14 May 2012: France and the Slovak Republic have signed the UN Environment Programme (UNEP)/Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migratory Birds of Prey in Africa and Eurasia (Raptors MoU). The signing occurred on the occasion of the fifth Meeting of Parties (MOP 5) of the UNEP African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement (AEWA), taking place from 14-18 May 2012, in La Rochelle, France. The Raptors MOU was signed by Ambassador Jean-Pierre Thébault of France, and Rastislav Rybanič, Director General, Division of Nature Protection and Landscape Development, Ministry of Environment, Slovak Republic. The two countries are the 39th and 40th signatories of the MOU, respectively.

The Raptors MOU will become effective in both France and the Slovak Republic on 1 June 2012.

France hosts significant breeding and wintering populations of many of the birds of prey covered by the Raptors MOU, and is also located on a major raptor flyway. Slovakia also holds important breeding populations of many raptors, including the Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug), Red-footed Falcon (Falco vespertinus) and Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca). [CMS Press Release]