The MEP immediately announced this Marco Dreosto, referring to the question, sent to the European Commission by a pentastellato exponent which just a few days ago got an answer. The parliamentarian had in fact asked for the intervention of the EC, fearing the violation of the Birds Directive by the eleven Italian regions that had included lapwing and pochard within their hunting calendars. The same has also requested an intervention in this regard already starting from the next hunting season, to avoid the repetition of such alleged violations.
The Commission in its reply, communicated its intention to analyze the compatibility of the situation described by the representative of the M5S, while highlighting that the main responsibility for the implementation of the EU law rests with national authorities. The Commission also announced its intention to evaluate, as of this autumn, the drafting of action plans for species with an unsafe conservation status, included in Annex II of the Birds Directive, with a view to adopting measures to their recovery.
“A new free attack on the hunting world and on Italian regions, which once again demonstrates the emptiness but also the dangerousness of the M5S instances in Europe - declares Dreosto, who adds - the speciousness of the insinuations about the violation of the Birds Directive demonstrates the lack of knowledge of the arguments: the Ministry of the Environment lacked specific action plans for lapwing and pochard. The lapwing is not in the same AEWA category as the pochard and is increasing in Italy both as a winter visitor and as a breeder. The pochard is significantly increasing in the Venetian lagoon area, thanks to a targeted action to restore the habitats implemented by the hunters and valley growers themselves. " Among other things, ISPRA has given a favorable opinion on hunting the two species in this hunting season and the Ministry of the Environment, failing to have drawn up the plans, tried to trample on its own reference Institute and to ignore the scientific data on the species.