The Italy Chamber of Deputies is set to begin formal hearings this Tuesday, 7 July, on sweeping legislation that would fundamentally redefine hunting regulations across the country, a process that has ignited fierce opposition from environmental organizations and raised red flags in Brussels. The bill, which sailed through the Senate on 23 June with 80 votes in favor, could reshape how Italy manages wildlife for decades—and possibly trigger costly European Union violations.
Why This Matters
• Legal risk: The European Commission has warned Italy that key provisions likely violate the EU Birds Directive, with existing infringement procedures already underway on related issues.
• Timeline pressure: Amendments must be submitted by 16 July, with final approval expected by autumn 2026.
• Fiscal exposure: Existing hunting-related bureaucratic delays have already cost Italy an estimated €20M in potential EU fines over six months, according to advocacy groups.
• Shrinking constituency: Only 1% of Italians now hold hunting licenses—which have declined sharply from 738,000 in 2016-2017 to just 155,496 in recent years, following a drop from 160,055 in the previous two-year period.
Legislative Shift: From Protection to Management
The draft law—known formally as C. 2984 in the Chamber and previously DDL 1552 in the Senate—essentially reverses the logic of Law 157/92, which has governed hunting in Italy since 1992. Under the new framework, hunting would be officially recognized as an activity that "contributes to the protection of biodiversity and the ecosystem," a definition that environmental scientists and advocacy groups have condemned as "antiscientific" and potentially incompatible with Article 9 of the Italian Constitution.
Article 9 of the Italian Constitution enshrines the protection of Italy's landscape and historical and artistic heritage. Environmental groups argue that expanded hunting on beaches and in coastal areas conflicts with this constitutional obligation to preserve natural heritage and biodiversity, particularly as 29% of vertebrate species in Italy face extinction threats.
The centerpiece of the reform is the recasting of hunters as "bioregulators," shifting control over wildlife management from centralized scientific oversight to regional administrations. Crucially, the binding scientific opinions currently provided by ISPRA (Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale) would be downgraded to advisory status. In their place, a new National Faunal-Hunting Technical Committee would be established, with seats reserved for hunting and agricultural representatives.
What's Inside the Bill
The legislation contains dozens of provisions that expand where, when, and how hunting can occur:
Temporal extensions: The traditional cutoff of 10 February would be eliminated, allowing regional authorities to extend hunting seasons into the critical pre-nuptial migration period for birds—a practice the European Commission has explicitly flagged as non-compliant with the Birds Directive.
Geographic expansion: Hunting would be permitted on state-owned maritime domains, including beaches, public forests, and coastal areas—zones currently off-limits under existing law.
New quarry species: The bill adds wild geese and urban pigeons to the list of huntable species. Alpine ibex, initially included in early drafts, has been removed following public outcry.
Technological tools: Hunters would be authorized to use thermal and optical night-vision devices for selective ungulate hunting, and the legislation would lift restrictions on the use of live decoys—permitting the capture of up to 10 birds per species, with no limits on captive-bred specimens.
Enforcement provisions: A controversial clause introduces penalties for anyone who "obstructs or delays" hunting activities, language critics say could criminalize peaceful protest and even wildlife photography near hunting zones.
What This Means for Residents
For Italians living in rural and peri-urban areas, the legislation would mean more hunting activity closer to populated zones and beaches, particularly during spring months when families traditionally begin outdoor recreation. The extension of hunting into maritime domains raises safety concerns for beachgoers and coastal walkers. According to the Vittime della Caccia association, hunting-related casualties totaled approximately 1,937 incidents over 20 years. In the most recent two-year reporting period, this included 33 hunters and 13 bystanders—figures that underscore the safety implications for residents in areas where hunting would be newly permitted.
Regional governments would gain sweeping discretion to define hunting calendars and zones, meaning regulatory fragmentation across Italy's 20 regions. Residents in regions with pro-hunting administrations could see dramatically expanded hunting seasons, while those in conservation-minded regions might experience minimal change.
The downgrade of ISPRA's authority means that scientific data on species populations and ecosystem health would carry less weight in administrative decisions, transferring effective control to regional political actors and the new technical committee, which includes stakeholder representation.
European Commission Concerns
Brussels has been unambiguous. In December 2025, the European Commission sent a formal letter to the Italian government outlining "serious concerns" and identifying specific "incompatibilities" with the Birds and Habitat Directives. That letter, initially withheld from public disclosure by the Italian government, was later released by opposition parties and environmental organizations.
