From 16 to 19 June 2026, Kuldīga hosted an informal meeting of EU member states' hunting directors, organised by the European Federation of Associations for Hunting and Conservation (FACE). The meeting was organised by the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Latvia, bringing together senior officials responsible for hunting and wildlife management across the European Union.

Discussions focused mainly on current challenges in hunting management, managing large carnivore populations, changes to international legal regulation of hunting, and the use of digital tools to support hunting management and decision-making. Participants also shared experience on wildlife monitoring, damage caused by wild animals to young forest stands, African swine fever, and national approaches to meeting nature restoration targets.

FACE Secretary General David Scallan gave an overview of recent developments in European policy affecting hunting and nature conservation, including the ongoing “fitness check” – or stress test – of the Birds and Habitats Directives.

FACE, together with the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC), welcomed the opportunity to take part in the discussions as observers, in order to promote a practical, science-based approach to sustainable wildlife management across Europe.