Malta's airport will have to adopt a more transparent approach in terms of charges despite amendments to a new EU directive that excludes smaller airports.

MEPs have just approved changes so that the new directive - which forces airports to be more accountable in the way they levy users, particularly airlines - will not apply to airports with an annual throughput of under 5,000,000 passengers a year. Although Malta International airport falls in this category, it will still have to abide by the new rules because another amendment stipulates that the new rules will also apply to airports that act as the only facility in their country, irrespective of the number of passengers handled. The amendment was inserted to cover Malta and Luxembourg.

The new directive, expected to come into force in 2010, follows continuous complaints by major airlines claiming massive "unjustified" charges imposed by many airports across the EU, thus contributing to costlier air tickets for passengers.

According to the new directive, all airports will now be bound by common rules on the provision of mutual information, transparency and the way airport charges may be collected.

The directive also plans to introduce a national independent regulatory body to ensure the directive is applied in full. It will establish procedures for resolving disagreements, between the airports' management and the airlines.

The new rules oblige companies managing airports to provide users, at least once a year, with information on all the charges levied at the airport. This information must include the amount of state aid granted to airports; the amount of resources derived from central financing, connected with public service obligations and forecasts of the airport's traffic growth and any major proposed investment.

The list of airports affected by the new directive includes those directly connected to Malta, including Amsterdam's Schipol; London's Gatwick, Heathrow, Stansted and Luton; Rome's Fiumicino; and Paris's Orly and Charles De Gaulle.