European Parliament resolution of 15 March 2007 on the hunting and trapping of migratory birds in spring in Malta
Date: 2007-03-15
Institutions: European Parliament
Subjects: Malta, bird, hunting regulations, infringement of EU law, protection of animal life

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13.12.2007

Thursday 15 March 2007

Appeals to the Member States to introduce a one-stop-shop approach to complaint procedures for

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patients;

Calls on the Commission to pay special attention to the provision of information to patients on their

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rights and obligations and introduce appropriate provisions in its legislative proposal;

Believes that the forthcoming Community framework can provide an opportunity to empower Euro-

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pean citizens as patients as well as encourage Member States to develop their healthcare systems;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the govern-

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ments and parliaments of the Member States.

P6_TA(2007)0074

Illegal bird hunting in Malta

European Parliament resolution of 15 March 2007 on the hunting and trapping of migratory birds
in spring in Malta

The European Parliament,

— having regard to Petition 794/2004, Petition 334/2005 and Petition 886/2005,

— having regard to the Report on the fact-finding mission carried out by the Committee on Petitions to

Malta between 9 and 12 May 2006,

— having regard to Council Directive 79/409/EEC of 2 April 1979 on the Conservation of wild birds (1)

(the ‘Birds Directive’),

— having regard to Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the Conservation of natural habitats

and of wild fauna and flora (2) (the ‘Habitats Directive’),

— having regard to Articles 10, 226 and 242 of the EC Treaty,

— having regard to Oral Question B6-0015/2007,

— having regard to Rules 108(5) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas the European Parliament has received several petitions against the practice of hunting and
trapping migratory birds in spring in Malta, including a petition from the Belgian Royal Society for
the Protection of Birds, signed by 300 000 people in Europe, more than 4 000 of whom were from
Malta; whereas 115 000 people in Europe, notably from the UK, petitioned the Maltese Government in
February 2007 in protest against the spring hunting,

B. whereas the Committee on Petitions has examined the allegations made in the petitions and has dis-
patched a delegation to Malta pursuant to Rule 192(3) of the Rules of Procedure of the European
Parliament in order to establish the facts of the situation in situ,

C. whereas the report on that fact-finding mission concluded that, although certain efforts had been made
by the Maltese authorities responsible to bring national legislation and its application into line with
Community law, the sustainability and survival of populations of several species of migratory birds still
face serious threats from illegal and indiscriminate hunting and trapping when birds of those species
pass through Malta during their spring migration,

(1) OJ L 103, 25.4.1979, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7.

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D. whereas the report on the fact-finding mission also raises concerns about Malta's compliance with both
the Birds Directive and the Habitats Directive and about the illegal hunting and the trapping of pro-
tected species, in particular birds of prey,

Thursday 15 March 2007

E. whereas spring hunting and trapping are defended by Maltese hunters as part of their cultural tradition;
whereas, however, the resting space available for migratory birds has diminished considerably in recent
years, due to urban development, and whereas new methods and weaponry have also made hunting
more efficient and thus more damaging to populations of migratory birds, causing the local eradication
of birds such as the Peregrine Falcon and Barn Owl,

F. whereas opinion polls appear to show that a broad majority of Maltese society is against current hunt-

ing practices,

G. whereas the Government of Malta has decided to open a spring hunting season for Turtle Dove and
Quail, both declining species, from 10 April to 20 May 2007, and a trapping season from 26 March to
20 May 2007,

H. whereas Malta is one of the principal bottlenecks for birds migrating between Europe and Africa;
whereas a recent study contained evidence of birds, many of which were rare or endangered, being
shot in 35 countries, mostly European States, and trapped in 19 countries,

I. whereas the Commission is investigating whether Malta's transposition of the Birds Directive fulfils the
requirements of the Directive and whether the legislation is being correctly applied, and has com-
menced infringement proceedings against Malta for failure to comply fully with Article 9 of the Direc-
tive,

J. whereas the Commission has recommended that the Government of Malta should not allow spring
hunting this year and has stated that if spring hunting is to be authorised in 2007 the Commission
intends to examine, in a joint case, the spring hunting that was also permitted in 2004, 2005 and
2006 and to dispatch a Reasoned Opinion to Malta on the matter,

K. whereas Member States' obligation to cooperate fully with the Commission when it is acting within its
powers under Article 226 of the EC Treaty follows from the principle of cooperation in good faith laid
down in Article 10 of the EC Treaty,

1.
Takes note of the report on the fact-finding mission of the Committee of Petitions during which the
facts were examined in situ between 9 and 12 May 2006, and supports the recommendations in the report;

2.
Shares the concerns expressed in the report on the fact-finding mission, in particular in respect of the
authorisation given as regards the hunting of resting migratory birds in spring and the illegal hunting and
the trapping of protected species, including in areas protected under Community law;

3.

Condemns all types of illegal hunting in all Member States;

Calls on the Maltese Government and the Commission to publish their full technical positions on the

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subject;

5. Welcomes the Commission's decision to investigate the compliance of Maltese legislation and its appli-
cation with the Birds Directive and strongly urges the Commission to redouble its efforts to persuade the
Maltese authorities to comply fully with Community law;

Also calls on the Maltese Government to fully comply with the Birds Directive, relevant Community

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law and the terms of the Accession Treaty as signed by the Maltese Government;

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Thursday 15 March 2007

7. Welcomes the decision of the Maltese Government to address cases of abuse, inter alia, by increasing
fines to a maximum of EUR 14 000 and providing for terms of imprisonment of up to two years and the
permanent revocation of hunting licences in the case of recidivists;

Also welcomes the decision of the Maltese Government to ban the trapping of finches and the hunting

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of birds at sea during spring;

Reiterates the principle of cooperation in good faith laid down in Article 10 of the EC Treaty, pursuant

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to which the Member States have agreed to cooperate fully with the Community Institutions;

10.
Notes that the principle of cooperation in good faith is of particular importance when the Commis-
sion is acting in its capacity as ‘guardian of the treaties’ and investigating the compliance of Member States
with Community law pursuant to Article 226 of the EC Treaty;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the Govern-

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ment and Parliament of Malta.

P6_TA(2007)0075

Euro-Mediterranean relations

European Parliament resolution of 15 March 2007 on Euro-Mediterranean relations

The European Parliament,

— having regard to the Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parlia-
ment on the preparation of the Tampere Euro-Mediterranean Foreign Affairs Ministers Conference
(COM(2006)0620),

— having regard to the conclusions of the eighth Euro-Mediterranean Conference of Ministers of Foreign

Affairs (the eighth Euromed conference), held in Tampere on 27-28 November 2006,

— having regard to the communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament

on strengthening the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) (COM(2006)0726),

— having regard to the conclusions of the Euro-Mediterranean Summit to mark the tenth anniversary of

the Euro-Mediterranean partnership held in Barcelona on 27-28 November 2005,

— having regard to the Conclusions of the Euro-Mediterranean Ministerial Conference on Trade held in

Marrakesh on 24 March 2006,

— having regard to the final declaration of the Civil Forum held in Marrakesh from 4 to 7 November

2006,

— having regard to the Euro-African conference held in Rabat on 10-11 July 2006 and the conference in

Tripoli held on 22-23 November 2006,

— having regard to the programme of the current Presidency of the Council,

— having regard to the conclusions of the European Council of 8 and 9 March 2007,

— having regard to Rule 103(2) of its Rules of Procedure,