Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1536636
JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt 3 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 22 JUNE 2025 NEWS BE EXCLUSIVE BE EXCLUSIVE BE EXCLUSIVE BE EXCLUSIVE BE EXCLUSIVE BE EXCLUSIVE BE EXCLUSIVE BE EXCLUSIVE EXCLUSIVE & DESIGN TRADEMARK REGISTER YOUR BEFORE YOU MAKE IT PUBLIC IL-GVERN TA' MALTA ·½ĊėþĤࢫn{§§࣒H̷̽ࢷࢫ§࣒½ėþöþŧ ĤࢫöþÌtHėėࢫĊėþėHt4 Landscape Treaty in effect: Malta must report on view protection MALTA'S recent ratification of the European Landscape Con- vention brings with it a new international obligation—the country must now submit pe- riodic reports to the Council of Europe on how it is putting the convention's principles into practice. But no legislative changes are needed to implement the con- vention, a spokesperson for the Environment and Resources Au- thority confirmed. Under Article 10 of the con- vention, each state party must submit its first implementation report within three years of the treaty entering into force. For Malta, this means the first report is due by 1 September 2028. The convention—signed by Malta in 2000 but only ratified last month after a 25-year de- lay—is the first international treaty to recognise landscape as a shared cultural, environmental, and social asset. It applies to all landscapes, not just those of ex- ceptional beauty, and promotes public participation, integration into planning and policy, and long-term landscape manage- ment and protection. Signatory states must report on imple- mentation through a structured monitoring process coordinated by the Council of Europe. This involves submitting national re- ports every six years, covering legal frameworks, planning tools, public engagement, education and awareness initiatives, and the integration of landscape protec- tion into broader policies such as agriculture, tourism, and spatial development. The reporting also allows for peer review and com- parison between member states. How Malta is implementing convention While Malta is now subject to these reporting obligations, no legal changes are needed, ac- cording to ERA, which is respon- sible for the convention's im- plementation in Malta. An ERA spokesperson said Malta already meets the convention's core requirements at the legislative level. The Constitution includes a commitment to safeguarding landscape as part of the national patrimony. Landscapes are also recognised under the Environ- ment Protection Act, the Devel- opment Planning Act, and the Cultural Heritage Act, which de- fines landscapes as part of Mal- ta's immovable cultural heritage. Malta's planning system in- cludes specific designations such as Areas of High Landscape Val- ue, while landscape-sensitive policies are embedded in key strategic documents. These pol- icies take a broad view of land- scape, covering natural, rural, and urban areas, and are reflect- ed in planning guidance and en- vironmental impact assessments. In contrast to Malta's approach, some countries have used the convention to drive national pol- icy reform. Ireland developed a National Landscape Strategy specifically in response to the convention. The strategy aims to protect, manage, and plan land- scapes in a way that balances en- vironmental, cultural, social, and economic values. The ERA said implementation will involve coordination with the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage and the Planning Au- thority. Public consultation—an- other key pillar of the conven- tion—is already part of Malta's environmental permitting and planning processes. These were further reinforced by recent amendments to the Environ- ment Protection Act and new permitting regulations aimed at improving transparency and public participation.