Eight European Union Member States (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain and Denmark) sent a joint letter to the European Commission on Friday 26 June asking it to take swift action to control the illegal import of wild meat at European borders.
In the letter, the eight signatory ministers emphasise that the illegal trade in wild meat is a major global concern, as it leads to the decline of wildlife populations and therefore disrupts ecosystems.
In Africa, Asia and South America, more than 300 species of wild terrestrial mammals are believed to be threatened with extinction due to illegal hunting for their meat, the letter said.
Echoing the current pandemic situation, the eight countries further note that activities related to wild meat contribute to the spread of pathogens and the development of zoonoses, greatly increasing the interaction of humans with wildlife (see EUROPE 12457/30).
According to them, the problem lies in the current lack of data on the routes for the illegal introduction of wild meat and the links between possible national trafficking, whereas Belgium estimates that around four tonnes of wild meat pass illegally through Brussels airport each month.
The eight ministers therefore recommend that a thorough scientific investigation be carried out at the EU level to assess the effectiveness and enforcement of EU legislation on the fight against wildlife trafficking and the measures taken against it.
See the letter: https://bit.ly/3ifGCMC (Original version in French by Damien Genicot)