Parliamentary Secretary for the EU Presidency 2017 and EU Funds Ian Borg has addressed the Italian Senate and the House of European Affairs Committee in Rome ahead of Malta's Presidency of the EU Council in 2017.
During his visit to Rome, Dr. Borg also met the Secretary of State for European Affairs of Italy Sandro Gozi. Dr Borg and Mr Gozi discussed the joint action preparations ahead of the commemoration of the 60th Anniversary of the Treaty of Rome in March 2017, during Malta's Presidency of the EU Council. Parliamentary Secretary Ian Borg and Mr. Gozi reflected on Europe's future and discussed the opportunity to re-launch the European Project and thus to reconnect citizens to the European Union.
Parliamentary Secretary Borg and Mr Gozi also made reference to the European Union summit to be held in Malta on 3rd February 2017 when European leaders will also be discussing the future of the EU. This will be an important follow-up to the meeting held in Bratislava earlier this month and will address further the implementation of the European ideal of a single market that generates employment opportunities and the social element that provides a better standard of living across the member states.
Dr. Borg went on to address a joint session of the Italian Senate and the House of European Affairs Committee. During his address, Dr. Borg outlined the main issues that will be dominating Malta's Presidency of the EU Council in 2017. He said that Malta's Presidency of the EU Council comes at a time when the union is facing serious unprecedented challenges but he remained very confident that through its priorities - built around Neighborhood policy, Security, Migration, Maritime, Internal Market and Social Inclusion - Malta can contribute towards the revitalization of the European project and a Union that is more relevant.
Members of the Italian Senate were satisfied with how the preparations for the EU Presidency were progressing whilst they wished Malta all the success so as to achieve good results in all priority areas that the Presidency will be focusing on.