From Ms S. Debono

Reference is made to the article under the heading “European Commission does not accept Malta’s list of Natura 2000 sites (TMIS,19 December).

With regard to the article in question this data goes back to the first week of August 2004. In the meantime, Malta Environment & Planning Authority (MEPA) has been in contact with the Nature Unit of the DG Environment of the Commission on the matter and, following mutual discussion and advice from the Nature Unit, the matter was quickly resolved and the SPAs were indicated separately from the SACs. The matter was also discussed in person during one of the European Union Habitats Committee Meetings in Brussels.

As far as MEPA is concerned there are no problems whatsoever. Following such guidelines from the Nature Unit of the DG Environment, the matter was quickly taken in hand by the staff of the Nature Protection Unit of the Environment Protection Directorate, in line and in time as agreed with Brussels.

In fact the data was all forwarded through the Malta Representative in Brussels to the DG Environment. Had your correspondent contacted Malta Environment & Planning Authority before rushing to print, he would have got all the necessary details and also informed of the data which is being prepared by Malta Environment & Planning Authority in connection with the Natura 2000 sites.

As far as Malta Environment & Planning Authority is concerned there are no problems regarding these Natura 2000 sites.

Sylvana DeBono

Public Relations Officer

Malta Environment & Planning Authority

Editor’s note: The information contained in the article was confirmed by the European Commission’s DG Environment to The Malta Independent on Sunday as late as Tuesday 14 December. The impression one gets from this letter sent by MEPA’s Public Relations Officer is that this matter had long been settled, but it is now clear this matter was resolved with the European Commission only last week. In that case, the information contained in the article was stale by only a few days. Next time come cleaner MEPA.