The EU must remain open to enlargement, says Prime Minister

The European Union must remain open to enlargement, a process that both reinforces and reviews it, according to the Maltese Prime Minister.

Addressing a business roundtable organised by the Economist at the Hilton. Joseph Muscat argued that closing the door to enlargement would close the door to Europe's future.

"Indeed, the success of the EU model can be considered as a microcosm of the international order the whole world wishes to see applied," he said.

Muscat said there was an emerging consensus that developments in the Mediterranean could never be taken in isolation from Europe or the international community as a whole.

Aside from the political aspects of Euro-Mediterranean relations, Muscat said he felt very strongly about the consolidation of contacts at a people-to-people level.

"In a region where youth have been disenfranchised for decades with minimal prospects of interaction with the outside world, our priority should remain that of allowing and motivating exchanges between our student populations.

"Youth employment should also remain at the fore of our agenda. Europe can contribute in no small measure by providing training and expertise in those crucial areas, helping societies to thrive."

Malta next year will be hosting the Commonwealth Heads of Government Summit. According to Muscat, this will be a window of opportunity for Commonwealth to renew itself and play an enhanced role in the international scene.

Muscat argued that whenever Europe neglected a region, it was always caught unaware.

"Part of the solution on avoiding over-reliance on any one country in the East, is that of expanding Europe's values and its interests in the South. Energy is one obvious issue where such a strategy is not only desirable, but necessary for a stronger, more prosperous European Union," he said.

Europe's future on the global stage was not easily determined, Muscat added, questioning whether the EU had been caught napping over the crisis in Ukraine.

"Was the EU too busy with its own internal difficulties to be aware of what happening just outside its borders?" he said. "Yet these worrying times could also be an important wakeup call and Europe may indeed demonstrate a stronger determination to adapt to new realities and new circumstances."

The Prime Minister said Europe had the structures and standards to enable it to act and the values of respect for democracy, human rights and rule of law should serve as the standard-bearer for many nations across the world.

Arguing that Europe had what it takes to exert hard and soft power around the globe, he said the question remained whether Europe wanted to act... or whether it would be forced to act.

"Ongoing threats such as terrorism, cyber security and proliferation of weapons certainly leave no room for complacency. Whether by circumstance or by choice, Europe has t act,' Muscat warned.

According to Muscat, Europe was taking certain measures to become a global player: the Europe 202 strategy reflecting an ambition to become a knowledge-driven, competitive and sustainable economy.

But the success or otherwise of this strategy will determine what the EU will be able to do to be globally relevant and, moreover, to lead globally. Muscat said Europe needed flexibility in labour markets, strong venture capital and an entrepreneurial culture "beefed up by a 'can do' attitude".