MLP`s EU policy leads into "utter darkness", MEP says

British Conservative MEP Caroline Jackson, who heads the environmental committee of the European Parliament, said yesterday she believed the Labour Party`s EU policy for Malta would lead into "utter darkness".

In an interview at the end of a fact-finding mission here at the head of a team of European Parliament members and officials involved in environmental issues, Ms Jackson had harsh words for the MLP`s position on Europe.

She spoke after a meeting with MLP deputy leader George Vella and other party officials.

Ms Jackson, chairman of the parliament`s committee on the environment, consumer protection and public health, said that if Malta next year decided against EU membership, Malta would be stepping outside of the European family.

She said the only reason why Malta was not already benefiting from EU pre-accession funds to help sorting out its environmental problems was because the former Labour government decided to freeze the EU membership application in 1996 at a crucial time when funds were being allocated to the applicant countries.

"I cannot understand what Dr Vella`s vision for Malta is. I understand that it is not that Malta should be the Switzerland of the Mediterranean but now I am not quite sure what his line is. I am afraid that as far as I can see the only recipe he has is for Malta to go into utter darkness."

Ms Jackson has been an MEP since 1984 and assumed the chairmanship of the environmental committee in July, 1999. The committee is one of the largest in the parliament, with 60 members, and one of the main committees involved in negotiating the final form of EU legislation in key policies.

Ms Jackson said she had an interesting exchange of views with Dr Vella but spelled out that the EU did not have any reason to open fresh talks with Malta if the country decided to withdraw its membership application.

About the possibility of renegotiating an arrangement with the EU short of membership, she said: "I see no reason why the EU should want to renegotiate anything with Malta if the Maltese would have just rejected it."

What would happen if the Maltese say `no` in the EU membership referendum to be held next year?

"I have no idea and I don`t think Dr Vella has either. It would be very sad for the people of Malta as they would be stepping outside the European family."

So far as Malta`s challenges in the area of environment, Ms Jackson said that once Malta becomes a member, the EU will be able to allocate money which should help in Malta`s major infrastructural and environmental projects.

"I am absolutely certain that when Malta becomes a member it will be able to benefit from funds to help with its environmental improvements and another number of important sectors such as transport.

"There are certainty funds for environmental improvements and the reason why I am so certain is that in eastern Europe money is already helping these countries with various projects, such as those related to the quality of water. The reason Malta has not got this funding already is that its EU membership application had been put in deep freeze for two years."

On her fact-finding mission in Malta, where she visited the Maghtab landfill, the Marsa and Delimara power stations, and the nature reserve of Ghadira, Ms Jackson said Malta - like other candidate countries - had significant environmental problems.

"In terms of waste, the most vivid illustration of the lot is the Maghtab landfill."

So far as Maghtab was concerned, she argued, there were problems which had never been addressed because of a lack of funding along the decades.

"Now things are coming to a crisis. Luckily, it`s coming to a crisis just at the moment when somebody may be able to help you do something about it."

She said that there was no reason why hunting should be a stumbling block in Malta`s negotiations.

"There has to be flexibility on both sides and we have to realise this is an important habit to some of the people of Malta and equally there are many bird life organisations here which want to stop the volume of hunting that is going on. We should accept that under the bird directives of the EU. It is perfectly possible for sustainable hunting to continue," she said