Ministry blames lack of interest and complex procedures

The Ministry for Rural Affairs and the Environment has blamed a lack of interest and the EU's complex procedures for the loss of funding for environment-related projects under the EU's Life Programme.

The Times reported earlier this week that only one Maltese environmental project was submitted this year for funding under programme and it was not among the 165 projects selected. This means that this year no Maltese environmental project has managed to attract some of the €160 million available.

Almost all the other new member states managed to get a number of projects to be approved.

Reacting to questions by The Times, a ministry spokesman confirmed that only one Maltese project had sought funds under the Life Programme. This was presented by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority and was aimed at the conservation of biodiversity at Buskett.

Acknowledging that the ministry is the national competent authority for participation in the Life Programme, the spokesman held that although a number of information seminars were held and adverts were posted in all the local newspapers no entity or individual, apart from Mepa, had submitted any proposal.

The ministry official said: "Life's application format is rather complicated and does not really help would-be proposers to come forward with their submissions".

Asked why Malta had only submitted one project, the ministry spokesman declined to answer.

Mepa is at the moment modifying its original proposal in order to re-submit its application as soon as the next call for proposals is issued by the EU. Sources close to the Commission told The Times the majority of member states presented a number of projects to be financed under the programme in order to make sure that at least one would be selected.

In the years prior to membership, Malta benefited substantially from funding for a number of projects under this programme. As a candidate country in the period 1994 - 2003 Malta had submitted a number of projects under the Life - Third Country Programme. Eight projects where selected and almost €2 million allocated. These projects where mainly submitted by government departments and agencies.