ENPA calls for reform of Italy's wildlife-hunting committee

The Italian National Animal Protection Association (ENPA) has called on the Budget and Environment commissions of the Chamber of Deputies to abolish or deeply reform the technical wildlife-hunting committee. ENPA argues that the committee, reconstituted by the Meloni government, has become biased toward hunting interests and possesses improper powers, such as issuing opinions on regional hunting calendars.

ENPA representatives claim the current structure marginalizes scientific expertise by giving the committee's non-scientific opinions equal weight to those of agencies like ISPRA. The association also warned that these legislative changes could trigger new infringement procedures from the European Union.

Meanwhile, the parliamentary majority is accelerating the hunting reform (Bill no. 2984), which was previously approved in the Senate. The bill is expected to reach the Chamber in November. Opposition members have criticized the government's tactics, suggesting the use of procedural maneuvers to bypass a large number of amendments filed by opposition parties and to expedite approval before the end of the legislature.