Brussels today insisted that there is no justification to continue to allow bird trapping in Malta and threatened to take the country back in front of the European Court of Justice.
On the recommendation of Environment Commissioner Janez Potočnik, the Commission today sent a reasoned opinion to ask Malta to correctly implement the relevant bird protection legislation.
If Malta fails to reply within two months, the Commission may refer the case to the EU Court of Justice.
The commission explained that in Europe, most wild birds are protected under the Birds Directive, and trapping with large-scale or non-selective methods of capture such as nets is generally prohibited and may only be legally practised under a derogation from the Directive. Such exceptions may only be granted if there is no viable alternative, if the Member State respects the strict conditions and requirements laid down in Article 9 of the Directive, and if it can prove to the Commission it has done so.
In June 2011 the Commission sent Malta a letter of formal notice concerning the incorrect application of derogations allowing bird trapping. The Commission holds that Malta...
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