The Commission's objections focus on three areas:
Seasonal extensions beyond 10 February, which coincide with spring migration when distinguishing between protected and huntable species becomes difficult, increasing the risk of accidental kills of threatened birds.
Undermining ISPRA's scientific role, which the EU regards as essential to ensuring member states comply with evidence-based conservation obligations.
Use of live decoys, a practice for which Italy is already subject to an active EU Pilot procedure initiated in 2023 and faces a pending letter of formal notice.
As of January 2026, Italy was managing 75 open infringement procedures, 59 of which involve violations of EU law. Environmental advocates warn that approval of the hunting bill in its current form would likely trigger additional infringement actions, with potential fines running into tens of millions of euros.
Gian Marco Prampolini, president of Leal (Lega Anti Vivisezione), has pointed out the fiscal irony: while agricultural damage from wildlife is estimated at €15M annually, bureaucratic delays in resolving EU infractions could cost Italy €20M in just six months.
The Biodiversity Context
Italy's vertebrate populations are under documented stress. According to ISPRA's 2025-2026 data, 29% of vertebrate species in Italy are threatened with extinction, with six species already considered extinct within national borders. Among nesting birds, 26% are classified as threatened on the IUCN Red List, and farmland bird populations have declined by 33% over 25 years.
Between 2017 and 2023, more than 32 million birds were legally shot in Italy, according to ISPRA records. Species such as the wryneck have lost 76% of their population, the short-toed lark 73%, and the stonechat 71%—though most declining farmland species are not huntable, and ISPRA attributes their collapse primarily to agricultural ecosystem degradation and loss of food resources.
Invasive alien species affect 16% of at-risk native species, adding additional pressure to ecosystems already strained by habitat loss and climate change.
Edgar Meyer of Gaia Animali & Ambiente described the bill as "a slap in the face to science," noting that the legislation grants extraordinary new powers to a constituency representing just 1% of the population, whose numbers have plummeted from 738,000 licensed hunters in 2016-2017 to 155,496 in recent years.
Political Dynamics and Next Steps
The bill has exposed fractures even within the governing coalition. Rita Dalla Chiesa, a Forza Italia deputy, has publicly voiced reservations and announced plans to table amendments aimed at moderating the text. Her stance reflects broader unease about the political optics of advancing legislation that privileges a shrinking interest group while drawing EU scrutiny.
On Tuesday, 7 July, the XIII Agriculture Committee will hear testimony from a coalition of organizations including Lipu, Legambiente, WWF, ENPA, LAC, OIPA, the Italian Society of Ethology, and the Italian Center for Ornithological Studies. A broader alliance of 57 associations has formally requested that Chamber President Lorenzo Fontana involve the Environment Committee in the review process, arguing that the bill's implications extend far beyond agricultural policy.
The deadline for amendments is 16 July, and parliamentary observers expect the bill to reach a final vote by autumn 2026.
Hunting federations, including Federcaccia, Coldiretti, and Confagricoltura, have celebrated the legislation as a long-overdue modernization of the 1992 law and a recognition of hunters' role in ecosystem management. They emphasize the need for flexible regional control to address agricultural damage caused by wild boar and other species, particularly in light of African swine fever outbreaks.
Giovanni Albarella of Lipu counters that the bill "contains practically nothing" on coexistence with wildlife, instead functioning primarily as a catalogue of new concessions to the hunting lobby.
Public Mobilization
Fondazione Capellino has released a video campaign highlighting what it calls "hunting violence" and calling for the bill's withdrawal. Foundation president Pier Giovanni Capellino framed the issue in stark terms: "Stopping this bill means choosing to protect a heritage that belongs to everyone."
LAC (Lega Abolizione Caccia) has characterized the legislation as a "clumsy and overbearing attempt" to expand hunting methods, times, and locations without adequate scientific justification or public consultation.
The Quirinale, under President Sergio Mattarella, is reportedly monitoring the situation closely, particularly regarding the risk of EU law violations. Even the Vatican has expressed concerns, according to advocacy sources.
The hearings this week will test whether parliamentary scrutiny can reshape a bill that has become a flashpoint in Italy's ongoing tension between regional autonomy, environmental obligation, and the political clout of organized interest groups. For residents across Italy, the outcome will determine not only the fate of threatened species but also the future accessibility and safety of beaches, forests, and countryside during critical months of the year.
