The European Union has given Spain two months to bring its laws into line with the rest of the EU regarding the hunting of protected species.
The birds in question include the goldfinch, the common linnet, the European serin, the finch and the greenfinch.
The Commission has demanded that Spain discontinue hunting the birds with nets and that the breeding of birds in captivity was not an acceptable option.
“The numbers of affected species should remain at a satisfactory level. In Spain, these conditions are not met,” The executive said.
Hunting associations in Spain meanwhile said that hunting the birds with nets was a deeply rooted tradition in several parts of the country.
Saying this, several of Spain’s autonomous communities have passed anti-hunting laws in line with standards set by Brussels.
