Eighty-nine MEPs have written to European Environment Commissioner Karmenu Vella asking him to take urgent action against the Maltese government for breaking EU laws to allow trapping and spring hunting of Europe’s migrating birds.

At a press conference in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, British MEP Catherine Bearder said: “The birds which are shot and trapped in Malta, against EU rules, belong to all of Europe and to Africa. That makes this a European issue and the Commission should act accordingly.”

Last month, the European Commission announced it was taking the Maltese government to court for allowing finch trapping. In the letter, MEPs urged Mr Vella to apply urgent interim measures so that finch trapping is banned for the duration of this case at the European Court of Justice. The trapping season is expected to open on October 20.

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