European Commission officials will be in Malta this month to assess whether to lift the suspension imposed on EU funding for educational programmes.
The Maltese authorities had already given assurances in writing that the country had put its house in order, Commission sources said, but the EU Executive intended carrying out a final verification before taking a decision.
The funds were suspended by the Commission in May due to the “persistent absence of assurances” that the funds were being managed “according to the necessary standards”.
The sources said the Commission would now have to be assured EU requirements were being complied with on the basis of “reliable evidence”.
Asked when Malta could expect to re-start its Lifelong Learning and Youth in Action Programme, affected by the fund freeze, the sources said no timeframe had been set because the Commission would have to wait for a final report from its mission.
“The onsite inspection should be concluded by the end of October and then we will have to act according to the findings.”
In June, Commission officials indicated the suspension was not expected to be lifted before the end of this year. A few years ago, it took Cyprus a whole year to get a similar suspension lifted.
Following a series of meetings between Commission and Maltese officials over the suspension of the education programmes, Brussels sent a letter in June detailing what had to be done for the funds to be unfrozen.
The Commission said Malta had to ensure the national agency put a reliable accounting system in place in line with minimum EU quality standards; a sound grant award procedure ensuring compliance with EU criteria; fair and equal treatment of beneficiaries; and sufficient checks of EU programme beneficiaries to ensure the correct use of grants.
Furthermore, the Commission asked the Maltese authorities to control the management of EU funds by the agency and to ensure reliable reports were submitted to Brussels.
Asked about the state of compliance with Commission demands, a government spokesman said: “The Maltese authorities are confident Malta has complied with all the necessary details of the action plan to improve the financial management of the programme as agreed with the Commission.”
To ease the impact of the suspension on students, the Commission had authorised a degree of flexibility in the implementation of some suspended programmes. Individuals and organisations who had received assistance under the Lifelong Learning Programme and Youth in Action Programme, in respect of proposals made in 2008 and 2009, could have their eligible expenses refunded.
The government had stepped in to help with an alternative scheme aimed at assisting those affected to enable them to proceed with their plans to study abroad.
Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Joseph Muscat yesterday called for the matter to be resolved as quickly as possible. During a visit to Freshers’ Week at the University, Dr Muscat said the fund suspension affected hundreds of students and would affect hundreds more if the issue remained unresolved.