Roughly translated by TWIN Observer
Soon, it is determined whether the Swedish wolf hunt should be a matter for the EU Court. Joe Hennon who is the spokesperson for EU Environment Commissioner tells Eko that decision is expected shortly.
During the autumn, Sweden held talks with the Commission also examined the Swedish Government’s draft predator policy. The government tries to get Brussels to accept licensed hunting of wolves, arguing that there is already enough wolves for the wolf population to be sustainable.
But so far, the Commission has made a different assessment.
“What we both agree on is that the wolf has not reached the favorable conservation status. That’s at least what we have been agreed so far. We will look further at the implications of the Swedish law”, says Joe Hennon.
He is saying that actually it has been agreed is that the Swedish wolf population is not large enough to be sustainable.
Earlier this autumn, the Swedish government presented its predator bill which states that all it takes is between 170 and 270 wolves. Since Sweden already has about 400 wolves would thus be able to allow hunting at any time.
But according to Joe Hennon would such a license hunting is likely to be a breach of EU laws, as there is already an ongoing process of this.
“Yes, it probably is, since we are in the process of investigating whether Sweden breaking the law. Licensed Hunting is no way to solve the problem,” he says.
Scientists have come to quite different conclusions about how large wolf population needs to be to survive in the long term. And several environmental organizations reacted strongly against the government’s proposed predator policy earlier this fall. Yet Environment Minister Lena Ek’s message is crystal clear.
“The EU Commission has eight very clear guidelines for when the favorable conservation status is achieved. We meet all the eight requirements, by far. This the government believes that we have favorable conservation status for each of our five predator species,” she says.
But Joe Hennon says that it is the Minister’s opinion, and nothing else. He says there are not many countries who themselves believe that they are breaking the law.
“If you say to a Member “you break the law,” so it is very rare that they agree with. The answer is likely “no, we do not,”” said Joe Hennon.
The Commission has read the Swedish draft predator policy and several meetings have been held, both in Sweden and in Brussels. In short, the Commission will decide on the Swedish wolf issue to be decided in the Court.