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What was Europe’s greatest achievement in its 50 years of existence? Ensuring that a third world war never took place? Its definitive corpus of human rights? Or the miracle of economic expansion and cooperation which has defined a political bloc of 27 countries, and a population of well over 500 million? Stepping in between the Eurosceptics and Europhiles, MALTATODAY takes a look at what EU membership gave Malta since 2004.
ONE CURRENCY, NO BORDERS
With one currency, the Euro, and no borders or customs checks, travelling across the EU has become easier than ever. The Maltese can buy EU products without being charged additional duties on entering Malta; they can pass through border controls simply by presenting their ID card, or drive across Europe with any driving licence issued in an EU country. Holidaymakers are fully covered for any emergency hospital treatment they may need in another EU country, and once Malta adopts the Euro, currency change across most of Europe will be a thing of the past, making travelling across the continent easier than ever.
INDEFINITE CONTRACTS
Thanks to the EU, the government will now have to grant automatic indefinite contracts to employees who have been engaged with the public service for four continuous years on a fixed-term contract. The Commission last year started infringement procedures against Malta for discriminating between public and private sector workers, by barring public service employees from the provisions of the EU regulations. The issue was brought to the attention of the Commission by the Association of Local Council Executive Secretaries and MEP Simon Busuttil. Now, employees previously employed as casual workers in the public service can enjoy greater job security.
NON-DISCRIMINATION
One of the first effects of European legislation was the inclusion of sexual orientation as grounds for discrimination in the Employment and Industrial Relations Act. The EIRA, reformed under the stewardship of Lawrence Gonzi as social policy minister, had omitted sexual orientation, attracting the criticism of the gay rights movement which subsequently appealed to the European Commission. But EU law also ensures that women who are paid less than men for the same job get right of redress through the courts, and protection against unfair dismissal.
EDUCATION AND WORKING ABROAD
The EU’s Erasmus programme has helped thousands of students spend semesters and years at a university in another EU member state, enabling them to gain experience of another culture and build new networks. Maltese students, even if they are not covered by any EU funds, can now enjoy their education without paying extra charges imposed on foreign non-EU students. Additionally, the Maltese are free to go wherever they want within the EU to live or work, and enjoy equal treatment, welfare protection, and stand for office in local and European Parliament elections.
THE END OF SPRING HUNTING AND TRAPPING
European law prohibits hunting in spring, and Malta is currently the only member state to allow the hunting of quail and turtledove in the nesting season. But the European Commission has now categorically stated that Malta acted illegally by opening the spring shooting season in 2004, claiming it had no justification from derogating from the Birds Directive. The Commission is also extending its infringement procedures for 2005, 2006, and 2007. With the end of trapping as we know it by end-2008, the EU has effectively curtailed hunting and trapping beyond the will of any Maltese government.
STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENT ASSESSMENTS
With the newfound right to petition the European Commission to take action on any alleged breach of law by the Maltese government, the recent “rationalisation” of outside development zones – the areas where building cannot take place – will have to be submitted to a Strategic Environment Impact Assessment (SEA). The Commission has now launched infringement procedures because the government failed to comply with the requirements of the SEA Directive, a piece of legislation which ensures that environmental consequences of certain plans and programmes – such as the increase in the building zones blessed by the government – are identified and assessed during their preparation and before their adoption, and to give room for public consultation.
CHEAPER PHONE CALLS
Breaking down the barriers to free competition has translated into cheaper phone calls for Europeans. This was because it enabled a wider choice of providers. Monopolies such as Maltacom, the national telephony company, have had to give way to new fixed and mobile line operators. The emergence of new companies brought about the introduction of Voice-over Internet Protocol (VoIP), which meant cheaper international phone calls.
FREE MOVEMENT OF GOODS
After years of paying duties to protect locally produced goods, the Maltese joined a single market allowing the free circulation of goods. That meant imports carried no customs duties on goods originating from the EU. Membership also allowed parallel importation of same goods: while in the past, importers could act as sole agents of a particular good, membership enabled other wholesalers to import the same product from another supplier.
CLOSURE OF MAGHTAB LANDFILL
Both Maghtab and the Qortin landfills failed to meet EU standards on waste management, which meant they were the first on the “out” list as early as 2004. This paved the way for the new, engineered landfill at Zwejra, near Maghtab, which will be divided into lined cells and capped, and isolated from one another and the environment. Hazardous, non-hazardous and inert waste must go to separate landfills.
THE END OF DOCKYARD SUBSIDIES
EU membership spelt an end to subsidies for the Malta Drydocks. Under EU law, state aid is contrary to the principle of free market economy, as it reduces incentives to achieve competitiveness. After the drastic reduction in workforce when government wrote off Lm300 million in debts for the Malta Drydocks and Malta Shipbuilding, the restructuring plan will come to an end in 2008, with Lm120 million more in subsidies passed on to Malta Shipyards for the purposes of investment, training, compensation for social costs and working capital. |
