Come in line over landfill, climate change rules, Brussels tells Malta

Malta was yesterday told to conform to the EU landfills directive and to submit two reports on greenhouse gas emissions in order to avoid further legal action by the European Commission.

A spokesman for the government said Malta will be conforming to both issues in the coming weeks.

The Commission on Wednesday decided to send Malta a first letter of formal notice for inadequately transposing the EU's legislation on the landfilling of waste into its national law books. The Commission's action follows a comprehensive evaluation of the degree of compliance with the landfill directive by all the EU 27 member states. The directive governs the operation of landfill sites and is a key measure to protect human health and the environment against potential hazards from waste.

Following the Commission's evaluation, 14 member states have been found to have incorrectly transposed the directive.

Contacted by The Times, a spokesman for the government said the issue will be settled in the coming weeks through an amendment to the law, which amendment has already been drafted.

Missing reports on climate change and the level of greenhouse gasses emitted in Malta have also led the EU executive to send the Maltese authorities a reasoned opinion, the final stage before court proceedings.

According to the Commission, Malta has failed to provide a complete set of important technical information that is needed for establishing its permitted emission level under the Kyoto Protocol.

The Commission said Malta is being sent a final written warning (reasoned opinion) since it has yet to provide the report that was due on January 15, 2006. Malta will also receive a first warning letter for failing to provide a similar report due on January 15 of this year.

Apart from Malta, three other member states, Bulgaria, Italy and Luxembourg, will also be receiving a similar warning.

A spokesman said the government is drawing up the reports, which will be sent over to Brussels soon.