000, Member States will take
responsibility for proposing sites containing habitats and species
that are particularly rare in that Member State, with a view to
preserving the range.
6. It is acknowledged that certain habitat types and species
listed in Annexes I and II are relatively common and extensive in
certain Member States. These Member States will have particular
responsibility for proposing a proportion of the resource that is
sufficient to contribute significantly to the maintenance of the
habitat types and species at a favourable conservation
status.
7. Where Annex II species' populations are too small to be
naturally viable, or where the species occur only as vagrants or
reintroductions, Member States may exclude them from consideration
for site selection.
8. Artificial areas need not be excluded from site selection if
they have spontaneously given rise to Annex I habitat types or host
Annex II species and if it is considered that they have exceptional
value.
Defining boundaries
9. It is acknowledged that different Member States will
have different approaches to the definition of boundaries (e.g. the
inclusion of buffer zones within the site), according to the
habitat type or species concerned and the legal and management
measures necessary to protect and extend the landscape
context.