Will the Commission conduct a thorough study on the effect of the temporary ban on wild bird imports, with data from all Member States? Illegal trade is difficult to measure, but it has been estimated that huge numbers of protected wild-caught birds are involved, and the argument that a total ban on the import of wild birds would drive the trade underground and cause an increase in illegally imported birds has been widely used by those who oppose a trade ban. However, preliminary analysis of data collected since October 2005 (when the temporary ban was established) published in a new RSPCA/Eurogroup for Animal Welfare report, shows that in fact the illegal trade has reduced, and that the fears are not justified.