Malta needs to speed up the implementation of the EU’s waste management
requirements as extremely high volumes of waste are going to landfill while recycling rates remain very low; better water management is also necessary to ensure protection of water bodies and prevent flash floods, the European Union said today.

An Environmental Implementation Review presented by Commissioner Karmenu Vella also says that Malta needs to improve air quality in the most urbanised areas by introducing systemic solutions to ease transport congestion.

It also needs to provide greater protection for habitats and species of EU interest by implementing in full the Natura 2000 instruments and further enforcing the Birds Directive. 

In the Environmental Implementation Review (EIR), the European Commission analyses the main challenges and opportunities regarding the implementation of EU environmental legislation and policies in each member state.

ENVIRONMENTAL TAXATION

The report says that Malta could investigate under which circumstances it could impose taxation of transport fuels and a water abstraction tax or charge that would have the dual benefit of improving the environment and raising additional revenues.

"In common with many other Member States, greater indexation of environmental taxes in Malta would help maintain the influence these taxes exert on consumer behaviour and the level of revenue they bring per unit of GDP," the report says.

NATURA 2000 SITES

Malta is also urged to make a significant effort to complete the setting up of the marine component of its Natura 2000 network and ensure the protection and management of sites to achieve favourable conservation status for protected habitats and species.

"The alignment of hunting and trapping practices with the requirements of the Birds Directive is a priority.”

"Malta has over the past three years strengthened the enforcement system to reduce bird-related crime, including, in particular, illegal killing of protected species. However, concerns regarding the implementation of the Birds Directive in Malta remain, in particular in relation to the regular use of hunting and trapping derogations, and to the reported incidents the enforcement authorities are confronted with. These have generated many complaints from Maltese and EU citizens to the European Commission, and resulted in several infringement procedures," the report observes.

Read the full report by clicking the pdf below.