The Wild Birds Regulation Unit was tasked with:

• Implementation of a sweeping reform of the relevant legislation concerning hunting and
  live-capturing to ensure simplification, greater effectiveness, as well as ensuring                      enforcement and compliance under a more robust system of penalties and sanctions;

• Coordination of the work of the necessary institutional structures, including Ornis                  Committee, as well as liaison with the Police, Customs, Environment and Resources                Authority and other entities to ensure adequate implementation and enforcement of            applicable legislation on the ground;

• Centralisation, simplification and streamlining of licensing processes and provision of a        one-stop-shop service to hunters and live-capturers;

• Coordination of enforcement effort;

• Promotion of awareness and culture change amongst the members of the hunting and      live-capturing community, based on the principles of sustainability and wise use of                ecological resources;

• Delivery of training programmes for hunters, live-capturers and enforcement officers;

• Administering hunter and live-capturer education and examination programmes;

• Compilation of statistics and data quality control;

• Commissioning and implementing the necessary technical studies and reports;

• Issuance of various licences and permits and control over compliance with the licence          conditions;

• Ensuring continuous engagement and liaison with hunting organisations, environmental    NGOs and members of the hunting and live-capturing community.

Within the domain of international and EU policy concerning sustainable hunting, the Unit has the following main functions:

• Ensuring compliance with the provisions of EU and international Acquis concerning              conservation of wild birds, including but not limited to the provisions of the EU Birds              Directive, Bern Convention, Bonn Convention and other relevant EU and international          instruments;

• Ensuring correct implementation of Article 9 derogations;

• Coordination of the preparation and timely submission of the relevant derogation and          other reports, monitoring policy implementation and maintaining the required statistics;

• Dealing with any open and potential infringement procedures;

• Liaising with the relevant national, EU and international officials and performing other          related functions as necessary.