The European Parliament will begin its grilling of Cabinet Ministers in view of Malta’s turn at the EU Council Presidency in order to be convinced that the agendas for their respective portfolios are satisfactory for the MEPs.

The European Parliament as well as the Council are jointly responsible for passing EU policy into law, after receiving policy proposals from the Commission. The EP and the Council then send policy documents back and forth, with any necessary amendments, until both sides are satisfied. Following agreement on both sides, through the Ordinary Legislative Procedure, that policy document is then made into EU law.

Grilling will entail discussions between the Ministers and corresponding EP committees, where Government Ministers will be presenting its programme for the upcoming six months, and will entail an exchange of views.

Its purpose is to identify avenues where the Presidency and the EP will be able to work on to bridge gaps in divergent ideas. In January, a total of 17 grilling sessions will take place, with the first Ministers to take the hot seat are Home Affairs Minister Carmelo Abela and Justice Minister Owen Bonnici on 12 January.

It will be necessary for the Ministers to convince EP parliamentary groups on at least 90 per cent of their proposed programmes pertaining to their respective portfolios.