Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/410228
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 5 NOVEMBER 2014 News 5 THE parliamentary secretary for EU funds, Ian Borg, and the Director General for Regional Policy at the European Commis- sion, Charlina Vitcheva yester- day signed Malta's partnership agreement with the EU Com- mission for the period covering 2014-2020. Addressing the EU Funds Monitoring Committee, Borg said that the funds allocated to Malta, which amount to over €1 billion, will be mainly used to "foster economic competitive- ness, sustain an environmental- ly friendly economy, and invest in human capital." He added that the government was looking at investing heavily in human resources, especially in training programmes that would ensure inclusiveness and economic diversity. "Moreover, we'll be using the funds to reach a number of tar- gets set by the European Com- mission, such as in renewable energy, waste management, pol- lution levels and road manage- ment," Borg said, pointing to the Kappara Junction project as an "ideal example aimed at the de- carbonisation of the transport sector". Other areas which will take priority include ICT research and development. The drafting of this document follows an extensive consulta- tion process that began under the previous Nationalist admin- istration in 2012. On her part, Vitcheva praised Malta's proficient use of EU funds since joining the bloc and highlighted a number of chal- lenges facing the country, es- pecially in achieving renewable energy, poverty and crime EU targets. She also called for a more stra- tegic and professional approach to the distribution of EU funds and for a greater degree of "syn- thesis" in the deployment of funds at local, national and Eu- ropean levels. She also praised Malta for taking the EU's ini- tiatives regarding small and me- dium enterprises (SMEs) "very seriously" and said that these initiatives will encourage fur- ther investment in Malta. But authority's proposals not included in draft presented to parliament JAMES DEBONO THE Malta Environment and Plan- ning Authority board has proposed that petrol stations constructed outside development zones should have a maximum site area of 3,000sqm and a maximum built footprint of 400sqm. But the MEPA board's proposal was not included in a draft policy presented to parliament's Environ- ment and Development Planning Committee because it is still being considered by the government. "All the comments made during the public consultation exercise, including those from the general public, the MEPA Board and the Standing Committee will be taken into account by the minister prior to taking the final decision on this policy," a spokesperson for MEPA told MaltaToday when asked why the draft presented to parliament did not include this safeguard on the size of ODZ petrol stations. At a meeting of the committee held last Wednesday Nationalist MP and MEPA board member Ry- an Callus insisted that the MEPA board's proposals should have been included in the draft presented to parliament. Callus argues that the government should have endorsed the propos- als of the MEPA board before the draft was presented to parliament, but a spokesperson for the Author- ity insists that these proposals will be considered by the government before the policy is given the gov- ernment's final seal of approval. On its part the MEPA board had expressed concern on the lack of clear "restricting parameters" on ODZ sites in the original draft policy. According to the MEPA spokes- person the board members felt that there should be a capping of both the overall size of the site as well as the footprint of built structures above ground level. Therefore it proposed a maximum site area of 3,000sqm and a maximum built footprint of 400sqm. On his part Callus is also insist- ing that the policy should limit the number of floors of ODZ petrol stations, insisting that in the ab- sence of such a restriction petrol stations may have an impact on the surrounding countryside. The government's decision could have a bearing on a number of pending applications for ODZ pet- rol stations. The relocation of petrol stations from urban centres to ODZ areas is justified by safety concerns. The draft policy is proposing that fuel stations should preferably be located in Designated Industrial Areas, SME sites, Areas of Con- tainment, Open Storage Areas, sites already occupied by fuel sta- tions or other areas earmarked for development that are not designat- ed as Residential and Residential Priority Areas. But the policy does not ban such development in rural ODZ areas except in those enjoying the high- est degree of protection like Natura 2000 sites. MaltaToday is informed that a number of petrol station licenc- es have been sold over the past months. This is because the licences have increased in value amid specula- tion that the new policy allows for the construction of larger petrol stations outside these development zones Malta signs partnership agreement on EU funds MEPA proposes 400-square metre capping for ODZ petrol stations