22 Jun 2018 FACE AND FKNK COMMITTED TO FIGHT FOR FINCH TRAPPING FOLLOWING DISPROPORTIONATE EU COURT RULING
Following the ruling on 21 June 2018 of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) regarding Malta’s derogation permitting the live-capturing of seven species of finches, FACE’s express its deep regret and frustration at yet another excessively restrictive interpretation of certain provisions of the Birds Directive.
It is clear to FACE that the Birds Directive does not rule out the possibility that certain long-standing traditional trapping activities can be maintained in a way that fulfils the strict conditions laid down in Article 9(1)(c).
FACE is now working closely with its legal team and the Federation for Hunting and Conservation – Malta (FKNK) on the verdict of the ECJ to explore how Malta can apply a correct derogation in the future to permit the live-capture of finches.
It is a fact that the Birds Directive has caused a number of serious problems for bird hunting in Europe (in relation to species which may be hunted, to hunting periods and to hunting methods) and that many hunters’ organisations see it as unhelpful and counterproductive. However, an unbiased analysis of the text of the Directive can only come to the conclusion than that it is, in principle, not against regional/traditional hunting practices.