A dangerous and undemocratic precedent for europe

Dear Minister,

Dear Commissioner

In the negotiations on the accession of Malta to the European Union, the responsible Commission officials have - inter alia - granted a derogation for spring hunting of Common Quail  Coturnix coturnix and Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur on the islands.

Not only are these birds on the Red List of severely threatened species in many European countries, the decision to permit spring hunting in a European Union state is completely at variance to the provisions of the Bird Directive [79/409/EEC] and is a dangerous precedent and encouragement for hunters' organisations in the EU. The latter would like to overturn the protection for our common natural resources which this directive, and the Habitats Directive [93/43/EEC], provides.

There are two main reasons for rescinding this derogation for Malta:

1. The continual annual illegal slaughter of hundreds of protected migrant birds over, around and on the islands. The Maltese hunters are undisciplined and regularly break the law which is poorly enforced. The official Maltese hunters' organisation, the FKNK, have time and time again shown their inability to control their 15,000 members and are extremely hostile towards any from of criticism.

2. Birdlife Malta has denounced the derogation agreement in strong terms. In addition, in a recent opinion survey, a heavy bias by the majority of the population against present hunting practices, and the proposed exceptions on EU accession, was recorded.

If this derogation for Malta is permitted to stand it will represent a missed opportunity by the EU to take a strong stand against the bi-annual massacres of European migrating species in Malta; a severe setback for Maltese and European conservationists and nature lovers who have campaigned against these barbaric excesses for years; and a potentially dangerous undermining of the conservation measures which play such an important part in the preservation of our dwindling common European wildlife and other natural resources.

We appeal to you and your government to use the opportunity at the coming Copenhagen summit to prevent the erosion of European laws which the members of the European Union have successfully abided by for more than 20 years by actively seeking the annulment of the hunting derogation for Malta. 

We remain, in the hope that you share our concern for this unnecessary additional pressure on our natural world,

Yours sincerely,

[Name and Address]