Barcelona, July 2016.- The Department of Territory and Sustainability of the Generalitat de Catalunya, circulated a press release on July 1st, to notify its decision that this year " no exceptional authorization will be issued to capture live specimens of finches commonly used in singing contests. The decision affects the capture of finches, linnets, goldfinches and greenfinches. The Department will open a period of evaluation of the regulatory system currently in force in Catalonia.

The determination has been made as a precautionary measure, based on the announcement of the opening of an infringement procedure by the European Commission against Spain by four information dossiers on the protection of wild birds, from 2012 until early 2016. The Commission considers that clarifications, responses and argued explanations have failed to respect the strict and exceptional regime regulated by the Birds Directive 2009/147 / EC, which states that the catch in the natural environment will be banned permanently from 2018.

Ong ADDA, welcomed very positively the decision of the Catalan Government and notified it to the Director of Environmental Policy of the Generalitat. Ong ADDA and DEPANA have filed administrative proceedings against the Generalitat de Catalunya in defense of songbirds.

Our organization will continue to work in those Autonomous Communities where the live capture of finches are still allowed, in order that they will be banned as soon as possible.

Ong ADDA -July 2016