The Hunters’ Federation has written directly to EU Environment Commissioner Janez Potocnik explaining how a derogation on the trapping of four huntable bird species could satisfy EU requirements.

Previously the FKNK had provided its written materials to the government-appointed Ornis Committee, which would then submit its representations to the European Commission.

But the FKNK has now decided to revise this policy and petition the Commission directly, having realised that the material it submitted was somehow not reaching the EU.

FKNK President Joe Perici Calascione said he did not know how – or why – their submissions were not reaching the Commission, but that the federation was taking this step to be on an even footing with its ideological rivals.

“BirdLife always submit their information directly to the Commission. We had previously agreed to go through the Ornis Committee, but we’ve discovered that the Commission was often not getting our information and have now decided to write to the Commission directly,” he said.

FKNK’s letter comes in response to a Letter of Reasoned Opinion sent by the Commission, asking Malta to improve the protection of birds flying over the Maltese Islands in autumn.

The government has said it disagrees with the reasoned opinion, arguing that derogations were always based on studies and assessments and were fully in line with EU law.

It also noted how its August 2011 trapping derogation was much stricter than previous derogations.