The European Union needs a more science-based and regionally differentiated approach to managing brown bear populations, according to Borboly Csaba, Vice-President of Harghita County and rapporteur of the European Committee of the Regions' opinion Biodiversity protection and coexistence with large carnivores in Europe – challenges and opportunities for local and regional authorities.
Speaking during the webinar "Managing Brown Bears: Public Safety, Agricultural Damage and European Regulatory Options", Borboly argued that while the EU Habitats Directive provides an important legal framework, its implementation no longer reflects the realities faced by regions with large and growing brown bear populations. Drawing on the conclusions of the Committee of the Regions' opinion adopted in 2024, Borboly stressed that the current framework must evolve to address overpopulation while maintaining Europe's commitment to biodiversity protection. "The Habitats Directive and Article 16 can work well. But they only work well in specific cases: small populations, closed protected areas, and places where fences and dogs are enough. This is not the situation in most affected regions."
Borboly warned that the issue of overpopulation remains largely absent from current European discussions, despite its increasing impact on public safety, agriculture and rural communities. Referring to the implementation of the Nature Restoration Law and the European Commission's ongoing stress test of the Habitats Directive, he cautioned against reinforcing strict protection measures without taking into account the different realities across Member States.
He also called on the European Committee of the Regions to examine whether the current strict protection regime remains proportionate in regions where brown bear populations have exceeded carrying capacity and to recommend a science-based, regionally differentiated approach before the Commission finalises its stress test. "We do this for three reasons. First, to save human lives. Second, to protect biodiversity. Third, to protect traditional farming and rural life."
The webinar also featured Barna Tánczos, Deputy Prime Minister of Romania, who outlined Romania's experience in managing Europe's largest brown bear population. He highlighted the results of the country's extensive genetic study of brown bears and underlined that Romania has implemented a comprehensive management plan fully in line with EU legislation.
Tánczos argued that Member States facing significantly different ecological realities require different management tools. "We have to accept that we have different situations in different Member States and different tools we need to manage not just the population and the habitats, but the brown bear and citizens conflicts and other issues generated by this huge number of large carnivores in Romania." He explained that Romania's management plan combines prevention measures, compensation schemes, support for farmers, electric fencing and targeted interventions, with the aim of ensuring both species conservation and public safety. He also praised the constructive dialogue between the Romanian authorities and the European Commission, expressing hope that future EU policies would better reflect the diversity of situations across Europe.
The discussion also highlighted experiences from other Member States. Representatives of the Slovak Ministry of Environment presented data showing the impact of brown bears on local communities, including compensation paid between 2019 and 2025 for damage to livestock, agricultural crops, bee colonies, fruit trees and incidents affecting human health and safety. The figures illustrated that human-wildlife conflicts are becoming an increasingly important challenge beyond Romania, reinforcing calls for management approaches that better reflect regional circumstances.
Bringing together policymakers, regional representatives and experts, the webinar concluded with a shared recognition that successful conservation requires policies based on scientific evidence, regional realities and the active involvement of local and regional authorities. Participants stressed that protecting biodiversity and ensuring the safety and livelihoods of rural communities must go hand in hand if Europe's conservation objectives are to enjoy long-term public support.
