The European Commission is considering fresh legal action against Malta over a legal notice issued last April providing for the possibility of a three-week spring hunting season in which 25,000 turtle doves and quails could be shot, sources say.

Talks between the Commission and the government do not seem to be going Malta's way, the same sources add.

A technical team is going through the data submitted by Malta after the closure of the week long hunting season allowed earlier this year and also other reports sent by NGOs and individuals.

"At first glance, it appears that the Commission has no problem with the week-long restricted hunting season permitted in 2010. However, we have serious reservations on the framework legislation unveiled last April proposing the future shooting of 25,000 birds over three weeks. We don't really think this respects the European Court judgment," a Commission official said.

About the possible infringement proceedings, he said "this is on our cards and a decision will be taken shortly".

After a break of two years, in order to wait for a European Court of Justice ruling on spring hunting, which was initiated by the Commission against Malta, the government last April decided to allow a restricted spring season of just a week during which a total of 7,500 turtle doves and quails could be hunted.

The European Court had ruled against Malta but conceded that the autumn season, in principle, did not really offer an alternative to spring, which the government interpreted as an opportunity to explore a "very limited hunting, under strict controls". After the Court ruling, a hunting season was announced for the period between April 24 and 30, excluding Sunday, in which a maximum of 2,500 hunters (who had to apply for special licences) could shoot a total of 3,900 quails and 3,600 turtle doves.

Hunters criticised the "obscene" proposals, claiming discrimination against the rest of the 10,000 registered hunters but the government insisted it had reached an arrangement on this restricted season for 2010 while talks were underway for a three-week period during which 25,000 birds could be shot in the years to come.

In the meantime, a legal notice was issued in April providing a legal framework for future seasons in line with the details mentioned above, as talks continued.

"The Commission has a problem with the numbers in this legislation," the sources said. "We think that 25,000 birds are too many and may not respect the criteria set down in the court decision against Malta. The problem for us is not how long the season may be but the number of birds killed."