Malta to enforce EU aviation blacklist

Aircraft belonging to carriers featured on a European Union blacklist will not be allowed to land at Malta International Airport or pass through Malta's airspace as of next March.

This follows a decision taken during a European Council meeting of EU transport ministers in Brussels yesterday which gave the go-ahead for an EU-wide aviation blacklist.

Minister for Competitiveness and Communication, Censu Galea signalled Malta's approval of the final proposal tabled by the UK presidency following the European Commission's recommendation.

Although various EU member states such as the UK and France already have a blacklist, this was not enforceable across the EU.

Until now Malta had no such blacklist.