[WATCH] Cabinet meets EC delegates to discuss Malta’s EU presidency

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Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, several Cabinet ministers and OPM chief of staff Keith Schembri held a meeting with a delegation from the European Commission to discuss Malta’s upcoming EU presidency.

EC secretary general Alexander Italianer said that he was “impressed” by Malta’s preparations for the presidency – that it will occupy from January till June 2017.

“The EU has an enormous challenge to overcome the crises of the rise of populism and nationalism in its member states,” he said. “In light of this, we are impressed by Malta’s positive attitude towards Europe.”

He jokingly said that he hopes Malta’s presidency only lasts one semester – its successor is supposed to be the United Kingdom, who will hold a referendum on EU membership later this month.  

Muscat described Malta’s preparations for the presidency as an “exciting experience”, and said that the meeting is a sign of his government’s political resolve to “get things done”.

The delegation – spearheaded by Italianer and the head of the EC cabinet Martin Selmayr – earlier met with deputy prime minister Louis Grech.  

Grech said that Malta will use the presidency to tackle problems of poverty and social inequality, and that the government will announce “major initiatives” on these issues in the next two years.

“The Union’s economic dimension should be complemented by a strong social vision,” Grech said, to which Alexander Italianer agreed.

They also both agreed on the need of a coordinated programme of action to tackle Europe’s migration crisis.

Selmayr said that European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker, like Malta, is strongly pushing for the full implementation of migration proposals agreed upon during last year’s summit in Valletta.

Grech and the delegates also discussed the Multiannual Financial Framework, the launch of the discussion on the Union’s own resources, the single market, the digital single market, and the energy union – all expected to be themes throughout Malta’s presidency.

They also exchanged views on the upcoming Brexit referendum and the prospect of a settlement of the long-standing issue of Cypriot re-unification.