‘Closure of spring hunting infringement an honour’ - Galdes

Agriculture parliamentary secretary Roderick Galdes praised the European Commission’s decision to close an infringement proceeding against Malta for spring hunting.

“We have managed to meet the EC’s required level of spring hunting enforcement,” Galdes said in his parliamentary adjournment. “I consider this an honour. In two years, this government has managed to reform spring hunting enforcement into one of the most rigorous systems in Europe. We have proved that we can have a spring hunting season in accordance to our derogation from the Birds Directive.”

In July 2006, the Commission opened procedures against the government for not respecting the conditions for a derogation from the Birds Directive to open the spring hunting season.

In 2009, the EC opened a case against Malta in the Court of Justice which later ruled against Malta but recognised that spring hunting for quails and turtledoves was not a satisfactory alternative to autumn hunting.

The Commission’s decision to close the infringement proceedings takes into consideration an extensive report on the spring hunting season in 2014 which was submitted by the Maltese government to the Commission.

However, the European Commission will proceed on an infringement procedure against Malta for opening a finch trapping season.