Amendment of the Tyrolean Hunting Act Expands Possibilities for Exceptions to Wolf Protection in Violation of EU Law
In February, the Tyrolean Parliament approved an amendment to the Tyrolean Hunting Act, effective April 1, 2026, allowing broader exceptions to wolf protection. These exceptions can now be granted by government regulation or directly be implanted by authorized hunters. While the new regulations improve legal safeguards in some cases, they do not meet the effectiveness required by the Aarhus Convention, which demands the public can halt actions causing irreversible environmental harm. Positive changes include granting environmental organizations the right to challenge such regulations, but this lacks the necessary suspensive effect. The amendment also permits hunters to kill wolves immediately if livestock is perceived to be at risk. This violates EU law and the Aarhus Convention because it ignores population conservation status and provides no public oversight. Overall, the amendment contains serious legal flaws and urgently needs revision.
Grids Package: European Commission Seeks to Outpace Current Implementation Status with Controversial Deregulation Proposal in the Energy Grid Sector
In December 2025, the European Commission presented the “Grids Package” together with an environmental omnibus proposal aimed at accelerating renewable energy and grid infrastructure projects. The proposal could weaken environmental protection standards, create legal uncertainty, and potentially lead to delays rather than simplification. Several Member States, including Austria, are still implementing earlier amendments under the revised Renewable Energy Directive (RED III), meaning the new rules could overtake ongoing transposition efforts. The package broadens the presumption that renewable and grid projects serve an overriding public interest and restricts the assessment of alternatives in environmental procedures. Certain EU-designated “strategic” grid projects would be exempt from full environmental impact assessments, with compensation mechanisms foreseen instead of rejection in cases of serious environmental harm. Legal experts have raised concerns about transparency, compatibility with international obligations such as the Energy Protocol of the Alpine Convention, and the broader use of omnibus acts for major reforms.