The Bern Convention was one of the first international treaties that recognised the importance of invertebrates as potential bio-indicators for the condition of habitats.

The Standing Committee to the Bern Convention established the Group of Experts on the Conservation of Invertebrates in December 1989, and it held its first meeting in April 1990.

Much research on invertebrates has been carried out since then in order to identify which species - listed in the Appendices - required urgent conservation action and what habitat protection measures would be necessary. This work has been complemented by the 2006 European Strategy for the Conservation of Invertebrates, the first regional instrument of this kind. The Group held its last meeting in September 2013.

(Photo credit: Ivana d’Alessandro)

Documents

Reports of past meetings

Recommendations

  • All Recommendations on Invertebrates:
    • Recommendation No. 18 (1989) of the standing committee on the protection of indigenous crayfish in Europe, adopted by the Standing Committee on 8 December 1989
    • Recommendation No. 21 (1991) on the conservation of insects of the order Hymenoptera and their habitats, adopted by the Standing Committee on 11 January 1991
    • Recommendation No. 22 (1991) on the conservation of the pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera) and other freshwater mussels (Unionoida), adopted by the Standing Committee on 11 January 1991
    • Recommendation No. 23 (1991) on the protection of the habitat of Vipera ursinii rakosiensis in Hungary, adopted by the Standing Committee on 11 January 1991
    • Recommendation No. 29 (1991) on the conservation of wetland invertebrates, adopted by the Standing Committee on 6 December 1991
    • Recommendation No. 35 (1992) on the conservation of some species of invertebrates listed in Appendix II of the convention, adopted by the Standing Committee on 4 December 1992
    • Recommendation No. 36 (1992) on the conservation of underground habitats, adopted by the Standing Committee on 4 December 1992
    • Recommendation No. 50 (1996) on the conservation of Margaritifera auricularia, adopted by the Standing Committee on 6 December 1996
    • Recommendation No. 51 (1996) on action plans for invertebrate species in the Appendices of the Convention, adopted by the Standing Committee on 6 December 1996
    • Recommendation No. 52 (1996) on habitat conservation for invertebrate species, adopted by the Standing Committee on 6 December 1996
    • Recommendation No. 65 of the Standing Committee (1998) on the conservation of Maculinea butterflies, adopted by the Standing Committee on 4 December 1998
    • Recommendation No. 77 (1999) on the eradication of non-native terrestrial vertebrates, adopted by the Standing Committee on 3 December 1999
    • Recommendation No. 80 (2000) of the Standing Committee on the implementation of the Action Plan for the conservation of the pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera), adopted by the Standing Committee on 1 December 2000
    • Recommendation No. 81 (2000) of the Standing Committee on the implementation of the Action Plan for the conservation of Margaritifera auricularia, adopted by the Standing Committee on 1 December 2000
    • Recommendation No. 120 (2006) of the Standing Committee on the European Strategy for the Conservation of Invertebrates, adopted by the Standing Committee on 30 November 2006
    • Recommendation No. 131 (2007) of the Standing Committee on the Planned Motorway Vc across the Drava Marshlands in Slavonia (Croatia), adopted by the Standing Committee on 29 November 2007
    • Recommendation No. 135 (2008) of the Standing Committee, adopted on 27 November 2008, on addressing the impacts of climate change on biodiversity
    • Recommendation No. 143 (2009) of the Standing Committee, adopted on 26 November 2009, on further guidance for Parties on biodiversity and climate change
    • Recommendation No. 145 (2010) of the Standing Committee adopted on 9 December 2010, on guidance for Parties on biodiversity and climate change in mountain regions
    • Recommendation No. 146 (2010) of the Standing Committee, adopted on 9 December 2010, on guidance for Parties on biodiversity and climate change in European islands
    • Recommendation No. 152 (2011) on Marine Biodiversity and Climate Change
    • Recommendation No. 153 (2011) on the Charter on the Conservation and Sustainable use of Biological Diversity on European Islands
    • Recommendation No. 170 (2014) of the Standing Committee, adopted on 5 December 2014, on the European Code of Conduct on Recreational Fishing and Invasive Alien Species

Action plans and other documents