A majority is emerging in the Council in favor of the Commission’s proposal to downgrade the protection status of the wolf. Until now, the Commission has not had a qualified majority among the member states for its proposal. The background to this was that the German government had to abstain because Minister for the Environment Steffi Lemke had rejected the Commission’s proposal. She has now given up her opposition. As a result, Germany will today give its approval at EU ambassador level and shortly also in the Council of Ministers.