Brussels closer to taking final decision on spring hunting dispute

The European Commission is likely to decide on whether to take Malta to court over spring hunting in the next few weeks before the start of the coming spring hunting season, Commission sources told The Times.

"We have received Malta's reply to our reasoned opinion (the second stage of EU infringement procedures). However, it is very likely that the issue will now have to be decided by the European Court of Justice (ECJ). The Commission will have to make a final decision soon and we are planning to do this before the start of the March season," the sources said.

Asked whether the Commission might consider delaying the decision in order to avoid clashing with a possible electoral campaign in Malta, the sources said that is unlikely because "Malta's electoral campaign is not a matter related to the Commission's work".

In its reasoned opinion issued last October, the EU executive warned the Maltese authorities to remove, without any further delay, spring hunting from its law books.

The matter is about the hunting of quails (coturnix coturnix) and turtle doves (streptopelia turtur) during spring. According to the Commission's opinion, the hunting of such migratory birds takes place during their return from Africa to breeding grounds in Europe before they have had a chance to reproduce.

"The impact on bird numbers is, therefore, more significant than it would be in autumn or winter, after the breeding season. The Commission believes that alternative solutions to spring hunting exist, in this case the possibility to hunt the two species in the autumn," the reasoned opinion said. Another indication that the Commission will be acting soon on this issue was given a few days ago by Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas in reply to a parliamentary question tabled by Stephen Hughes, a Belgian Socialist MEP.

Mr Dimas said that, in Malta's case, the problem of spring hunting is a recurring one relating to the spring months of the year.

"Depending on the circumstances, the Commission has opportunities to make further decisions in the case in advance of the next spring hunting season and will not hesitate to use all means available to it under the treaty to seek compliance," he said. Over the past few days, four MEPs filed new parliamentary questions on the subject. These still have to be answered.

The dates of the next spring hunting season have yet to be decided by the government, which normally acts on the advice of the Ornis committee.

The government has already confirmed that spring hunting will go on unless the ECJ rules otherwise.