Labour MEP Prof Edward Scicluna has called on the European Commission for clarity on the low level of cohesion fund spending in Malta. In a parliamentary question to the Commission, Prof Scicluna has questioned why Malta is receiving payments that barely cover its own contributions to the EU budget.
Under the seven year EU financial framework 2007-2013 Malta was allocated €855m to fund projects covered under cohesion policy, an average of €122.1m per year. However, according to the Commission’s latest financial report, in the EU budgets of 2007, 2008 and 2009, Malta only received around half of this allocation.
Prof Scicluna said:
“The government often talks about the huge amounts of EU money coming to Malta, but the Commission’s figures show that we are receiving barely half of the money we were allocated. I want to know why Malta is not seeing this money, whether it is because government authorities are not preparing suitable projects or are failing to complete the projects when EU funding has been provided.”
We are not talking about small amounts but a shortfall of potentially €200-300m. Most EU countries would be envious of Malta’s cohesion funds, but we seem unwilling to spend them.”
Prof Scicluna has also looked at the terms which allow an EU-funded project three years to be completed, asking what funds are at risk because of a failure to complete projects within the timescale.
Commenting, Prof Scicluna said:
“We are rapidly approaching the start of negotiations on the 2014-2020 budget cycle. My fear is that if we are not allocated the remainder of the €855m by the stipulated dates we will lose that money for good.
“It is time we found out what will happen to the unspent cohesion funds.”
THE PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION
“Under the current multiannual financial framework 2007-2013 Malta was allocated €855m for projects under the Cohesion Policy heading. Over the seven year budgetary period this amounts to an average of €122.1m per year from EU sources. However, according to the Commission’s Financial Report on the 2009 budget published in September 2010, Malta has so far received grants for the years 2007-09 that on average are around 50 per cent of this annual allotment. These figures also barely match the payments made by Malta as an EU member over these three years respectively. Can the Commission explain the reasons for these low grant payments and whether it is the result of a failure by the Maltese authorities to prepare suitable projects for EU funding or else failure to complete the projects for which EU funding was committed?
The revised terms of the 2007-2013 budgetary agreement increased the time allowed for the implementation of an EU-funded project from two years to three years. Can the Commission say which funds are at risk of not being used up by the agreed dates because of a failure to prepare projects or of a failure to complete them within the three year timescale?
In the event that Malta does not receive the €855m allocated to it under this current multiannual financial framework, will the funds be carried over as a balance into the new financial cycle or irretrievably lost?”
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Mitluba kjarifika dwar fondi tal-UE ghal Malta mhux uzati
L-Ewroparlamentari Laburista l-Professur Edward Scicluna talab lill-Kummissjoni Ewropea ticcara l-pozizzjoni dwar l-uzu pjuttost baxx mill-fondi ta’ koezjoni tal-Unjoni Ewropea allokati lil Malta. Prof. Scicluna ghamel din it-talba permezz ta’ Mistoqsija Parlamentari li fiha staqsa ghala l-ghotjiet lil Malta bilkemm ilahhqu dak li hi tikkontribwixxi ghall-bagit tal-Unjoni Ewropea.
Skont l-Qafas Finanzjarju tal-UE 2007-2013 kienu allokati ghal Malta €855 miljun bhala fondi ghal progetti taht il-programm ta’ koezjoni, medja ta’ €122.1 miljun kull sena. Madankollu, skont l-ahhar Rapport Finanzjarju tal-Kummissjoni jirrizulta li mill-budgets tal-UE ghas-snin 2007, 2008 u 2010 Malta rceviet madwar in-nofs ta’ dak allokat lilha.
Prof. Scicluna qal li filwaqt li l-Gvern spiss jitkellem dwar ammonti kbar ta’ flus li ninghataw mill-UE, ic-cifri tal-Kummissjoni juru li bilkemm qeghdin nircievu n-nofs ta’ dak allokat.
“Nixtieq inkun naf ghala qed isir hekk, jekk hux ghax Malta mhux qed tressaq talbiet ghal progetti adatti jew jekk hux qed tonqos milli tlesti l-progetti meta kien hemm fondi allokati ghalihom. M’ahniex qeghdin nitkellmu fuq ammonti zghar ta’ flus, imma fuq potenzjalment nuqqas ta’ bejn €200 u €300 miljun. Hafna mill-pajjizi membri tal-UE certament li tigihom l-ghira ghal flus bhal dawn u mbaghad ahna donnu li m’ahniex lesti nuzawhom,” qal Prof. Scicluna.
Ta harsa wkoll lejn il-kundizzjonijiet li tahthom huwa permess li progetti finanzjati mill-UE jinghataw tliet snin zmien biex jitlestew, u staqsa x’fondi hemm li jinsabu f’riskju minhabba l-fatt li l-progetti ghalihom allokati mhux mistennija jitlestew fiz-zmien miftiehem.
“Dalwaqt nibdew in-negozjati dwar il-budget ghas-snin 2014-2010. It-thassib tieghi hu li jekk mhux se naghmlu uzu mill-flus li fadal mill-ammont ta’ €855 miljun allokati ghalina fiz-zmien stipulat, se nkunu qeghdin nitilfu dawn il-fondi. Irridu naraw x’isir mill-flus mhux minfuqa tal-fondi ta’ koezjoni,” qal Prof. Scicluna.
IL-MISTOQSIJA PARLAMENTARI
“Skont il-Qafas Finanzjarju ghas-Snin 2007-2013 Malta kienet allokata €855 miljun ghal progetti taht il-Politika ta’ Koezjoni. Medja ta’ €122.1 miljun ghal perjodu ta’ seba’ snin. Madankollu, skont ir-Rapport Finanzjarju tal-Kummissjoni dwar il-budget ghas-sena 2009, pubblikat f’Settembru 2010, l-ghotjiet li nghatat Malta ghas-snin 2007-09, ras ghal ras, jammontaw ghal madwar in-nofs ta’ dak allokat ghaliha. Cifri li bilkemm ilahhqu l-hlasijiet li Malta ghamlet lill-UE bhala membru taghha ghall-istess perjodu.
Tista’ l-Kummissjoni tispjega ghaliex sar dan u tghid jekk dan hux ir-rizultat ta’ nuqqas min-naha tal-awtoritajiet Maltin li jressqu progetti li jikkwalifikaw ghal fondi tal-UE jew jekk hux minhabba li progetti li ghalihom kienu kommessi fondi tal-UE ma tlestewx?
Meta kienu reveduti l-kundizzjonijiet tal-ftehim tal-budget ghas-snin 2007-2013 il-perjodu li matulu kellhom ikunu lesti progetti finanzjati mill-UE ttawwal minn sentejn ghal tlieta.
Tista’ l-Kummissjoni tghid liema fondi huma f’riskju li ma jintuzawx saz-zmien miftiehem minhabba li ma tressqux progetti jew minhabba li dawn ma tlestewx fiz-zmien miftiehem ta’ tliet snin?
Jekk Malta ma tinghatax l-ammont kollu ta’ €855 miljun allokati ghaliha taht il-Qafas Finanzjarju kurrenti, il-fondi mhux uzati jizdiedu ma’ dawk allokati taht il-Qafas Finanzjarju li jmiss, jew jintilfu darba ghal dejjem?