Bill would delay the hunting ban in Spain's national parks

Automatic summary, not yet reviewed

1. The 2014 National Parks Law gave a 6-year period to adapt existing parks to the ban on hunting and recreational fishing. That period ended on December 5, 2020, and the bill says the Government has not reached agreements with the owners of the affected land.
2. The sponsors defend hunting as a key rural activity that keeps people living in the area and provides jobs for many families in depopulated areas inside the parks.
3. The bill would change the deadline in the law: public authorities would have until December 2023 to adapt the parks, except regarding minimum surface areas. Where adaptation affects third-party rights, they should seek voluntary agreements with owners and, failing that, use expropriation or buy back those rights.
4. Voluntary agreements would be based on technical criteria drawn up with landowner participation and would be included in each park's management plans. Agreements already signed would remain in force. The law would take effect the day after its publication in the Official State Gazette (Boletín Oficial del Estado).

Who it affects

• Landowners inside the national parks: They could keep hunting on their land while talks continue, and would need to reach voluntary agreements with the authorities or face expropriation.
• Hunters and recreational fishers: The ban on these activities in national parks where they were allowed would be delayed until December 2023.
• Rural residents and workers in park areas: The sponsors argue the measure protects jobs and population linked to hunting.
• Authorities managing the national parks: They would have a new deadline of December 2023 to adapt the parks and draw up the technical criteria for the agreements.

Words worth knowing

Proposición de ley

A bill introduced by a parliamentary group rather than the Government. It is still being processed, so it is not an approved law yet.

Moratoria

A waiting period before a rule takes effect, to allow time to adapt.

Expropiación forzosa

Forced expropriation: the government takes private property, such as land, for the public interest, paying compensation to the owner.

Rescate de derechos

Buyback of rights: the government recovers or cancels a right someone held over land, paying for it.

Plan rector de uso y gestión

The document that sets out how each national park is managed and used.

It summarizes the text as it was introduced. It is written by artificial intelligence and may contain mistakes: the official text is what counts. Read the official text · How we make summaries