The Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) has joined forces with the Austrian Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt), and the Austrian Society for Environment and Technology (ÖGUT) to embark on a 12-month long project that aims to support the Maltese Government in improving implementation of the Aarhus Convention on public access to environmental information, public participation in environmental decision making and access to justice in environmental matters.

The project is co-funded by the EU and the Maltese Government under the 2006 Transition Facility Programme for Malta.

Through the project the legal instruments and institutional arrangements currently in place will be assessed, and recommendations will be drawn up on how to improve the current situation with regard to public access to environmental information, public participation in environmental decision making and access to justice in environmental matters.

These recommendations will be discussed with a wide range of stakeholders, and consequently implemented, establishing an efficient and effective administrative system to implement the Aarhus Convention. Amongst other measures, implementation would include a series of agreements that will be formulated between MEPA and key holders of environmental information, with the aim of securing the availability, timeliness and quality of environmental data, supported by efficient information management systems. Guidelines will be produced addressing the public authorities, the industry and the general public in Malta. The project will also provide training for public officers and awareness-raising for key stakeholders.

Any questions regarding this project, its purpose and benefits for stakeholders can be emailed to the project team on Aarhus@mepa. org.mt.