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The Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) establishes that the European Commission must assess, together with the Member States, the co-financing needs to ensure the correct management of the Natura 2000 Network. On the basis of this assessment, the Commission shall adopt a Priority Action Framework of the measures to be carried out and requiring co-financing, taking into account the sources of funding available under the relevant Community instruments (Article 8).

The overall Community financial contribution to the Network represents less than 20% of the annual cost necessary for its conservation, which is a problem when it comes to dealing with its proper management. In its recent Communication on Natura 2000 funding, the European Commission proposes to integrate the funding needs of the Natura 2000 Network into other policy areas, using existing EU financial instruments.

The EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020 requires Member States to strive to diversify and increase the different sources of funding for biodiversity conservation, highlighting the need to finance the full implementation of the Natura 2000 Network.
With the development of this Spanish Priority Action Framework (MAP), it is intended to contribute to the fulfilment of Article 8 of the Habitats Directive, which proposes the development of a European Priority Action Framework, based on the contributions of the Member States, which includes the measures to be developed for the habitats and species of the Habitats and Birds Directives in the sites that make up the Natura 2000 Network.

The general objective of the project is to improve the financing and management capacity of the Natura 2000 Network in Spain through the preparation and implementation of a Priority Action Framework (MAP). This Framework will include the necessary conservation measures to be carried out in the sites that make up the Network, and which require co-financing, in accordance with the provisions of Article 8 of the Habitats Directive.

Through two specific objectives:

• To establish strategic priorities in the management of the Natura 2000 Network at national level, defining the actions to be carried out in the network, and identifying the potential role that European funds have in its financing.
• Show how to carry out priority actions by designing and planning in detail a set of measures identified in the Priority Action Framework, which require the use of different financial instruments.

The main actions carried out within the framework of this project are the following:

• Creating a workgroup
• Gathering conservation priorities
• Consultations with the bodies responsible for European funds
• Compilation of information and preparation of the Spanish MAP
• Identification and implementation of innovative financial mechanisms
• Selection, design and programming of priority actions
• Guidelines for Compliance with Conservation Priorities
• Preparation and dissemination of information and documentation
• Networking with other similar projects

• Preparation of the Priority Action Framework for the financing of the Natura 2000 Network in Spain and its submission to the European Commission.
• Dissemination of the Priority Action Framework to relevant authorities and stakeholders.
• Carrying out a study on the use of innovative financial mechanisms for the Natura 2000 Network.
• Design and detailed programming of (5-7) pilot projects selected on the basis of the strategic priorities defined for the Natura 2000 Network in Spain and involving the use of different financial instruments.
• Preparation and publication of technical guidelines for the implementation of key measures to achieve the strategic priorities defined for the Natura 2000 Network in the period 2014-2020.