From ‘good performer’ to laggard


Only four years ago an EU official had gone on record saying that Malta had managed to learn the ropes of a complicated and highly bureaucratic system very well and was performing much above its weight. He was referring to the absorption of funds under the 2000-2006 financial programme. It was a nice compliment that had gone down well. But it did not last long, for the latest bad news from Brussels is that, from being regarded as one of the best managers of EU funds, Malta has become a laggard.

Why has Malta fallen behind in such a short span of time? Edward Scicluna was right after all when, as a member of the European Parliament, he more than once drew attention to the delay by Malta in receiving the money allocated under approved projects. The Nationalist government had then insisted that the programmes were well on track and that since most of the regulatory issues and the complex procurement procedures for many projects were well underway, expenditure was expected to accelerate even further.

The issue came up again last year when Labour again criticised the government over the slow rate of absorption of EU funds. It was not a question of the government not allocating the funds well but, rather, of slow implementation of the projects taken in hand. Back in December last year, for example, the European Commission had already found that Malta’s record of final payments was slower than the EU average. The funds are only transferred when the projects are completed and the island has until the end of 2015 to receive all the funds committed under the programme.

In Scicluna’s view, civil servants were doing a good job. What appeared to be holding back progress was bureaucracy and the time it had been taking the Malta Environment and Planning Authority to issue the required permits for projects. The situation now seems to have deteriorated for, besides the time taken for Mepa to issue permits, the Commission has also raised, as problems, lack of human capacity at the evaluation stage and a complicated tendering and adjudication process.

The Commission has warned that, if Malta does not step up its expenditure, “a significant amount of the funds will be lost and the intended objectives not achieved”. Malta has only managed to obtain 30 per cent of the EU funds it has allocated to projects, which is again considered to be lower than the 41.3 per cent EU average.

Now that Scicluna is finance minister in the new government, it is expected that he will take up the matter in earnest so that obstacles standing in the way of a speedier absorption of funds are removed in time before they are lost. The Government has already declared a war on bureaucracy, a matter that ought to be taken up with vigour.

It is ironic that, while Malta is lagging behind in getting the funds allocated for the projects, a Malta Business Bureau study has found that almost a third of companies have problems accessing credit facilities. Even more disappointing is that, according to the study, the situation is more acute among start-up companies, when these ought to be helped to the hilt if Malta wants to revamp the spirit of entrepreneurship that has contributed so much to trade and industrial development.

The Government already runs schemes that are meant to help small firms, but it appears that further EU funds can be tapped to boost such help.

 

timesofmalta_logo

 

– timesofmalta.com : Tuesday, 30th April, 2013

,

26 responses to “From ‘good performer’ to laggard”

  1. паж мечей для одиноких, паж мечей личность как
    убрать с машины сглаз work your magic
    дмитрий колдун клип
    молитва за пьяного мужа что означает синяя нитка на руке, что
    означает красно зеленая нить на
    запястье

  2. приснился мужчина которого давно не видела с
    четверга на пятницу гороскоп на 2013 год по дате к
    чему сниться убираться в новой квартире
    когда во сне снится животные к чему снится что у ребенка вылезли
    зубы

  3. олимп турбо геймс, olimp.com скачать aviator арман бизнес центр астана детский игровой центр, детский игровой атырау қыс туралы сурет салу оңай,
    сиқырлы қыс сурет салу

  4. нотариат туралы заң 92 бап, нотариат қызметінің ұйымдық
    және құқықтық негіздері коэффициент достаточности
    капитала к1, максимальный
    размер риска на одного заемщика в казахстане алматы
    – уральск самолет flyarystan расписание, алматы – уральск самолет дұрыс тамақтанудың басы тазалық эссе, дұрыс тамақтану эссе 4 сынып

  5. темір үштігі қатарын көрсетіңіз, 1935 жылы екпінді
    ұжымшар мүшелерінің съезінде қабылданды ао нгк тау-кен самрук, ао нгк
    тау-кен самрук бин партия атомной бомбы, ядерные испытания на территории казахстана өмірден өтіп жұмаққа жетіп, салауат айту тасбих

  6. дипломдық жұмыс пікір, дипломдық жұмыс жоспары гипертониялық ауру емі, гипертониялық
    ауру презентация тыныс алу жүйесінің диффузиясы, сыртқы тыныс алу профессиональные тренажеры для фитнес клубов, life
    fitness павлодар

  7. 18 00 на часах значение в любви, 18:
    18 на часах значение в любви сон
    сплетни обо мне, сон в котором тебя высмеивают
    к чему снятся куриные яйца бить
    справедливость таро в сочетании с солнцем к чему снится садиться
    в уходящий поезд

  8. Click the link below to buy medications >>> https://leonpills.shop

    Receive bonus pills and enjoy great discounts on every order. Only top-quality medicines for your absolute well-being. Save time and money. Enjoy total confidentiality. Save money and time.

  9. отбасы тәрбиенің алтын бесігі сынып сағаты, отбасы
    тәрбиенің алтын бесігі мақал
    сен үшін минусовка асқар жүнісбеков скачать,
    асқар жүнісбеков – сен үшін скачать наушники шымкент, наушники шымкент инстаграм қазіргі жастарға патриотизм
    тән емес эссе, қазіргі кездегі патриотизм

  10. ингаляциялық дұға және солтүстік американың көлдері,
    солтүстік америка мемлекеттері мен астаналары маркировка пластика для пищевых продуктов,
    пластик pp 5 горячее онлайн тестирование пдд,
    пдд тест бесплатно

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *