Collaboration
The European Landowners’ Organization holds in high regard its enduring partnership with the EU Institutions.
This alliance has given rise to numerous successful undertakings and is presently being advanced through 2 key activities: the Intergroup “Biodiversity, Hunting and Countryside” and the “EU Platform on Coexistence between People and Large Carnivores”.
Intergroup “Biodiversity, Hunting, Countryside”
Established in 1985, the European Parliament’s Intergroup “Biodiversity, Hunting, Countryside” stands as one of the earliest and most vibrant parliamentary platforms.
The challenges posed by biodiversity loss, climate change, and rural development hold profound significance for the future of the European Union. In this context, sustainable hunting, wildlife management, and responsible land use, led by landowners and hunters, are key elements of environmental preservation.
Backed by ELO and FACE, the Intergroup serves as a stakeholder platform echoing the voices of landowners, hunters, and rural communities, and highlighting their role in shaping EU policies and initiatives.
Achievements
Through regular meetings in the European Parliament and online, the Intergroup fosters dialogue and contributes to informed policymaking, including the adoption of positions and recommendations.
In 2025, it reasserted itself as a leading forum for policy dialogue. The event “Reforming the CAP — Economic & Sustainable Transformation” brought together policymakers and stakeholders to explore how agricultural policy can balance economic resilience with environmental responsibility.
The Intergroup also addressed wildlife management through “The Future of Wolf Protection in the EU,” focusing on reconciling conservation objectives with the realities faced by rural communities.
The EU Platform on Coexistence between People and Large Carnivores
The Platform is managed by Istituto di Ecologia Applicata (IAE) and supported by a team of facilitators, social scientists, and communicators.
The recovery of large carnivore populations in Europe, with over 20,000 wolves recorded , reflects successful conservation efforts but has also led to increasing conflicts, particularly with livestock farming. In this context, the European Commission has proposed aligning the wolf’s protection status with the Bern Convention.
Achievements
As co-chair of the Platform, ELO contributes to evidence-based dialogue, stakeholder engagement, and the development of practical tools to support coexistence.
In 2025, ELO presented the Platform’s work at the DG Agriculture civil dialogue group on environment and climate change, highlighting coexistence challenges and the need for practical solutions for rural actors.
The 12th Platform meeting in Lunteren focused on policy developments related to the wolf’s protection status, stressing that increased management flexibility must be matched by strong monitoring to ensure favourable conservation status, and addressing CAP funding for coexistence measures.
Further work included assessing the Commission’s Favourable Reference Value report, supporting regional exchanges such as the Dinaric-Balkan-Pindos Platform in Ioannina, and developing case studies and online tools.
