The EU isn’t just about protecting people, it’s also about protecting animals.

As shown by the snappily named European Council Directive 1999/22/EC.

The Directive thought does do important things, it provides a framework for legislation on licensing and inspection of zoos, through to strengthening the role of zoos in the conservation of biodiversity and the exchange of information to promote the protection and conservation of wild animal species.

This year the EU will carry out an “EU Zoo Inquiry 2011” – an evaluation of 200 zoos in 20 European Member States and their compliance with national and European law. It will help to evaluate the status and performance of zoos in Europe.
This will inclde a new website – www.euzooinquiry.eu, which will have full details of this important project.

The EU has recognised the significance of this issue by legislating to establish minimum standards in zoos, which were introduced back in 2002. However, evidence suggests that many European zoos are failing to meet these basic standards and to attain the required level of commitment in species conservation. Many of these problems are avoidable as they are the result of a lack of knowledge, skills, and training for staff.

These reports will pave the way for better implementation of the EC Zoos Directive at both Community and State level in the more than 4,000 zoos in Europe. They provide essential evidence of the current state of many European zoos and are the basis on which the Commission and competent authorities can act to ensure conditions improve and that zoos meet their species-conservation obligations.