European Parliament to Vote on Anti-Hunting Amendments

[BRICKBURN]

European Parliament to Vote on Anti-Hunting Amendments
Contact your MEPs today!

On 12 October 2016, the European Parliament’s Environment Committee (ENVI) is scheduled to vote on the EU Action Plan against Wildlife Trafficking.

A number of Amendments have been tabled that unjustifiably describe trophy hunting as unethical and a threat to wildlife populations and call for trophy hunting to be banned or severely restricted.

These amendments constitute a severe attack, not only on trophy hunting, but on hunting in general as a form of sustainable use with environmental and socio-economic benefits.

Moreover, they have nothing to do with the aim of the EU Action Plan against Wildlife Trafficking – namely to strengthen the EU’s role in the global fight against wildlife trafficking through a set of priorities such as prevention, enforcement and cooperation.

The conservation value of sustainable trophy hunting is well documented. As recently as April this year, IUCN published a briefing document on trophy hunting that demonstrates the value of this practice for wildlife conservation and also takes note of an increase in unscientific attacks on trophy hunting.

FACE also produced a short information note on trophy hunting, titled ‘Trophy Hunting in Africa – Facts & Evidence’. This document relies on peer-reviewed scientific evidence to outline the benefits of trophy hunting for conservation and local communities in Africa.


Please contact your national MEPs and ask them to reject the following Amendments that would negatively impact hunting:

Amendment 28 – REJECTION
Amendment 56 – REJECTION
Amendment 79 – REJECTION
Amendment 126 – REJECTION
Amendment 172 – REJECTION
Amendment 177 – REJECTION


We also strongly advise the rejection of the following unjustified Amendments which go against sustainable hunting and animal use:

Amendment 135 – REJECTION
Amendment 141 – REJECTION
Amendment 142 – REJECTION
Amendment 154 – REJECTION
Amendment 168 – REJECTION
Amendment 169 – REJECTION
Amendment 170 – REJECTION
Amendment 171 – REJECTION
Amendment 176 – REJECTION
Amendment 186 – REJECTION
Amendment 187 – REJECTION


We finally encourage you to advise support in favour of the following pro-use Amendments:

Amendment 24 + SUPPORT
Amendment 53 + SUPPORT
Amendment 65 + SUPPORT
Amendment 66 + SUPPORT
Amendment 67 + SUPPORT
Amendment 157 + SUPPORT
Amendment 158 + SUPPORT
Amendment 174 + SUPPORT


The list of your national MEPs is available here: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/map.html

The text of the Amendments can be found here:
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//NONSGML+COMPARL+PE-589.210+01+DOC+PDF+V0//EN&language=EN

The full Procedure File with the relevant actors and documents can be found here: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/ficheprocedure.do?lang=&reference=2016/2076(INI)

 

[Clayton]

This is a "heads up" to everyone. First the EU and then who knows who would be next. Thanks for posting it. You are vigilant man and on the ball.

 

[CAustin]

They have no clue !

 

[spike.t]

@Environ maybe you can pass this around to your uk hunting friends.
@Nyati your spanish friends. cheers mike

 

[Nyati]

@Environ maybe you can pass this around to your uk hunting friends.
@Nyati your spanish friends. cheers mike

Will do, Mike !

 

[mark-hunter]

Does anyone one know how this news will affect import of trophies to EU? Speaking not only abot Rhino and elephant, but other non-endangered plains game species?

It also says at bottom: non-legislative resolution. What does it mean?


Link:
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/...de-ban-penalties-against-wildlife-trafficking

MEPs advocate a full and immediate EU-wide ban on ivory and rhinoceros horn trade, and call for common sanctions at EU level against wildlife trafficking, in a resolution voted on Thursday. Wildlife trafficking is worth an estimated €20 billion annually. It has grown in recent years, becoming one of the biggest and most profitable forms of organised cross-border crime.


“Wildlife trafficking is the fourth biggest organised criminal activity on the planet. It is high time we got really serious about it”, said rapporteur Catherine Bearder (ALDE, UK). Her report sets out Parliament’s response to an EU action plan presented by the European Commission.

“The penalties against wildlife trafficking must be very severe to reflect the seriousness of this crime and must be the same across the EU”, she added.

MEPs call for a full and immediate ban at EU level on trade, export or re-export of ivory and rhinoceros horns. They also urge the EU member states to set appropriate levels of penalties for wildlife crime offences, and call on the Commission to work towards establishing common rules for defining criminal offences and sanctions relating to wildlife trafficking.

The EU should also review existing legislation to ban any making available and placing on the market, transport, acquisition and possession of wildlife that has been illegally harvested or traded in third countries, MEPs say.

Since trophy hunting has contributed to large-scale declines in certain species, MEPs urge the EU to establish a precautionary approach to dealing with imports of hunting trophies from species protected under the EU Wildlife Trade Regulations.

Financing militias and terrorist groups

MEPs note that wildlife crime is linked to other forms of organised crime, such as money laundering and the financing of militias and terrorist groups. They urge EU member states to use all relevant instruments, including cooperation with the financial sector, to reveal these links.

Global internet trade

MEPs call on EU leaders to engage with the operators of social media platforms, search engines and e-commerce platforms and step up checks to stop illegal internet trade in wildlife.

The resolution was passed by 567 votes to 5, with 39 abstentions.

Note to editors

The EU Action Plan presented by the Commission lists a series of measures to be taken by EU institutions and/or member states. The measures are essentially designed to improve cooperation among all the players concerned, make more effective use of existing tools and policies, and strengthen synergies between them, so that wildlife trafficking can be better tackled across the EU and globally.


Procedure: Non-legislative resolution

REF. : 20161117IPR51554
Updated: (24-11-2016 - 12:49)