For the first time ever the Bern Convention held its landmark 40th Standing Committee online, attracting a record of 190 participants including 45 Contracting Parties, from 30th November to 4th December.

Contracting Parties, experts and NGO representatives discussed the outcomes of activities implemented throughout 2020, including in the field of combating illegal killing of birds, review of the Plant Conservation Strategy, Pan-European Action Plan for the Conservation of the Sturgeon, and progress in the constitution of the Emerald Network and its online tools. 

The Standing Committee was also the occasion to assess progress on case-files linked to complaints submitted by citizens and NGOs for presumed breaches of the Convention. The Committee also discussed the future financing of the Convention and its role in the decade until 2030.

The webpage of the meeting containing the draft agenda and all working and adopted documents can be accessed here.