BirdLife Malta has sent an open letter which appeals to EU Executive Vice President Maroš Šefčovič to take urgent action against the illegal trapping of finches in Malta. The letter explains that despite Malta’s commitment in the EU Accession Treaty to gradually phase out trapping by 2009, the government reintroduced this practice in 2014 through a derogation. The European Commission challenged this, and in 2018, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) declared the trapping of finches illegal.
Later, Malta tried to circumvent this rule by calling it a “scientific derogation,” but the ECJ again ruled that this practice was illegal in a 2024 decision (case 23/23). Despite this, the Maltese government ignored the 2018 and 2024 ECJ rulings and reopened the trapping of finches. BirdLife Malta calls this a violation of EU law, democratic principles, and the will of the majority of Maltese citizens. It argues that the government is manipulating the laws and undermining EU authority.
Therefore, BirdLife Malta is urging the European Commission to take immediate action by invoking Article 260 of the Treaty to close the trapping season and hold Malta accountable for its failure to comply with EU obligations.
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