Hunting reform: Brussels warns and assists Italy, saying some aspects may breach EU rules

Brussels – The proposed reform of Italy’s hunting law, as presented by the majority parties, could be in breach of European legislation, said EU Commissioner for the Environment, Jessika Roswall, who, whilst exercising due caution, admits that something doesn’t add up. “The Commission received complaints regarding draft law 1552”, which revises hunting regulations in the country, and, as the Commissioner acknowledges, “the draft provisions publicly available were preliminarily assessed against the relevant requirements of the Birdsand Habitats Directives and aspects that may not be compatible with the EU rules were identified.”

Italian legislation is therefore under scrutiny by the European Commission, which, however, is not commenting on either any potential sanctions or developments in a matter that remains entirely a national issue. Roswall suggests that it is too early to consider infringement proceedings against Italy. Meanwhile, “the Commission is currently assessing the Italian authorities’ response in detail,” and discussions are ongoing with Rome. Following the complaints lodged in Brussels, “the relevant Italian authorities were contacted” and they “are considering proposing amendments to the legislators in light of the Commission’s observations.” 

Everything could change, then. The necessary amendments would result from criticism and pressure from environmental organisations and opposition parties. In particular, the PD delegation in the European Parliament raised the issue of the hunting law reform in a parliamentary question, prompting the European Commission to state that the draft legislation would not comply with EU regulations.  According to Roswall, the Commission works closely with national authorities “within its efforts to support them in ensuring early compliance with EU rules and prevent breaches from emerging.” In short, the EU is giving the Meloni government a hand to avoid embarrassment and further disputes with the EU.