A European Parliament Citizens’ Forum is being held on Friday the 26th of November 2010 at the Kempinski San Lawrenz Hotel in Gozo. Details of a number of local citizens petitions and the full programme schedule are outlined in detail below:
11.30am – Registration and coffee
12.00am – Introduction by Dr Julian Vassallo, Head, European Parliament Office in Malta
12.05am – MEPs, selected petitioners and citizens are invited to share their views on the means of redress offered by the European Parliament through their MEPs, Petitions Committee and the new Citizens´ Initiative.
Keynote speakers:
MEP Dr Simon BUSUTTIL (EPP, MT)
Senior member of staff of the Petitions Committee Secretariat
14.00pm – Wrap-up of discussion and concluding remarks
14.15pm – End of Citizens Forum followed by a light lunch
Overview of Local Petitions Addressed to the European Parliament
Petition 0954/2006
Mr Mario Calleja, on behalf of the Committee against the Sant’ Antnin Recycling Plant, voiced opposition to the Maltese authorities plan to demolish the existing Recycling Plant at Sant’ Antnin and build a new facility in the same location. Calleja deemed the project as infringing EC environmental legislation and thus asked the European Parliament to have the Commission investigate it. After the Commission has assessed the information provided concerning the project for the relevant EU legislation, notably the EIA Directive, it concluded that it is not possible to identify a violation of Community law.
Petition 0378/2007
Ms Gail Lesley Kreupl petitioned on the detrimental impact of a rehabilitation project to be developed in Hondoq ir-Rummien, a Natura 2000 protected area. Kreupl argued that this project has been approved despite the results of a referendum held in 2000 showing that 85% of the residents of Qala opposed to the project, and thus asked the European Parliament to intervene. Since there is still the ongoing process for an Environmental Impact Assessment for the proposed development, there are, currently, no grounds proving a breach of EU environmental law and, therefore, no action is proposed.
Petition 1661/2008
Mr Mike Santo Valentino Portera protested against the refusal of the Luxol Basketball Club to release his son from the club obligations. Although his son has been playing amateur basketball on the basis of yearly registration, neither the petitioner nor his son have been made aware of the regulations regarding the release of the players. After an appeal to the Maltese Basketball Association has been unsuccessful, Santo Valentino Portera asked the European Parliament to investigate the matter further. The commission stated that any obstacle to the mobility of athletes, such as refusal to release an amateur athlete or payment of penalties to obtain an athlete’s release, may be an obstacle to the free movement of citizens and infringe EU law. Nonetheless, since it is a dispute between private parties – in which the Commission has no authority – the appeal procedures available at national level appeared to be the most appropriate means of resolving the dispute.
Petition 0436/2008
Mr Joseph Buttigieg, on behalf of the Malta Federation for Hunting and Conservation, petitioned against the decision of the European Commission to initiate infringement proceedings against Malta for breaches of EC Directive 79/409 over spring hunting. Buttigieg argued that previous common positions agreed by the European Commission and Malta during the accession negotiations have been ignored. However, whilst the Maltese government succeeded in gaining a transition period to allow the trapping of certain birds until the end of 2008, spring hunting was never covered by an exemption and is therefore subject to common EU rules, as set out in the Birds Directive. Consequently, the Court of Justice of the European Union found that the practice of hunting quails and turtle doves during spring migration between 2004 and 2007 was contrary to the Birds Directive.
Petition 0251/2007 (Marine Galea) and Petition 1210/2008 (Victor Galea)
Ms Marine Galea and Mr Victor Galea pleaded for the preservation of the Ta’ Cenc site. Although part of the area has been proposed for Natura 2000 status, lack of quick measures will encourage large scale development with irreversible detrimental effects on the natural environment. The European Parliament was asked to intervene so that Ta’ Cenc site be designated as a Special Area of Conservation and Special Protection Area. Indeed, the Commission is aware of the high ecological interest of the Ta’ Cenc area. The Commission considers that the lack of any proposal for a bigger SPA designation could have a negative impact on the site’s integrity, thus expects Malta to designate additional SPAs and pSCI. In addition, the Commission will only be able to take position following the final analysis of Environmental Impact Assessment.
Note on the Citizens’ Right of Petition
Any citizen of the European Union, or resident in a Member State, may, individually or in association with others, submit a petition to the European Parliament on a subject which comes within the European Union’s fields of activity and which affects them directly. Any company, organisation or association with its headquarters in the European Union may also exercise this right of petition, which is guaranteed by the Treaty. A petition may take the form of a complaint or a request and may relate to issues of public or private interest. The petition may present an individual request, a complaint or observation concerning the application of EU law or an appeal to the European Parliament to adopt a position on a specific matter. Such petitions give the European Parliament the opportunity of calling attention to any infringement of a European citizen’s rights by a Member State or local authorities or other institution.