Eco-tax bill's first reading

A bill for the introduction of an "eco-contribution" is due to be given a first reading by the House of Representatives during its sitting this afternoon.

In his budget speech for this year, then Finance Minister John Dalli said the government intended to introduce an eco-contribution, part of which would be collected from containers of consumption products since such containers made up an essential part of the waste management problem in the country.

The system, he said, would be introduced gradually and would be based on the following principles:

¤ eco-contribution will incentivise more use of the deposit-refund schemes on containers;

¤ the amount of eco-contribution on the various types of containers would reflect the environmental impact of containers and would, therefore, depend on factors such as material and container size - hence, the incentive for use of containers with a lesser environmental impact;

¤ the eco-contribution was primarily intended to discourage consumption with a non-acceptable environmental impact.

The minister said that this year, the eco-contribution would be introduced on a limited spread of containers of locally consumed products, both produced locally and imported. There would be no eco-contribution on products meant for export.

The contribution would be reviewed regularly, depending on the extent by which local producers/importers would shoulder their responsibilities from an environment point of view. This could happen when local operators put in place systems by which material that was put on the market would be recovered and managed in a way that would not leave any negative impact on the environment.

Mr Dalli said the other part of the eco-contribution would be on consumption products which, when thrown away, generated a negative environmental impact. This eco-contribution would this year be collected on batteries, tyres, electronic apparatus, non-edible oil and oil filters.

The House is this afternoon also due to resume its debate on a bill to amend the Code of Organisation and Civil Procedure.

The other items on the agenda are the Maltese Language Bill, third reading and the Civil Code (amendment) Bill, third reading.