It aims to protect the Middle-European populations of the great bustard and to manage modern agriculture throughout its range in Central Europe in order to save the remaining individuals.

To implement the decision of the Fourth Conference of the Parties of CMS to list the great bustard (Otis tarda) on Appendix II of the Convention as a consequence of its unfavourable conservation status and the conviction that the species could benefit from an international agreement for its conservation and management and the middle-European population on Appendix I of the Convention taking into consideration the threatened status, an Article IV agreement was concluded in 2000 and entered into effect on 1 June 2001 after signature by the fifth range state.

Several remnant great bustard populations that can be found in, inter alia, Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Russia, Turkey, Kazakhstan, China and Mongolia are not included.

All signatories shall endeavour to work closely together and with appropriate international organizations to improve the conservation status of the great bustard throughout its breeding, migratory and wintering range.

In several EU states, agri-environmental schemes financed by the European Agricultural and Rural Development Fund encourage farmers to maintain or adopt appropriate measures.

Until recently there had been plans for the construction of a wind farm within and around a Special protection Area (SPA) and Natura 2000 site in the Salonta region, Bihor County, Romania, which provides important wintering habitat for the great bustard.

Therefore, the planned wind farm could have negative effects on the great bustard populations in Romania and Hungary as well since the Salonta region is near the Hungarian-Romanian border.

The Romanian Ministry of Environment and Forests confirmed its commitment to relocate the wind farm to an alternative location, thereby limiting conflict with the great bustard populations in the region.