Policy Context and Legal Framework

MEPA (Malta Environment and Planning Authority) is primarily responsible for the processing and issuing of permit applications for the environment and development on the Maltese islands. It is the national agency responsible for land use planning and environmental regulation in Malta. Established under the mandate of the Environment Protection Act (2001) and the Development Planning Act (2001) of the Laws of Malta, MEPA is also responsible for the implementation of around 200 Directives, Decisions and Regulations under the EU Environmental Acquis.

MEPA forms part of the eGovernment infrastructure and adheres to its security policies and standards. It is the only entity authorized to decide and issue permits related to the land use in Malta, which, being very restricted, and Malta being a very densely populated country, makes it a difficult and sensitive task.

 eApps has also been developed under the Government’s ICT Consolidation and Web Framework Policies. The Web Framework is a centralised platform that hosts all critical e-Services for the Government of Malta. It is the aim of this policy to ensure that all software applications and/or components implemented on this environment meet a set of specified criteria with the main purposes of maximising uptime and providing a smooth, uninterrupted and reliable service to all clients of the Web Framework. This policy applies to all Web applications (or sites) and databases that are to be hosted on the Web Framework.

The authority operates also under the agreement established during the Aarhus Convention which links environmental and human rights and establishes that sustainable development can be achieved through the involvement of all stakeholders. The convention focuses primarily on the relationship between people and the government. It also takes into consideration government accountability, transparency and responsiveness. The Aarhus Convention grants the public rights and imposes on public Authorities obligations regarding access to information and public participation and access to justice.

The authority also operates under the INSPIRE directive which lays down general rules in relation to environmental policies and activities which may have an impact on the environment.

Implementation and Management Approach

The framework of the application incorporates different uses and technologies. This includes full case information, GIS integration inclusive of map-based technologies and features, documents and minutes, billing and payment, and security features.

The system has been implemented in such a way that it offers one homogenous user-friendly web-based interface which interacts with various back-end systems through web services. Back-end systems include RDBMS SQL databases, GIS servers, e-Gov e-id infrastructure and payment gateways.

The aim of the system is to offer a full electronic interface that eliminates the need of physical files and documentation. Internally, different processes have been re-engineered and are maintained to support the process. This includes document imaging and management, and also the capability of workflow within the system. In fact, Case Officers and Managers are not only informed through special To-Do lists, but also timely information is posted and generated to enable a better workflow. Full electronic minutes are generated by users and actions support the different committees and decision bodies on making their final decision. The system itself is enabling effective co-ordination and decision making since it offers an up-to-date singular source which can be accessed by different institutions and bodies.

The system is fully owned by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority. However, it is being developed in collaboration with private development partners and is in line with the national e-Gov vision and priorities.

The system itself is very innovative, especially in the use of GIS technology whereby through a map-based interface, users can search and obtain up-to-date information. Furthermore, it enables architects to generate a digital site plan interactively through the site and also geo-reference plans. The knowledge based within the system is essential to the Organization on various levels, both in policy making and also on the decision making processes. The Organization is also now increasingly relying on electronic data and the retrieval of up-to-date information from back-end databases. The system is fully maintained by a small group within the ICT department in collaboration with the developers. Full risk management exercises have been undertaken to ensure that the system is operational 24x7, as not only the Organization itself relies on the facility available, but also the different user groups who make use of the system.

Technology solution

The system uses propriety web-based technologies, particularly the .net framework which is the standard adopted within the e-Government framework. The architecture of the system has been developed in such a way that the users do not need to install any client software and can fully use the system through a normal browser. The front-end itself incorporates different technologies to display and enable interactivity for the different components such as the GIS interface and the Document Viewer which is used to display the various documents and plans available. The system interacts with back-end databases through web services based on XML technology.   

Impact

1. Architects

• Online submissions eliminating the need to come personally to the Organization
• Full electronic correspondence increasing efficiency, reducing printing and postage
• Full electronic plans through their CAD drawings, again eliminating printing of Surveying documents, with full visibility enabled through the system inclusive of plan measurement tools
• The ability to generate an online site plan, thus eliminating the need of purchasing a physical site plan
• Electronic payments eliminating the need for bank payments and bank
• commissions whilst increasing efficiency

2. Applicants:

• Full online up-to-date information on their case, thus increasing transparency and user participation
• Billing information available online and also online payment facilities thus increasing transparency and eliminating the need for physical payments through the bank
• Electronic correspondence directly with Case Officers thus eliminating need for physical hostage and printing

3. Consultees:

Full electronic consultations have resulted in reduced printing and postage costs and the increase of efficiency within the process thereby increasing the compliance of consultations which have to be carried out within a 30-day deadline as directed by the legislative framework.

4. Representees

Representees can send their objection or comment online thus ensuring timely delivery within the process. This has resulted in enhanced user participation and increased transparency.

5. Government

Policy documents and constraints are fully accessible through the site thus enabling different levels of Government a framework for policy formulation

6. Operators

Operators can apply for environmental permits as these are coming on board within the same framework. It is also envisaged that operators will also have the facility to report on their activity through the same interface.

7. General Public

The general public has full online up-to-date information about applications and permits. This has resulted in a tangible increase in trust by the general public in the permitting process, which is very sensitive in the context of a small island state with scarce land resources.

Track record of sharing

The Malta Environment and Planning Authority eApplications system is being used in order to exchange experiences and also transfer knowledge to other organizations, both locally and abroad. It has been awarded several accolades such as the Special Achievement in GIS by the ESRI User Conference and E-Business Solution in 2007 by the Malta Computer Society.                                                                        

During these past months several presentations have been done about the case in the local community and the local Government ICT agency is using the MEPA eApps system as a basis to demonstrate not only electronic permitting systems but also as a framework for document imaging and management plus workflow technologies supporting key activities.

The geographical interface is also being used to increase participation and efficiency. Internationally, the system has been demonstrated to other countries through twinning exercises such as Bulgaria and Slovakia. It has also been presented as a best-practice case in the 5^th Quality Conference for Public Administration in the EU, which was held in Paris in October 2008.

The system was also demonstrated within the Electronic Tools Task Force      UNECS for the Aahrus Convention as a best practice for access to environmental information.

Lessons learnt

The development of a web-based framework which can seamlessly be integrated with key back-end systems is perceived to be the ideal solution which can be adopted by different organizations in making their systems more efficient, whilst at the same time increasing transparency. The biggest technological challenge was that of incorporating several technologies within one user interface. It is important that when one is implementing such a system all stakeholders are involved and all supporting activities are taken into consideration. We would say that the most important element is the architecture of the system which has enabled us to deliver an application which can be used for different permitting streams which are coming on board and being implemented.