MEP Peter Agius welcomes Commission Work Programme as a vector to address 5 key issues for Malta and Gozo

Today in Strasbourg, the European Commission presented its work programme for 2025, which includes 51 key policy proposals and the withdrawal of 37 proposals.

Participating in the debate in Strasbourg, MEP Peter Agius said that the Commission’s Work Programme now offers opportunities for Malta in 5 key sectors that Malta must be ready to mould to the needs of families from Malta and Gozo.

MEP Agius groups the Work Programme’s key interest areas for Malta under 5 headings:

1. Simplification of EU legislation. The Work Programme announces the withdrawal of 37 legislative proposals in a bid to reduce administrative burdens by 35% for small businesses. ‘Family businesses and sectors like finance and insurance in Malta struggle to keep up with the continuing flow of new EU rules. Let’s give them a break and focus on how to make business easier in Malta and Europe’ said MEP Peter Agius.
2. Sustainable Transport: The Commission is to submit a Sustainable Transport Investment Plan which can present opportunities to address the significant competitiveness disadvantages of road, sea and air transport to islands like Malta and its trickle-down effect on cost of living for citizens and on businesses. ‘A transport strategy for Europe must also secure the needs for Gozo to have new and efficient ferry service.’ said MEP Agius.
3. The Work Programme also put an emphasis on a revised strategy for food security in Europe. This presents added value for Malta where we are now importing over 70% of our food. ‘Maltese meat producers are under increasing risk of bankruptcy while traditional farmers and fishermen feel little assistance in the face of incessant competition. We must put Maltese food security at the top of the European agenda by helping local production produce and compete.’ said MEP Peter Agius
4. The Work Programme announces also a renewed commitment to a Pact for the Mediterranean with emphasis on cross regional investment sin energy, transport and commerce. ‘This gives Malta an opportunity to become once again a vital bridge between Europe and Africa opening opportunities for our businesses and our workers in the meanwhile.’
5. The Commission also lists the protection of democracy as another key area of its work with the launching a new ‘Democracy Shield’ initiative. MEP Peter Agius said: ‘It is high time for the Commission to realise that we must walk the talk on the democratic values within Europe as well. The degression of rule of law in Malta should be a cause for all Europeans as much as it is for the Maltese; I will see that Europe moves from talk to action in this area in particular.’

MEP Peter Agius also announced the launch of an information and Q&A session on the Commission Work Programme and its particular relevance to Malta which will be proposed in the following weeks to stakeholders and all interested parties.