5 
 
States and the European Environment Agency, will put forward in 2020 criteria and 
guidance for identifying and designating additional areas, including a definition of strict 
protection, as well as for appropriate management  planning. In doing so, it will indicate 
how other effective area -based conservation measures and greening of cities could 
contribute to the targets.  
The targets relate to the EU as a whole and could be broken down according to the EU 
bio-geographical regions and sea basins or at a more local level. Every Member State 
will have to do its fair share of the effort  based on objective ecological criteria , 
recognising that each country has a different quantity and quality of biodiversity. 
Particular focus will be placed on protecting and restoring the tropical and sub -tropical 
marine and terrestrial ecosystems in the EU’s outermost regions given their exceptionally 
high biodiversity value.  
In addition, in order to have a truly coherent and resilient Trans -European Nature 
Network, it will be important to set up ecological corridors to prevent genetic isolation, 
allow for species migration, and maintain and enhance healthy ecosystems. In this 
context, investments in green and blue infrastructure 27 and cooperation across borders 
among Member States should be promoted and supported, including through the 
European Territorial Cooperation. 
The Commission will aim to agree the criteria and guidance for additional designations 
with Member States by the end of 2021.  Member States will then have until the end of 
2023 to demonstrate significant progress in legally designating new protected areas and 
integrating ecological corridors. On this basis, the Commission will assess by 2024 
whether the EU is on track to meet its 2030 targets or whether stronger actions, including 
EU legislation, are needed.  
Finally, the  Overseas Countries and Territories also host  important biodiversity 
hotspots, not governed by EU environmental rules. The Commission encourages relevant 
Member States to consider promoting equal or equivalent rules in these countries and 
territories. 
Nature protection: key commitments by 2030 
1. Legally protect a minimum of 30% of the EU’s land area and 30% of the EU’s sea 
area and integrate ecological corridors, as part of a true Trans -European Nature 
Network.  
2. Strictly protect at least a third of the EU’s protected areas, including all remaining EU 
primary and old-growth forests.  
3. Effectively manage all protected area s, defining clear conservation objectives and 
measures, and monitoring them appropriately. 
                                                 
27  Guidance on a strategic framework for further supporting the deployment of EU -level green and bl ue 
infrastructure (SWD(2019) 193).