Malta has managed to win a slice of the EU’s environment fund after a lengthy absence, with four projects that range from the use of electric vehicles to the conservation of sea birds.
The projects have qualified for about €2 million from the fund, better known as LIFE+, under the 2010 call for applications.
Despite various attempts to penetrate this annual fund by authorities and NGOs, the island has recently found it difficult to beat the stiff competition offered by other member states, particularly older ones which have accumulated years of experience in the presentation of their proposals.
In the 2008 and 2009 calls, all of Malta’s applications were disqualified as they did not reach the desired standard and selection criteria.
However, Brussels yesterday announced that following a tough selection process it had decided that four of the projects submitted by Malta merit partial financing from the EU.
According to the rules of the LIFE+, almost half of the funds dedicated to these projects will have to be co-financed by the beneficiaries. The total cost of the four Maltese selected projects will be €4.5 million.
Two of the selected projects were submitted by the Ministry for Resources and Rural Affairs (MRRA) and another by the Malta Business Bureau, representing the Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry and the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association. The fourth project belongs to NGO Birdlife Malta, which had another project selected in a similar call in 2006.
A total of 748 applications from the 27 member states were submitted for the 2010 fund, with only 183 making it to the final selection process and awarded part of the €244 million available.
Nationality is not one of the criteria used in the distribution of these funds and projects are selected on an individual basis.
Selected projects
DemoEV (Ministry for Resources and Rural Affairs – EU Funds: €667,871): Electric vehicles will be distributed to volunteers and these test drivers will then be monitored to assess their potential for carbon savings in comparison with standard mobility habits and trends.
Malta Seabird Project (BirdLife Malta – EU Funds: €437,000): This is the progression from Birdlife’s previous EU LIFE Yelkouan Shearwater project. It will address the designation of Marine Special Protection Areas for three important bird species: P.yelkouan, (Cory’s Shearwater) C.diomedea, and storm petrel (H. pelagicus), across multiple colonies, through the identification of Marine Important Bird Areas.
Investing in Water (Malta Business Bureau – EU Funds: €166,542): The aim here is to raise awareness on issues related to the water scarcity problem in Malta and the importance of water conservation among businesses and hotels. This will also serve as an example to other sectors to adopt similar measures, thereby helping reduce pressure on groundwater resources.
InfoNitrates (Ministry for Resources and Rural Affairs – EU Funds: €689,000): The project aims to communicate to farmers and stock-breeders their key obligations under the Nitrates Action Plan; the potentially harmful effects on health resulting from improper management of manure; and the way to reduce groundwater contamination. It will train farmers to change their farming practices and livestock breeders in the proper management of animal manure so that nitrogen levels in soil are reduced.