UNEP/CMS is pleased to announce the accession of Austria as 91st Party as of 1 July 2005. The alpine republic in Central Europe shares a common border with eight countries already Parties to the Convention, thus filling an important gap in this region.

Although it was not yet a Party to CMS, Austria had already been actively involved in the conservation of species listed on the Appendices, for instance in September 2004. Austria signed the Memorandum of Understanding on the Great Bustard (Otis tarda) and hosted the first meeting of the Signatory States. Participants adopted a new Medium Term International Work Programme that will assist with the coordination international cooperative projects within the agreement area. The Great Bustard is one of the most endangered birds in Europe. The European population is estimated to be between 35,600 and 38,500 individuals but there has been a rapid decline in much of Central and Eastern Europe.
Indeed, a great number of birds that are of high importance to CMS occur in Austria, including the Lesser-white-fronted Goose (Anser erythropus), which is a globally threatened species exposed to heavy hunting pressure and habitat loss. The Slender-billed Curlew (Numenius tenuirostris) and the Ferruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca) have been designated for concerted action.

CMS congratulates Austria and trusts that the Austrian Government will assume an active role in further conserving migratory animals, as for instance, a great variety of bats and waterbirds found on CMS Appendix II live and regularly cross Austria’s boundaries.