Eighty-nine MEPs have written to European Environment Commissioner Karmenu Vella, calling on him to take urgent action against the Maltese government for breaking EU laws to allow trapping and spring hunting.

At a press conference in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Catherine Bearder MEP 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.”

MEP Stefan Eck

Dutch MEP Stefan Eck said the Maltese government cannot continue to flout EU laws in this way.

Last month, the European Commission announced it was taking the Maltese government to court for allowing finch trapping. In the letter, MEPs urged 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.

The letter also called for the open case on song thrush and golden plover trapping to be heard at the ECJ together with finch trapping, thus dealing with both of Malta’s derogations on trapping together.

MEPs also drew Mr Vella’s attention to the recent inclusion of turtle doves on the IUCN Red List of threatened birds, saying that the species could become extinct within our lifetime, and asking for new infringement proceedings to be taken against the Maltese government should they continue to allow this endangered bird to be shot in spring.