80% of the regulations and restrictions that affect hunting and nature conservation are created in Brussels!

Bird hunting, game animal habitats, the management of large carnivores, European hunting culture, and the contribution of hunters to nature conservation are under threat due to problematic and misguided policymaking.

Nature in Europe is not doing poorly everywhere, nor is it doing well everywhere. Wherever and whenever they can, hunters are working to secure the future by engaging in daily nature conservation work across Europe.

However, some policymakers in Brussels are biased against and actively working against hunting. Hunting practices are being unnecessarily restricted. In some countries, active measures are being taken or organised to halt the management of large carnivore hunting, even in cases where hunters themselves have been the primary drivers behind the recovery of predator populations.

If such ideas are implemented, both the rest of Europe and large carnivores will suffer. Hunting is often presented as one of the main threats to nature, even though there is clear evidence to the contrary.

Work is actively being carried out in Europe to end most regional hunting practices. Some policymakers have even proposed ending hunting (and fishing) in 10% of the European Union's territory.

This campaign is a reaction to the growing number of issues facing Europe's 7 million hunters. It must be emphasised again - the problems originate from Brussels (they are created in Brussels' offices and corridors). The goal of the campaign is to raise awareness of and address these issues, to prevent the trend of blaming hunting and hunters, and to recognise the value and importance of hunting in terms of both biodiversity and the unification of cultures in Europe. At the launch of the campaign, FACE President Torbjörn Larsson said:

"We are facing unprecedented challenges, particularly regarding proposals that directly affect European hunters but are developed behind closed doors. This campaign is a significant step in calling on policymakers in Brussels to change their working style and cooperate!"

At the press conference, it was emphasised that while many international NGOs frequently run campaigns on policy issues, this is the first campaign of its kind for European hunters. It will allow hunters to have their say and be heard, sign a petition, and demonstrate the importance of European policymaking in the field of hunting and nature conservation.
Photograph by Donal Boyd used