In Brussels, Prime Minister Robert Abela attended a two-day Summit during which European Leaders discussed the European Union’s long-term Budget for 2028-2034, European competitiveness including energy prices, the situation in the Middle East and Ukraine, migration and the enlargement of the Union.
Prime Minister Robert Abela began with a meeting with 17 Member States that consider cohesion policy a priority. During the meeting, Member States agreed to emphasize in the Council the need for an ambitious, balanced and fair European Union budget in order to protect the interests of citizens.
At the Council, Dr Abela argued that the package dedicated to cohesion policy should be strong and allow all Member States, despite their size and specific realities, to continue to progress forward. He reiterated that cohesion policy remains an important tool for the global competitiveness of the European Union. He also stressed that Malta is against the introduction of new EU taxes. With regard to the agricultural sector, he argued that a concrete solution is needed that reflects the realities of the sector. “The European Union Budget must continue to protect the interests of our citizens so that more wealth can continue to be created,” reiterated Dr Abela.
In the discussion on energy and competitiveness, the Prime Minister highlighted the particular reality of Malta as an island country which, in addition to the challenge of international energy prices, also faces a lack of gas interconnection and dependence on regular external supplies. He stressed that while Malta remains committed to climate targets, it needs the flexibility to continue supporting families and businesses. He also supported the need to remove barriers to the single market, reduce administrative burdens on businesses, especially small and medium-sized ones, and continue to strengthen the competitiveness of European industry.
With regard to the Middle East, the Prime Minister stressed the need for the European Union to work closely with international partners to ensure humanitarian access, respect for international law and a commitment to a two-state solution, while continuing efforts to reduce tensions and strengthen stability in the region.
Dr Abela also stressed that maritime security is crucial for the European economy and connectivity, given its impact on energy prices, supply chains and food security. He therefore called for closer cooperation with regional partners to safeguard maritime routes to protect both consumers and European competitiveness.
The Prime Minister also expressed concern about Russia’s continued attacks on civilians and critical infrastructure and also condemned the recent attacks on Maltese-flagged vessels, particularly in the Black Sea, and stressed that commercial vessels and civilian crews should under no circumstances be the target of this conflict.
On migration, Prime Minister Robert Abela stressed the need to effectively implement the new Pact on Migration and Asylum. He welcomed the proposal for a European Emergency Response Framework that takes into account the challenges of maritime borders and called for stronger action against networks facilitating irregular migration. Dr Abela stressed the importance of closer cooperation with third countries in order to increase effective returns and reduce irregular arrivals. At the beginning of the second day, the Prime Minister also participated in a coordination meeting on the theme of migration where closer cooperation on solutions to common challenges was discussed, in the presence of the Commission.
The leaders also discussed the enlargement of the European Union and the progress of prospective members. The Prime Minister stressed that the accession process should be based on merit and that each candidate country should therefore advance in the accession negotiations on the basis of its individual progress. The Council welcomed the ongoing work on drafting the Accession Treaty of Montenegro and also took note of the preparatory work that needs to be done to prepare the European Union for eventual enlargement.
Photo: OPM
