The European Commission has told the government that it does not agree with its proposals to have a three-week spring hunting season as from next year, as it does not consider it to be in line with last year’s European Court judgement.

Fines may be imposed on Malta if a three-week hunting season were to be opened, the Commission warned .

A senior Commission official in Brussels yesterday said the government had been notified of its position. He said the Commission was not objecting to the opening of a six-day season “as long as all the conditions are respected”.

A government spokesman said: "At this stage we have no comments to make on the Commission's official position."

Before announcing the opening of this year’s limited hunting season, the government had admitted it had failed to reach agreement with the Commission on the recommendation of the Ornis committee to allow a 20-day hunting season. The EU executive had already requested the government to send it – not later than four weeks after the closure of the 2010 sspring eason – a detailed report on the outcome, notably on the enforcement and controls put in practice and their results.

“The Commission has already said that opening the 2010 spring hunting season appears to comply with the requirements of the ECJ judgement,” the official said.

The hunters’ federation, which earlier this week appealed for the immediate opening of the spring season, has said it is seeking legal advice about the government’s “discriminatory” decision, as only 2,500 hunting licences are on offer.

The Labour Party has held talks with the federation, FKNK, and declared it agreed with opening a 20-day hunting season as recommended by the Ornis committee.

This year’s season runs between this Saturday and April 30 and is the first to be held in the past three years, as hunting was not allowed in 2008 and 2009 due to the pending court case instituted by the Commission. However, a hunters’ boycott means only a handful have applied for the special licence.

According to the EU Birds Directive, hunting is not permitted during spring. However, last year the ECJ ruled autumn hunting was not a suitable alternative to spring hunting, leaving the door ajar for a limited season.