Council Directive 1999/22/EC of 29 March 1999 relating to the keeping of wild animals in zoos
Data as of 2026-07-04 Β· Compiled from an official source version. Later amendments or repeals may not be reflected; the official text prevails. Β· Read the official text β
Aim The objectives of this Directive are to protect wild fauna and to conserve biodiversity by providing for the adoption of measures by Member States for the licensing and inspection of zoos in the Community, thereby strengthening the role of zoos in the conservation of biodiversity.
Definition For the purpose of this Directive, "zoos" means all permanent establishments where animals of wild species are kept for exhibition to the public for 7 or more days a year, with the exception of circuses, pet shops and establishments which Member States exempt from the requirements of this Directive on the grounds that they do not exhibit a significant number of animals or species to the public and that the exemption will not jeopardise the objectives of this Directive.
Requirements applicable to zoos Member States shall take measures under Articles 4, 5, 6 and 7 to ensure all zoos implement the following conservation measures: - participating in research from which conservation benefits accrue to the species, and/or training in relevant conservation skills, and/or the exchange of information relating to species conservation and/or, where appropriate, captive breeding, repopulation or reintroduction of species into the wild, - promoting public education and awareness in relation to the conservation of biodiversity, particularly by providing information about the species exhibited and their natural habitats, - accommodating their animals under conditions which aim to satisfy the biological and conservation requirements of the individual species, inter alia, by providing species specific enrichment of the enclosures; and maintaining a high standard of animal husbandry with a developed programme of preventive and curative veterinary care and nutrition, - preventing the escape of animals in order to avoid possible ecological threats to indigenous species and preventing intrusion of outside pests and vermin, - keeping of up-to-date records of the zoo's collection appropriate to the species recorded.
Licensing and inspection 1. Member States shall adopt measures for licensing and inspection of existing and new zoos in order to ensure that the requirements of Article 3 are met. 2. Every zoo shall have a licence within four years after the entry into force of this Directive or, in the case of new zoos, before they are open to the public. 3. Each licence shall contain conditions to enforce the requirements of Article 3. Compliance with the conditions shall be monitored inter alia by means of regular inspection and appropriate steps shall be taken to ensure such compliance. 4. Before granting, refusing, extending the period of, or significantly amending a licence, an inspection by Member States' competent authorities shall be carried out in order to determine whether or not the licensing conditions or proposed licensing conditions are met. 5. If the zoo is not licensed in accordance with this Directive or the licensing conditions are not met, the zoo or part thereof: (a) shall be closed to the public by the competent authority; and/or (b) shall comply with appropriate requirements imposed by the competent authority to ensure that the licensing conditions are met. Should these requirements not be complied with within an appropriate period to be determined by the competent authorities but not exceeding two years, the competent authority shall withdraw or modify the licence and close the zoo or part thereof.
Licensing requirements set out in Article 4 shall not apply where a Member State can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Commission that the objective of this Directive as set out in Article 1 and the requirements applicable to zoos set out in Article 3 are being met and continously maintained by means of a system or regulation and registration. Such a system should, inter alia, contain provisions regarding inspection and closure of zoos equivalent to those in Article 4(4) and (5).
Closure of zoos In the event of a zoo or part thereof being closed, the competent authority shall ensure that the animals concerned are treated or disposed of under conditions which the Member State deems appropriate and consistent with the purposes and provisions of this Directive.
Competent authorities Member States shall designate competent authorities for the purposes of this Directive.
Penalties Member States shall determine the penalties applicable to breaches of the national provisions adopted pursuant to this Directive. The penalties shall be effective, proportionate and dissuasive.
Implementation 1. Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this directive not later than 9 April 2002. They shall forthwith inform the Commission thereof. When Member States adopt these measures, they shall contain a reference to this Directive or shall be accompanied by such reference on the occasion of their official publication. The methods of making such a reference shall be laid down by the Member States. 2. Member States shall communicate to the Commission the main provisions of national law which they adopt in the field covered by this Directive.
Entry in force This Directive shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities.
This Directive is addressed to the Member States. Done at Brussels, 29 March 1999. For the Council The President F. MΓNTEFERING (1) OJ C 204, 15.7.1996, p. 63. (2) Opinion of the European Parliament of 29 January 1998. (OJ C 56, 23.2.1998, p. 34), Council Common Position of 20 July 1998 (OJ C 364, 25.11.1998, p. 9), and Decision of the European Parliament of 10 February 1999 (not yet published in the Official Journal). (3) OJ L 61, 3.3.1997, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 2307/97 (OJ L 325, 27.11.1997, p. 1). (4) OJ L 103, 25.4.1979, p. 1. Directive as last amended by Directive 97/49/EC (OJ L 223,. 13.8.1997, p. 9). (5) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7. Directive as last amended by Commission Directive 97/62/EC (OJ L 305, 8.11.1997, p. 42).
Source: EUR-Lex (Publications Office of the EU), Β© European Union, reuse permitted under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU.