Brincat urges EU action on VW emissions scandal

Environment minister Leo Brincat has told EU counterparts that lack of appropriate action over the VolksWagen emissions fraud would continue to erode confidence and trust in the automobile industry but also in those EU institutions.

“These institutions have the responsibility to safeguard air quality standards, environmental health as well as to curb any important data manipulation that could have a cross cutting impact,” Brincat told environment ministers at a meeting in Luxembourg.

The matter arose after the matter was raised by the Austrian and Danish governments with major support by the French and Slovenian delegations.

“We cannot remain indifferent towards the crippling automobile emissions manipulation scandal,” Brincat said. 

Malta is also supporting a stronger system for the emissions trading scheme, and has asked for detailed written responses by the Commission to queries already made by member states. “Further simplification of the implementation of the EU ETS should form part of the reform process,” Brincat said.

Brincat also attended a working session on sustainable development attended amongst others by the EU’s High Representative Federica Mogherini. “The implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals will require a significant paradigm shift in institutional arrangements and governance processes and considerable investment and reshifting of investment,” Brincat said, adding that Malta felt that the work on the finalisation of the indicators during the course of next year is very important.

Malta is currently in the process of seeking effective means of formulating ways how to engage line ministries in ensuring the proper implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.