Tuscany. Council of State rejects animal rights appeal

Rome, Dec. 5, 2022 – By order no. 5685/2022 published today, the Council of State rejected the appeal brought by the environmental/animalist associations for the reform of the Tuscany Regional Administrative Court’s precautionary decision, which had held not to grant the suspension of the 2022/23 Tuscan hunting calendar, in particular the January 30 closing date for hunting of anatidae, turdidae and woodcock.

Federcaccia was the only hunting association to support the Tuscany Region in defending the hunting calendar, and the result obtained before the Council of State is obviously of great satisfaction, for two main reasons.

The first is that today’s order of the Council of State was also rendered against the Ministry of Ecological Transition, which has joined, not without surprise, the environmental/animalist associations. The second is that the procedural exceptions raised and discussed by Federcaccia appear to have been upheld by the Council of State:

– environmental/animal associations are not legitimized to challenge those regional hunting calendars that introduce more restrictive measures of hunting and thus prove more favorable to environmental protection;

– environmental/animalist associations cannot appeal against regional hunting calendars by merely referring to the Ispra opinion and Key Concepts, instead having to take it upon themselves to specifically censure, one by one, the reasons assumed by the regions for departing from them.

On the strength of this success before the Council of State, which follows other precedents before Regional Administrative Tribunals, Federcaccia will continue with even greater determination in defending the values of hunting activity so that, even in the courts, these are recognized without prejudice and in accordance with procedural rules.

“Once again the positions and arguments advocated by Federcaccia have demonstrated their validity and substantiation,” said National President Massimo Buconi upon learning of today’s order, “It is proof that hunting calendars if well constructed and duly motivated can overcome specious and exquisitely ideological attacks. I can only warmly thank Attorney Alberto Maria Bruni, who once again represented us with professionalism and the highest competence. Thanks also to the work of our Study and Research Office and in particular Dr. Michele Sorrenti.”

“An important result that reconfirms the validity of the current Tuscan Hunting Calendar for the entire 2022/2023 season,” Federcaccia Regional President Marco Salvadori echoed him, “An outcome in which we strongly believed and for which Federazione Italiana della Caccia, both before the Council of State and previously before the Regional Administrative Court, was the only hunting association that stood by the Region to protect its members and all Tuscan hunters.

Italian Hunting Federation Press Office