The European Commission has decided to launch an infringement procedure against Italy due to its failure to comply with EU directives on hunting.
Brussels found that "several Italian legislative acts do not comply with EU legislation", in particular with regard to the Birds Directive and the Reach regulation, which "limits the use of pellets containing lead" to "protect aquatic birds, l environment and human health".
In the letter of formal notice sent to Rome, the European Commission highlights that, in violation of the Birds Directive, "Italian legislation gives the regions the power to authorize the killing or capture of wild fauna species, even in areas where hunting is prohibited, as are protected areas, and during the time of year when hunting is prohibited."
Furthermore, Italian legislation does not comply with the provisions of the Reach regulation on the use of lead in ammunition.
"As widely anticipated and announced by us several times, the European Commission has opened an infringement procedure against our country for the pro-venatory regulations approved in recent months by the Government and Parliament. Specifically, the use of ammunition at lead in wetlands, hunting in protected areas, hunting during the migration period, and all the changes introduced in recent months by the Meloni Government to please hunters are essentially rejected". This was declared by the National Animal Protection Agency commenting on the initiative adopted by the European Commission. "We ask our ministers and our parliamentarians for a gesture of responsibility towards their country and citizens, withdrawing all those legislative proposals and measures passed in recent months to satisfy the doubles, starting from the highly contested proposal of the Bruzzone law now being examined by the Chamber.
To the government - continues Enpa -.
We also ask to challenge all those laws, clearly contrary to European law, as well as unconstitutional, approved or in the process of being approved by the Regions or autonomous Provinces". "If this does not happen - concludes the association - the executive and the majority, but also local and national officials and managers will be responsible, politically and not only, for the very high fines inflicted on our country.
Fines that will not be paid neither by hunters, nor by gunsmiths nor by parliamentarians and ministers, but by all Italians who really don't want to know about hunting."
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