If the EU does not get into traditional issues, why are there EU laws on bird protection but none about bullfighting in Spain?

There are no EU laws where animals are linked to national or local traditions and to culture. This includes bull fighting and fox hunting. On the other hand, wild birds are directly protected at EU level. This is because wild birds in Europe are mainly migratory species that move over different countries. This means that only a common action between a number of countries can protect birds effectively. The EU law, which dates back to 1979, also seeks to protect the number of species of wild birds from declining further. The EU also seeks to protect the natural environment by regulating trade in endangered species in general, not just birds.