It was only last week that I received through the mail the transcript of a dialogue by the European Commission’s Representation in Malta with Maltese associations, constituted bodies, local councils and civil society. This dialogue was held way back in early April this year.

Some of the individual needs of the various sectors exposed the weaknesses of the present government, which unlike Europe’s half-hearted attempts, seems almost totally disinterested in listening.

Following are some of the main shortcomings that have seen the light of day as a result of this dialogue.

Agricultural sector: Difficult to get appointments, government takes time to react to questions, difficulties in the paying agency due to a shortage of trained personnel, delays in the processing of the applications for funding, long delays in securing Malta Environment and Planning Authority permits which often means that deadlines are lost and funds are not forthcoming. Excessive consultancy fees.

Financial and economic sector: Consultation with the national authorities needs to be strengthened, in some cases there is regulatory overkill and weak communication channels among the main authorities in coordinating positions in the EU institutions.

Education and youth organisations: Low level of interest and low capacity in the organisations dealing with youths

Social policy, health and consumer protection: Lack of information on European Union projects, administrative burden to cope with EU-funded projects.

Unions/industrial relations: The government needs to strengthen consultation with civil society, EU directives cannot be applied uniformly across the EU without taking local conditions into account

Tourism: Delays in opening up the Maltese market to low-cost airlines; project deadlines lost because of delays related to the issuing of relevant Mepa permits.

Professions: There is a brain drain in some professions particularly among medical doctors.

Business: Better, rather than more, regulation is needed. There is an urgent need to deal adequately with cutting the lengthy bureaucratic procedures and time-consuming application procedures, general criticism of over-regulation and red tape.

Environment: Directives are not being adequately enforced.

The regulatory authorities: They all complained of lack of staff and capacity, to carry out their roles and to implement their mandate properly.

Culture, the arts and heritage: No knowledge or information on how to apply for funds, limited funds and capacity.

Local councils: Lack of information on EU programmes, shortage of funds to make co-financing possible, high consultancy fees that are not recoverable should the project application be unsuccessful.

Gozo: Problems of double insularity, lack of accessibility for people with disabilities, lack of information on EU programmes and lack of consultation criticised.

One interesting comment was made during the dialogue by a representative who said that as to funding there had to be an information campaign directed towards projecting a Europe for the citizen, because in this sense, a misconception had perhaps been projected during the pre-accession phase, where people might have got the idea that EU membership was a free ride.

Dr Gabriella Pace – who last week was appointed chief executive officer of the Forum for Europe, complained that in the said Forum, participants received a multitude of documents all with an extremely short time-frame within which to respond.

All these points show that it is useless blaming the EU for things that go wrong.

Most of the blame should be pinned on government’s back!

e-mail : [email protected]

Leo Brincat is Malta Labour Party spokesman on foreign affairs and IT.