Grech urges timely agreement from EU ministers on budget

Deputy prime minister and EU affairs minister Louis Grech has congratulated the European Union presidency for agreeing on a compromise text which emerged last week on the implementation of the EU budget which safeguards Malta's package

Grech led Malta's delegation at a meeting of the General Affairs Council (GAC) in Luxembourg, in a prelude to the European Council that set the agenda of the European Council to be held this week. The meeting took stock of the current situation concerning the provisional agreement reached between the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament on 19 June, 2013, on the Multi-Annual Financial Framework (MFF) 2014-2020.  

"An agreement seems to be in sight, and every effort should be employed to maintain the momentum to make this deal happen," Grech said, who added that it was important to ensure that European citizens and the business community can tangibly start benefiting from EU funds as of January 2014. 

Ministers also held discussions to prepare for the European Council which will be held later this week and will be attended by the Prime Minister. The summit will focus its discussions on youth employment, including the Youth Guarantee; the European Semester 2013; and the Economic and Monetary Union.

A key objective in this discussion is the strengthening of economic growth, enhanced competitiveness and the generation of jobs.

The Council of Ministers also discussed enlargement, namely the opening of accession negotiations and the stabilisation and association agreement with Serbia and Kosovo respectively. An unexpected agreement by ministers was reached on Turkey, to open negotiations on regional policies and structural funds.