In the framework of the Greek Presidency of the Council of Europe, the Ministry of the Environment, Energy and Climate Change (Directorate General for the Environment) assisted by the Axios, Loudias and Aliakmonas Delta Management Authority, will host the initial Natura 2000 Seminar to launch the Natura 2000 Biogeographical Process in the Mediterranean region. The Seminar will take place from Monday 26 to Wednesday 28 May 2014 in Thessaloniki, at the Macedonia Palace Hotel. This process, initiated by the European Commission at the end of 2011, aims to improve and strengthen the implementation of Natura 2000 and ensure progress towards key EU 2020 Biodiversity Strategy targets.

The Process provides the means for Member States and expert stakeholder networks to work together and collaborate on practical habitat management issues, take stock of the current conservation status of specific priority habitats in a biogeographical region and determine what needs to be done collectively to improve, maintain or restore the state of Natura 2000 sites, share experience, build knowledge and develop consensus, take specific agreed cooperative actions, network and exchange management experience information.

The Natura 2000 Seminar on 26-28 May 2014 will focus on 23 habitat types identified as priorities by the Steering Committee of Member State and user representatives that oversee the Process. These habitat types fall within four Mediterranean habitat groups, i.e Coastal, Forests, Freshwater/Wetlands and Grassland/Heaths and Scrubs. The Seminar will include a one-day field trip in the area of Axios – Loudias – Aliakmon National Park, a full day of working group meetings (one per habitat group), a half-day plenary session and a 'knowledge market'.

For more information about the Seminar and the Natura 2000 Biogeographical Process, please visit the Natura 2000 Platform website