Europe Listens - a report of the Commission Representation in Malta

As part of Commissioner Margot Wallstrom's initiative 'Plan D' for democracy, dialogue and debate, the Commission's Representation in Malta took the initiative to meet Maltese civil society to listen to their concerns on EU membership.

The initiative, the brain child of Dr Joanna Drake, who this year assumed the headship of the Representation, was timely for other reasons. It coincided with the end of the second year of Malta's EU membership and Dr Drake's assumption of duties at Ta' Xbiex.

What better way to embark on this journey than to ask civil society to voice its concerns and thereby make it easier for the Representation to map out future action?

Over 300 organisations and associations representing various sectors and segments of Maltese society were invited. More than a third of these took up the offer and attended their respective slots spread out over a week of sessions.

These were the most important organisations of the respective sectors and, for this reason, the report draws a fairly accurate picture of the difficulties that still have to be overcome.

The oral and written submissions made by the participants were then summarised in a report, which has now been published. The report also makes a number of recommendations on how to tackle the issues raised.

Prior to membership many spokespersons and experts from other EU member states used to say that membership also involves a learning curve and that the Maltese will have to move gradually along this curve until they learn how to use the opportunities provided by membership to the maximum. The report is an initiative that helps quicken this learning process by pointing to the difficulties that have to be overcome. One of the most important findings of the report is that action must be taken to help Maltese associations locate EU programmes that can be helpful to them in pursuing their aims.

Another issue raised was the need to share positive experiences. It was also important to remove local bureaucratic bottlenecks to ensure that organisations can submit their applications by the required deadlines. Local organisations, particularly local councils, must seek to work more together to secure joint projects or to overcome the problems caused by their small critical mass.

The authorities must help them improve their communications and participation in Europe-wide associations and meetings in Brussels on important issues. Participating in the production of future EU legislation when consultations are still taking place at the informal, organisation level, is extremely important because that is when most legislation gets its imprint and national concerns are safeguarded.

Last but not least, the report points to the pressing problem of regulatory overkill, i.e. that local legislation to implement EU decisions often goes much beyond what is required by the EU.

Cleaning past legislation of this regulatory overkill may be a difficult task to achieve though this may have to be done in the future. However, ensuring that this does not continue to occur from now on is something that is easier to achieve.

The European Commission needs to make the application forms for financial support easier to understand and more user-friendly. It also needs to simplify the compliance requirements.

Many remarked that Commission requirements seem more designed to suit the needs of the auditors who supervise them to ensure proper use of EU money than the actual beneficiaries. This EU-originating bureaucratic burden is also discouraging many associations from participating.

Larger Maltese organisations with the required capacity to deal with these programmes have been able to chalk up a number of successes: one local organisation has managed to land 41 projects for a total of around €4.2 million. This funding is over and above that which the Government has secured from the EU structural funds. It is helpful in quickening the pace of progress in Malta and it is an additional income to the country.

The exercise carried out by the Commission Representation in Malta is very useful and one that will help the Representation carry out its efforts in the next few years. Information about EU programmes and how to apply for them remains crucial and the Representation is expected to tackle this side of the problem vigorously.

But the other parties also have to do their part - the associations themselves, government and the Commission.

It is also recommended that the level of consultation on EU-related issues be intensified locally and follow-up meetings such as the consultation process carried out by the Representation should ensure that all those involved in the EU law-making process keep listening to the people.

The EU is after all for the benefit of its citizens, not vice-versa.