EU closes legal action over spring hunting against Cyprus

The European Commission is halting legal proceedings against Cyprus regarding spring hunting, following a commitment that hunting would not be permitted during this period in the future.

In another case, the Commission is sending a final warning letter to Malta for allowing the hunting of two species of birds. Currently, laws in Malta allow the hunting of the birds during spring, a key period of migration and breeding. In taking this step, the Commission is asking Malta to bring its rules on hunting into line with the EU’s Wild Birds Directive.

In June 2007 the Commission sent a first written warning to Cyprus regarding a two-day derogation permitting the spring hunting of turtle doves (Streptopelia turtur) on 6 and 9 May 2007, and warned that any future derogation would constitute a generalized practice of bad application of the Birds Directive. The Cypriot authorities agreed not to renew the derogation, and the Commission has decided to close the case, although it will continue to monitor the situation in the future to ensure that any derogations comply fully with the Birds Directive.

The final written warning to Malta, which follows the first written warning in July 2006, concerns the hunting of quails (Coturnix coturnix) and turtle doves (Streptopelia turtur) during spring. The hunting of these 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.