EU Commission warns Malta it may impose financial sanctions over latest finch trapping derogation

The European Commission has sent a formal notice to Malta to address the shortcomings of its latest finch trapping derogation, warning that it may impose financial sanctions.

Last October, government derogated once more from the EU’s ban on the trapping of birds. This was done less than a month after the EU Court said the previous “research derogation” on trapping seven finch species was illegal.

READ ALSO: Lucas Micallef: ‘Trappers are interested in research because birds are their passion’

On Wednesday, the Commission sent a letter of formal notice to Malta for failing to comply with the Court of Justice’s judgment. 

Flagging the fact that the latest derogation was nearly identical to the previous one, the Commission said that “the new derogation fails again to provide a precise and adequate statement of reasons to explain its deviation from standard scientific means of research in the ornithological field, needed to justify the proportionality of the derogation.”

The Commission also noted that Malta failed to explain the lack of other solutions to conduct research.

Malta now has two months to respond to the Commission’s notice. “In the absence of a satisfactory response, the Commission may decide to refer Malta back to the Court of Justice of the European Union, with a request to impose financial sanctions.”

Last September, BirdLife Malta called for accountability for Malta’s “farcical ploys to try and fool” the EU through its derogations.

The NGO, which had long opposed Malta's finch trapping practices, has called on Prime Minister Robert Abela to hold those responsible accountable, particularly Gozo minister Clint Camilleri, who oversaw the derogation.