EU membership would help planning culture

Membership of the European Union would be a major step in the further development of a planning culture in Malta, the Malta Chamber of Planners said.

It explained in a statement that upon accession Maltese planners would be in a position to work in different member states and develop their skills, taking part in spatial planning experiments.

A long-term project on spatial planning was recently initiated in the EU after nearly 10 years of discussion, leading to the drawing up of a European Spatial Development Perspective, which will be used as a framework for different policies.

The chamber has been a member of the European Council of Town Planners since 2002, and will be taking part in the setting up of networks of national planners' professional associations.