Shameful anti-hunting biased journalism, especially which transmitted in English, is at its best in Malta. This was amply evident when recently the European Commission (EC) announced 5 legal infringements procedures it will be pursuing in different sectors against Malta, and these particular media sources only chose to sensationalise and report the actions that the EC will be taking in attempts to obliterate the traditional socio-cultural passions of spring hunting and all forms of live-bird capturing (trapping)! Periodically, the EC publishes its package of infringement decisions, regarding the legal action it would be pursuing at the time against Member States for failing to comply with their obligations under EU law. These decisions, covering various sectors and EU policy areas, aim to ensure the proper application of EU law for the benefit of citizens and businesses. In the respective publication of 15 February 2023 the EC is pursuing the following infringement procedures against Malta: Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs:
1. Free movement of services:
Concerning the enforcement of the Services Directive, the Commission has decided to open an infringement against Malta for having in place a total prohibition on the advertising of lawyers' activities.
Migration, Home Affairs and Security Union:
2. Fight against child sexual abuse:
The EC decided to send additional letters of formal notice to Malta for failure to correctly transpose all the requirements of the fight against child sexual abuse directive.
Environment:
3. Marine environment:
The EC decided to open an infringement procedure by sending a letter of formal notice to Malta for failing to comply with the Marine Strategy Framework Directive.
4.Water management:
The EC decided to open an infringement procedure by sending a letter of formal notice to Malta for failing to finalize the revision of the river basin management plans as required under the Water Framework Directive and/or the flood risk management plans as required under the Floods Directive. Sustainable water management is a core element of the European Green Deal. Malta failed to comply with its obligations under either one or both of the Directives having failed to review, adopt and report in time all its third river basin management plans and second flood risk management plan.
5. Nature:
The EC decided to send an additional letter of formal notice to Malta for spring hunting of turtle dove and to correctly apply the Birds Directive. Malta has authorised derogations for the hunting of quail since 2011, and the live-capturing of golden plover and song thrush since 2012, and also failed to establish a general system of protection of wild birds against illegal killing and capturing. Therefore, a letter of formal notice was sent on 3 December 2020. On 8 April 2022, Malta extended the spring hunting derogation to cover the turtle dove. To also address its concerns regarding spring hunting of turtle dove, the Commission is now sending an additional letter of formal notice to Malta. The Federation for Hunting and Conservation – Malta (FKNK) thus concludes that if the EU Commission remains unchallenged the Maltese people stand to lose their national traditions, customs and way-of-life. Therefore, all Maltese citizens have to act now by signing the European Hunting Community's Petition to request the Commission to work with us instead of against us. The Petition can be signed online here or on the appropriate manual signatures' forms available at over 70 FKNK outlets in Malta and Gozo.
