The Malta Environment and Planning Authority has joined forces with the Austrian Federal Environment Agency (UBA) to develop a new, simplified environmental regulatory framework aimed at small enterprises.

The framework would help businesses to achieve compliance with the national environmental laws while avoiding excessive administrative burden.

This work is part of a project, funded by the EU Transition Facility (2004) programme.

The project, with a budget allocation of EUR130,000, is being implemented through a twinning “light” arrangement, which allows for the provision of expertise in environmental permitting systems, waste and

chemicals management regulation as well as in emissions and discharges control regulation.

Experts are visiting Malta to carry out short-term missions and assist Mepa in building up capacity with respect to environmental permitting.

Mepa project leader, Michael J. Sant, said that this project “will take a critical look at the manner in which environmental permitting is being implemented.

“It is an essential step in preparation for the establishment of a one-stop shop for enterprises, as far as environmental issues are concerned.”

Following Malta’s accession to the EU, Mepa has been entrusted with the implementation of EU environmental legislation in a range of areas.

This has affected various sectors of enterprise through the requirement of new regulatory measures aimed at achieving compliance with EU and national standards.

In order to assist enterprise in fulfilling their environmental obligations, a more targeted regulatory system complete with specific guidance is required.

This project will stimulate continued development of a permitting system, which will promote the use of general binding rules and provision of guidance.

At Mepa, this project falls under the responsibility of the Environmental Permitting Team within the Environment Protection Directorate, which is being assisted by the EU and Multilateral Affairs Unit, which secured EU funding for the initiative.