Prime Minister leaves for crucial Brussels summit

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi has left Malta to attend meetings of the European Council in Brussels taking place today and tomorrow. The summit is expected to come under close scrutiny as the fate of the Euro lies in the hands of the leaders.

Gonzi is accompanied by Malta's permanent representative to the EU Richard Cachia Caruana and the permanent secretary within the Finance Ministry Alfred Camilleri.

In his invitation letter, President Herman Van Rompuy told the prime ministers that the challenge faced by the European Council was "to signal, in a clear and concrete manner, that we are doing everything required in response to the crisis".

Van Rompuy said that the Council should endorse country-specific recommendations to guide policies and budgets, adopting the 'Compact for growth and jobs', launching the final phase of work towards a new Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) mobilised in support of growth and jobs, and setting the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) on a new path.

We will begin our meeting focusing on the MFF. Given the role of the European Parliament in this negotiation, I have invited its President for a one-hour meeting with the members of the European Council, from 15.00 till 16.00, so that he has ample opportunity to present the views of his institution on this topic.

The President of the European Central Bank will also be presented with report on the future of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU).

"This report is not a final blueprint to be adopted by the European Council but I do expect to reach a common understanding amongst us on the way forward for the EMU," Van Rompuy said.