Brussels, 17/01/2011 (Agence Europe) - Infringement proceedings are soon to be opened against Sweden, which is believed illegally to have begun wolf hunting on Saturday 15 January. The news was announced on Monday 17 January by Janez Potoènik, the European Commissioner for the Environment, who will submit a proposal regarding this to the Commission on 27 January.
“I regret that Sweden has begun the licensed hunting of wolves without giving clear answers to my letter sent on 7 December 2010. We have been in intensive dialogue with the Swedish government, which has been aware of the Commission's concerns about the legality of the hunt for a long time. The actions of the Swedish authorities leave me with little choice other than to propose to the Commission that it begin formal proceedings against Sweden for breach of EU environmental law”, the Commissioner states. However, he went on to voice his hopes that Sweden will immediately continue with the “promised efforts to address the unfavourable conservation status of the wolf population in Sweden through translocation of wolves from other parts of Europe”, the Commissioner explained.
In 2010, the quotas of wolves which can be hunted in areas where wolf hunting is permitted in Sweden were reached too quickly (in just a few days) for the hunt to be able to remain legal. (A.N./trans.fl)