Most bricks made in Malta do not meet European Union safety standards because the government has failed to implement the rules, MEP candidate Peter Agius has claimed.
In a statement on Saturday, Agius said he has given information to the board of the public inquiry into the death of Jean-Paul Sofia. The information details how, through “incompetence”, the government has failed to introduce rules for the CE markings of bricks and other concrete products.
When a product has a CE mark, it means that it meets the health, safety and environmental protection requirements to be sold in the European Economic Area (EEA).
Jean-Paul Sofia, 20, died last December in a construction site collapse in Corradino. Five people have been charged with involuntary homicide in connection with his death and they are all pleading not guilty to the charges.
A public inquiry is also investigating whether the State had a role in failing to ensure construction site safety and protecting workers from harm.
“We joined the EU for higher standards, however, the Labour government’s incompetence is depriving us of our EU rights,” Agius said.
“The government has a guilty conscience when it comes to raising standards in the construction industry as it failed to implement EU rules for construction products including bricks and concrete pre-cast products.”
In 2013, the EU adopted new rules on construction products imposing detailed rules for materials like bricks and concrete products and how they must be integrated into a finished building to meet safety standards, Agius explained.
They can only be sold in the EEA if they meet these rules. But, Agius says that these rules remain a “dead letter” in Malta, as they have not been implemented.
Just two producers meet standards
Only two of the 11 brick producers in Malta meet these standards, he claimed, adding that most bricks in the country do not have a CE mark.
“This points to the lack of importance the current government attaches to ensure that the standards intended to protect the consumer adopted at EU level are effectively implemented in Malta,” Agius said.
The government cannot continue to ignore EU legislation and fail to keep the local construction industry in line with European standards.
Agius said he was submitting the information to the inquiry board to broaden the conversation about safety in the construction industry and avoid future deaths and accidents.
“Other EU governments help their local industry to become compliant with EU rules increasing product safety,” he said.
“In Malta, on the other hand, most local manufacturers were left to face expenses and bureaucracy on their own. The outcome of this is that while the EU gives us higher safety standards these remain a dead letter of the law here in Malta.”