“Mais t’es devenue petite Nonna!” “Oh you’ve gotten shorter grandma!” Those were the first words my 6 year old uttered when he met his grandma yesterday as she landed in Malta to stay with us for a few days. My son hadn’t seen his grandma since last Christmas. Since then he’s grown taller and he mistakenly thought that his grandma is getting shorter. It was just an illusion in his head. 

It’s funny, isn’t it? We (his parents) hadn’t noticed that he’s getting taller because we see him everyday and he clearly hasn’t noticed either. 

Sometimes, in life, progress happens but we don’t necessarily notice it and then it suddenly hits us in the face. 

We do not read/hear much about Brexit on local media but it is happening and it is going to have a lasting effect on Malta. That effect will not come and knock on our doors with a grin on its face and tell us ‘hear I am’. It will arrive slowly and stealthily. It is up to us to take advance measures against potential negative effects but also try to take advantage of any opportunities which might come up. 

It’s much too early to understand exactly how Brexit will impact trade between Malta and the UK for the simple reason that it is only this week that the negotiations started on UK’s future relationship with the EU. Will it be just a free trade agreement? Or more? Or nothing? Indeed one has to ask that question because the talks can still fail. But it seems to me that there is sufficient political will on both sides of the channel to forge ahead with an acceptable agreement for both sides. 

The EU is not exactly happy that the UK is leaving but it understands fully that the British people have spoken and the result of the referendum must be respected. 

Malta, like most EU countries, wants to avoid a deal that punishes trade and business. We want to have a trade deal with the UK that limits harm to trade as much as possible. On the other hand we are very conscious that the fundamental principles of the EU Single Market can’t be compromised, in particular the freedom of movement of persons, capital, services and goods. 

On the other side of the channel one major sticking point remains; namely the Irish question. Both the UK and the EU have pledged to respect the Good Friday agreement, meaning that the border between the two parts of the island should not be reinstated. But how are they going to do that if the Republic of Ireland will remain a full member of the EU single market and Northern Ireland not? Frankly, it’s not an easy question but if there’s anything the EU is good at, it is ‘squaring a circle’. 

“A good old EU fudge!” I hear you say but it is with these compromises (in EU speak) that the EU grew stronger and bigger along the years. There is a resignation across the continent that “yes Brexit is happening! And yes let’s part ways on good terms.” No EU Prime Minister wants to bite his nose to spite his face. This is mostly linked to business but there is a will from the EU side to cooperate closely on security matters with the UK, which would frankly benefit both sides. 

One thing is crystal clear. Malta will lose a formidable partner on competitive and fiscal issues. We will fight our corner but an influential country like Britain has always given us some comfort, something we will certainly miss. 

“Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed.” We hear this often in EU circles ahead of major summits and it is true. The EU and UK have reached two major milestones in their negotiations and have now entered a new one. If they don’t find an agreement on this third stage, i.e., the future relationship, everything else will unravel. It appears that there is good will on both sides and then it’s up to the UK and EU parliaments to ratify the deal. 

For me it is quite clear, considering the circumstances, that the final deal will be political, rather than just economic.  

Although the UK seems to be drifting away from the continent, in the end it’s just an illusion. The distance between the Calais and the Dover will remain just the same as that before Brexit.

 

MP David Stellini is the Opposition spokesperson on European Affairs and Brexit. He is also President of the Nationalist Party Administrative Council.