Luxembourg, 13/06/2005 (Agence Europe) - The Court of Justice has just ruled against Spain because the Province of Guipuzcoa was continuing to authorise the practice of hunting wood pigeons returning towards their nesting areas, known in Spanish as a contrapasa hunting, and which goes against provisions of the European directive on the protection of wild birds. The Spanish government invoked social pressure and strong support for this type of hunting in the province, quoting as proof the fact that in 1998 alone, 23,900 people took part in the hunting season, of just 39 days. The European Court of Justice states that the hunting season for wood pigeon in the province of Guipuzcoa opened as an exception coincided needlessly with periods during which the European directive aims to establish specific protection for this bird. It rejects Spain's argument that wood pigeon is not a protected species and that this bird is hunted all year round in the United Kingdom. Spain is ruled against because, like all Member States, it is responsible for the actions of its provinces.