EU closes infringements action against Malta

The European Union has closed another three infringement proceedings against Malta, the Deputy Prime Minister Louis Grech confirmed yesterday. The College of Commissioners approved this formal decision after Malta adopted legislation complying with the relevant EU directives.

Mr Grech welcomed the College of Commissioners’ decision and said that such positive results show Malta’s dedication and efforts to close pending infringements efficiently and effectively.

Two of the infringements were only opened this year. One was opened in March 2016, on measures to reduce the cost of deploying high-speed electronic communications networks. The Maltese authorities transposed this directive into national legislation by amending the Utilities and Services Act, and the In-Building Physical Infrastructure Regulations.

The second infringement was opened in May 2016, concerning the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States to the making available on the market, and supervision of, explosives for civil uses. This Directive was fully transposed into Maltese legislation by regulation.

The last infringement was opened in November 2014, due to Malta’s failure to implement the agreement concluded between the European Community Shipowners’ Associations and the European Transport Workers’ Federation on the Maritime Labour Convention. The Maltese Authorities have now transposed this directive into national legislation by means of the Merchant Shipping (Maritime Labour Convention) Rules.

Another infringement proceeding that the ministry is currently working upon relates to the recognition of professional qualifications and on administrative cooperation through the Internal Market Information System, with a view to transpose this directive by the end of this year.

A spokesperson for the Ministry for European Affairs and Implementation of the Electoral Manifesto said that the ministry is working closely with all the ministries concerned in order to ensure that European legislation is transposed in a timely manner, and to close any infringement proceedings opened against Malta as early as possible.

Malta already has a very remarkable record in this field. EU statistics show that Malta has a very high resolution rate of EU Pilot, a swift response time, few new infringements and open ones, and the lowest number of late transpositions.

Commenting on the Commissioners’ decision Deputy Prime Minister Grech said that Malta’s fast and effective response to the few infringements that we have is another building block in bringing the European Project closer to the Maltese people.