Adhesió d'Andorra al conveni sobre la conservació de la vida salvatge i del medi natural d'Europa

(ENG) From 1st June 1982, the day it came into force, until now, the Convention on the Conservation of Wildlife and Natural Habitats in Europe has gradually established itself as one of the key instruments in preserving nature in Europe. Last year, the Andorran authorities started procedures to affiliate themselves to the Convention. The ratification instruments were settled on 13th October 2000 and the Bern Convention has had legal force in the Principality of Andorra since 1st February 2001 (BOPA nº41 de 26/07/2000). This article gives a general introduction to the Convention: its origins, its objectives, the obligations within, the Convention's follow-up mechanisms and the organs responsible for the latter. It is also emphasized why the Convention is actually considered a regional instrument for the preservation of the biodiversity, and why it is an important tool in the present and future policies on the protection of nature in Andorra.