ADPD, Momentum condemn reopening of trapping licences as breach of EU obligations

Two political parties have strongly criticised the government’s decision to reopen applications for new general trapping licences, describing the move as environmentally damaging and legally reckless.

In a statement, ADPD – The Green Party said the call for applications amounted to another blow to Malta’s natural environment. Party spokesperson Mark Zerafa argued that issuing new licences sends the wrong signal at a time when biodiversity protection should be a national priority. He maintained that trapping remains illegal under Malta’s obligations as a member of the European Union and accused the government of repeatedly attempting to reintroduce the practice under different guises, including as scientific research.

Zerafa said the decision ignores warnings from the European Commission and undermines the rule of law. He added that expanding licences raises serious questions about enforcement, describing existing monitoring as already weak. According to ADPD, the move places political expediency ahead of environmental protection and contradicts the government’s own commitments in its Malta Vision 2050 document, which pledges to safeguard biodiversity.

Similar concerns were raised by Momentum, which noted that the reopening of applications was announced by the Wild Birds Regulation Unit during the same week that World Wildlife Day was being marked internationally.

Momentum said the decision runs counter to Malta’s accession commitments when it joined the European Union in 2004, which included the phasing out of finch trapping following the 2003 referendum. The party also referred to rulings by the European Court of Justice, which in 2018 found Malta’s recreational finch trapping derogation illegal and, in 2024, ruled against the scientific research framework that replaced it.

Katya Compagno, an executive member of Momentum, stressed that Malta lies along a key migratory route between Europe and Africa and that birds trapped locally form part of a shared European natural heritage. Expanding licences without robust monitoring, she said, risks normalising abuse and further weakening enforcement.

Momentum also linked the issue to broader concerns about animal welfare and regulatory oversight, citing recent cases involving captive wild animals and calling for stronger enforcement structures, increased resources, and greater transparency in licensing.

Both parties urged the government to withdraw the decision and align policy with Malta’s international and European obligations, arguing that wildlife protection should not be subordinated to short-term political considerations.

 

RSS Feed Source: Independent Malta ADPD, Momentum condemn reopening of trapping licences as breach of EU obligations