2022/0296/NL
EC/EFTA
NL Netherlands
  • C20A - Agriculture, hunting
2022-07-20
2022-04-26

Hunting (shooting and offering permission to shoot animals)

Order of [date] amending the Nature Conservation Order in connection with not opening the rabbit hunting season nationally and not opening the hare hunting season in the provinces of Groningen, Limburg and Utrecht

The Nature Conservation Act (hereinafter ‘the Act’) contains provisions on hunting and the use of means for the capture and killing of animals by hunters (Sections 3.5 and 3.6). The Nature Conservation Order (Titles 3.2 and 3.3) provides rules implementing the provisions on hunting and the use of means for the capture and killing of animals by hunters. Hunters may hunt the five species (rabbit, hare, wild duck, pheasant and wood pigeon) appearing on the game list in Article 3.20(2) of the Act, and Article 3.22(1) of the Act only permits hunting if hunting season has been opened. Ministerial orders may open hunting seasons for specific species, places and times (Article 3.22(2) of the Act). Article 3.5 of the ministerial Order, the Nature Conservation Order, opens the hunting season for each of the five species of game.

Article I of the Order amends Article 3.5 of the Nature Conservation Order so that the upcoming 2022/2023 hunting season will not open for rabbits nationally and will not open for hares in the provinces of Groningen, Limburg and Utrecht.
Article II of the Order continues the hold on the rabbit hunting season nationally, and hare hunting season in the provinces of Groningen, Limburg and Utrecht in the Environment Order [Omgevingsregeling], in a policy-neutral manner.
Articles I and II of the Order may contain a technical regulation:
- not opening the rabbit hunting season nationally, and not opening the hare hunting season in the provinces of Groningen, Limburg and Utrecht.
No mutual recognition clause has been included because the regulations only apply to hunting in the Netherlands.