This past December 1st a representation of SERE (Jordi Cortina-Segarra, Chair; Kris Decleer, Treasurer and EC liasion; Aveliina Helm, Board member at large) met with Mr. Andrea Vettori  and Ms. Helena Brown, representatives of the Cabinets of the European Commissioners Frans Timmermans (VicePresident – European Green Deal) and Virginijus Sinkevičius (Environment).

Based on the Declaration resulting of the recent SERE2021 Conference, SERE presented the scientific position on the upcoming EU Nature Restoration Law (NRL) emphasizing the innovative proposal for a Restoration Principle to be included on the law, and on the percentatges of EU lands and waters to be restored, within and outside protected areas.

The Cabinets representatives stressed the relevance of SERE as the scientific voice on ecological restoration in Europe, and declared the will of the Commission for an ambitious, realistic and applicable NRL proposal to be completed and opened to discussion at the European Parliament and the European Council at the beginning of 2022. SERE was asked to provide the most updated scientific evidence to support the NRL proposal, and was proposed to hold a longer meeting in January to further and detail several aspects introduced in the meeting.

Jordi Cortina-Segarra invited to the Commissioners to participate in the opening of the SERE2022 Conference to be held at the University of Alicante at the end of next summer.

We will share soon further news the Declaration Scientists for an Ambitious EU Nature Restoration Law.