After two years of appealing to the government to set up a technical committee to assist Malta’s local councils in navigating the labyrinths of European Union funding applications, the Malta Labour Party is now to take matters into its own hands.

In the coming months the MLP is to set up and fund its own technical committee, which will advise Labour councillors, irrespective of which party leads the council in question, on the complexities of applying for EU funding and in dealing with the EU’s excessive bureaucratic processes, MLP Local Councils spokesperson Chris Cardona said yesterday.

The Labour Party is to announce the institution of the committee within the coming months.

Speaking to The Malta Independent on Sunday on the sidelines of a seminar on the subject of EU funding organised for Labour councillors yesterday, Dr Cardona explained that he had first issued the appeal two years ago, and once again last year. The appeals were renewed through budget debates and other governmental fora, but had fallen on deaf ears and had been consistently refused. The only explanation given, Dr Cardona said, was that the government did not feel it appropriate to do so.

The idea is to ensure that the benefits of EU membership find their way down to the grassroots level, so that the citizens connect with and benefit from their place in the EU.

“There is so much available for local councils in areas such as education, environment, alternative energies and twinning arrangements among others – but the technical complexities of the application process can be overwhelming,” Dr Cardona explained.

He added that accruing such technical expertise would prove a heavy financial burden for Malta’s underfunded local councils, which reinforces the necessity of a centralised body to provide for such expertise when needed.

Yesterday’s seminar was organised by the office of Labour MEP Joseph Muscat, which roped in a number of speakers including MLP European Affairs spokesperson George Vella, Klaus Nutzenberger of the German Association of Towns and Municipalities, Mark Watts of the UK’s Waterfront Project, while Labour leader Alfred Sant closed the activity.

Mr Muscat, on his part, expounded on how Malta’s EU funding is being monopolised by the central government. According to Mr Muscat, a good deal of funding earmarked by the EU for non-governmental organisations and local government is being unjustly swallowed up by the government.

Ensuring that local councils and NGOs, through long-awaited legislation, are fully empowered to apply for and secure the billions of euros available to them is one of the best ways of remedying the situation, he advised.