Agreement has been reached between Mediterranean countries, members of FACE (The Federation of Associations for Hunting and Conservation in the EU), whose representatives of the Southern European States have created this permanent group of Mediterranean hunters that will be called FACE Med, similarly to what has, for some time, already been done by the countries of the North of Europe (Nordic Hunters' Coordination).

This new organ that by definition will be a true working group specifically concentrating on the problems that are linked with Mediterranean game management culture, will operate within FACE and will have its operative headquarters at the AECT, the European cultural association in the field of game management, active since 1995 and an associate member of the said Federation of European Hunters.

The founding members, including members of such a coordination - Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Malta and Cyprus - will convene at least twice a year apart from as many times as deemed necessary as dictated by problems that are required to be discussed and resolved.

It is relevant to underline how FACE Med fits perfectly into the more recent strategy of the Brussels Federation that had already re-designed its structure aiming for a regional approach to European hunting issues, sub-dividing the member countries into groups on the basis of their definite geographical area origins.

A brochure that will highlight the organisation and objectives of this new venture will be published in the near future. The Secretary of FACE Med will coincide with that of AECT, considering that the representatives are the same in both cases. Present for this important meeting were: representing FACE Italy - Dr. Giovanni BANA FACE Vice-President, Dr. Paolo SPARVOLE President ANLC, Dr. Italo FANTON representing FidC and Dr. Massimo MARACCI representing ANUU Migratoristi; representing France - Bernard MATHIEU President of AECT, Yves BUTEL Head of French delegation within FACE and Dr. Jean-Claude RICCI director of IMPCF; representing Greece - Nicholas PAPADODIMAS, Vice- President of FACE; representing Portugal - Armenio LANCA President of the Confederation of Portuguese hunters; representing Malta - Lino FARRUGIA Secretary of the Federation for Hunting and Conservation - Malta (FKNK). Also present and in agreement with the established policy, the President of FACE, Gilbert de TURCHEIM. Spain also confirmed its agreement but was however not represented due to national elections of association officials.

The new workgroup was immediately faced with issues of scientific research on migratory birds, collation of data based on game bag ARTEMIS, the European paper on Hunting and Biodiversity of the Council of Europe, the relationship with the European Parliamentary Intergroup "Sustainable Hunting, Biodiversity and Rural Activities", the more recent decisions of the Court of Justice of the European Communities linked to the application of the Birds Directive and the information and communication between delegations and also with the EU Commission.

The next meeting of FACE Med is scheduled for the month of July in Malta.

Lino Farrugia

Secretary - FKNK