Malta's Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Louis Grech, has lent the country's support to an ambitious reduction in greenhouse emissions by 2030, provided that the policy framework takes into account the realities of individual Member States.
The Deputy Prime Minister made this statement at the meeting of the General Affairs Council that was held in Luxembourg on 21 October. Discussions focused mainly on the climate and energy package in preparation for the European Council, which will take place at the end of the week in Brussels.
Delegations largely agreed on the importance of reaching an agreement on a new Climate and Energy Policy Framework, underlining the EU's leadership on climate change issues. They also reiterated the importance that the EU needs to give to an energy policy that caters for energy efficiency, energy supply and energy security.
The Deputy Prime Minister emphasised that national emissions reduction targets should be assigned in a fair and equitable way, taking into account issues such as economies of scale and specific territorial realities of Member States. He added that the policy and ambitious targets set by the EU can only be achieved if they are fully owned by the Member States and therefore they have to be realistic and achievable. The Deputy Prime Minister added that flexibility in the implementation stage is important in ensuring that the policy and targets are achieved in cost efficient way.
With regard to renewable energy and energy efficiency, Mr. Grech stressed that targets should be set at the EU level and not translated into national sub-targets. Finally, on energy security, Malta reiterated its position on the importance of interconnections and ending isolation. In this regard, the Deputy Prime Minister also recalled that it was in the EU's interest to have a well connected Mediterranean and to develop further the co-operation between Member States and Mediterranean third countries.
Whilst the main discussions of the Council focused on the preparations for the upcoming European Council, another item on the agenda concerned the follow-up to the European Council of last June, specifically the priority of the Strategic Agenda relating to Europe of Freedom, Security and Justice.
The Deputy Prime Minister intervened primarily on the issue of migration and security. He emphasized that it was important to learn from the European elections and that a successful migration policy which in concrete terms addresses the European citizens' concerns is a fundamental pre-requisite and will go a long way to restore and revive trust in the European project. He added that there is a need to complete a truly Common European Asylum System which envisages a fair distribution system, mutual recognitions of asylum decisions and allowing beneficiaries of international protection to move freely within the EU. In this regard the EU is in need of momentum and strong leadership.
Ministers also had a working lunch with the President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy. Apart from issues pertaining to the climate and energy package, they also discussed economic issues and the Ebola crisis.