EP committee shoots down police hunting memo

The European Parliament may step up its pressure against illegal hunting practices in Malta particularly in view of a recent internal memo issued by the police ordering officers to temporarily refrain from pressing charges against hunters caught breaking certain provisions of the law.

During a meeting of the Parliament's Petitions Committee yesterday it was also revealed that the Commission is still expecting a reply from the Maltese authorities to its official letter of formal warning issued last July with accusations that the spring hunting season in 2004 went against EU regulations.

The Maltese reply had to reach the Commission by November 4, following an additional two-month extension granted by Brussels over the original timeframe.

The committee meeting discussed three new petitions filed by Italian and French individuals and by the Belgian Royal Society for the Protection of Birds against bird hunting in Malta. The internal police memo was given a weight by the petitioners intervening during the hearing.

Following the submissions, committee chairman Marcin Libicki said the memo was "unacceptable" and that he was going to recommend that "the committee and the European Parliament as a whole step up their pressure over this intolerable state of affairs".

Contacted by The Times following the meeting, Mr Libicki did not say what action he will be recommending, however he said that "the decision will be taken in the coming days by the committee's coordinators".

Mr Libicki pointed out that the committee had already made observations on the alarming situation of hunting in Malta and denounced abuses during open hunting seasons and beyond, with regard to protected species.

"During our visit to Malta we pointed out the need for a reinforcement of the police unit concerned," he said, adding that he was therefore surprised to learn that police officers have recently been instructed not to take hunters and trappers, who were caught breaking the law, to court.

"We cannot accept that the authorities agree to voluntarily disregard provisions of EU law," he said.

Taking the floor, British MEP Sir Robert Atkins said the Commission should not tolerate any measures that could limit or undermine enforcement of the existing legislation.

Asked about the progress on the infringement procedure opened against Malta in July on spring hunting, a Commission official told MEPs the Commission is still awaiting the government's reply to its official warning so far. He said that, according to the Maltese authorities, the reply letter should be arriving "in the coming days".

An assistant from Nationalist MEP Simon Busuttil's office was the only Maltese present during this meeting, attending in Dr Busuttil's stead due to another committee meeting.

Mr Libicki commented that all five Maltese MEPs were invited to attend the session.