EU acts against Malta over greenhouse gas reporting

The European Commission has decided to start infringement procedures against Malta for failing to provide data on its greenhouse gases emissions in 2003.

The Commission said that without this data, it could not complete on time its own report covering the EU's greenhouse gas emissions in 2003 in order to meet its obligations under the United Nations framework convention on climate change.

Malta has been warned that it has two months to comply with its reporting obligation. If after receiving the first written warning, Malta still fails to comply, the Commission can issue a final written warning, allowing a further two months for compliance.

If after that Malta would still not come in line, the case is taken to the European Court of Justice, the last stage of the infringement procedure.

Commission sources told The Times that legal proceedings will also be initiated against Poland and Luxembourg for the same reasons.

The sources said this case marked the first infringement action over incorrect application of EU environmental law by member states that joined the EU last year.

All member states had until January 15 to forward their report to the Commission. This was according to a decision by the European Parliament and the Council, adopted last year, on implementing the Kyoto protocol.

The country reports must contain the information needed to assess their progress towards the Kyoto targets.

The information must include figures for emissions of the six greenhouse gases controlled by the protocol, including carbon dioxide.

Malta and Cyprus are the only member states that do not form part of the Kyoto protocol so far but are still obliged to report their emissions.

The main CO2 emissions in Malta emanate from the two power stations.