Junior minister warns of EU fund 'limitations'

The government's aspirations will reflect the country's ambitions and aspirations, the Parliamentary Secretary for EU Funds, Ian Borg said.

Speaking during a public consultation meeting on the programming of EU funds for the 2014-2020 period held in Valletta this morning, Borg emphasised that the government's priorities would reflect the people's needs, including education, innovation, job creation and energy.

However, Borg warned that the people should not heighten their expectations over the funding given the limitations in Malta's funds.

"Among other things, this will mean that your proposals to benefit from funds may not always be accepted, particularly if they do not target the objectives and priorities set."

Citing previous occasions were organisations were let down because they did not receive the funds they thought they would get, Borg added that politicians should have the courage to explain that EU funds must be "exclusively" connected to the government's priorities "and this is why funds are not always accessible to everyone."

Yet, Borg, the youngest member of the Labour Cabinet, reassured the sizeable audience that alternative funding exists and projects could nonetheless be realised.

Stressing that consensus existed between all political forces in Malta on the utilisation of EU funds, Borg said: "We need to reach our targets for the benefit of the whole country. We need to be objective in our aims and put the national interest first and foremost."

Malta was granted €1.128 billion in funds in the next financial period covering the EU's budgets from 2014 to 2020 , a deal clinched by the previous administration in February.

Noting that during the last few years Malta had fallen behind in achieving its Europe 2020 strategy targets,  Borg pointed out that Malta could overcome this challenge if "we work cautiously together and ensure that we set the right priorities for Malta in the next seven years."

Borg said the government was looking at addressing the country's real needs and had identified three main funding priorities. These include; fostering competitiveness through innovation, sustaining an environmentally friendly and resource-efficient economy and creating opportunities through investment in human capital and improving health and well being.

He added that the government would evaluate all the suggested submissions, which must be received by the beginning of September, and integrate all relevant proposals in the final document which would be approved by the cabinet before being presented to the European Commission for further negotiations.