The European Commission has closed an infringement proceeding related to EU nationals being ripped off when paying water and electricity tariffs. 

In a statement announcing the Commission decision, the government said this illustrated its "continuous endeavour to secure closure of these infractions." 

The infringement proceeding dates back to September 2012, after several EU citizens had written to the Commission complaining that they were being charged a 'domestic' tariff that was 30 per cent higher than the 'residential' rate Maltese citizens could avail of. 

EU nationals had to jump through several bureaucratic hoops to qualify for the lower tariff. 

The government had in early 2013 said it would be addressing the issue, and last June a pressure group set up to campaign against the discrimination announced that it had reached an 'agreement' with the government which would allow EU nationals to apply for the lower tariff without needing their landlord's permission. 

Although the Commission has now said that it considers the issue settled, a Constitutional case filed by pressure group Up in ARMS remains pending. 

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