One of the most cited quotes about the European project is of its forefathers Robert Schuman "Europe will not be made all at once, or according to a single plan. It will be built through concrete achievements which first create a de facto solidarity."
Schumann was undoubtedly right that Europe will long build! For the last few decades, the European Union has been on a path plagued and riddled with many turning points. From the initial failure of the European constitution through the financial, migration, climate and Brexit crisis, the European Union has had decades of firefighting for its survival, with work on other matters taking the back-burner.
The larger the Union grew, and more it tried to integrate, the harder it has become for European citizens to see through the bureaucracy and red tape of the European institutions. However, the recent Parliament elections are proof that not all is doom and gloom and that people are still interested in the European project.
Surprisingly, the turnout of the elections surpassed 50 percent across the Union. The highest turnout since 1994 and the first time since voting began in 1979 that participation has not dropped from the previous election. The result of the vote is a clear indication that the European Union is much alive and that people want to take a central point in the policies that will define their future.
European citizens have chosen to send out a clear message of what they want and how they envisage tomorrow's Europe. Once the new European Parliament begins with its work, it is essential to stand back from immediate political battles and put all our energy into solving Europe's most pressing challenges. Challenges that once seized, can turn into opportunities for the Union recover and again offer hope to future generations.
In this regard, we had discussions in Malta between seven of the twenty-eight, soon to be twenty-seven, Heads of State. These continued last week in Brussels where talks focused on Europe's priorities for the next five years and institutional appointments amongst others.
As the Prime Minister put it, in my mind, the crux of the discussions will be more on the priorities rather than the people occupying the posts. Whoever is in the driving seat must focus on issues that will pre-empt future crises and will offer citizens the chance to improve their standards of living. We must shy away from matters that will cause division and lead to the further disintegration of the project.
Against this background, I think that some areas merit our attention in the coming years. We need a more social, and just Europe that eliminates existing inequalities and advances the wellbeing of our society. We must continue improving workers' rights and create safer jobs and growth in a sustainable economy.
We must continue being at the forefront of fighting climate change. Work must continue on the circular economy and waste measures, and the EU should do more to reduce emissions even further if it is to become a leader in this area. To do so, we should not only focus on industrial emissions but also target other polluting sectors, such as the agriculture, transport, and energy sectors amongst others.
Furthermore, in the digital sector, there is a lot of work to be done. We need the same vision as our founding fathers had when they embarked on the single market project - our greatest asset and the only reason why we have a voice amongst global competitors. Apart from investment in infrastructure and technologies, the EU must also invest in its human capital, mainly through education.
As the EU's role in the world is concerned, we must strengthen our position in being an active global player and a beacon of freedom and democracy in the world. We need to work on our relationship with Africa - aiding its development and its path to growth if it is to address the root causes of migration. We must continually engage with global partners on critical issues like trade and climate change - to avoid future climate migration crisis and to promote our core values across the world.
Alex Agius Saliba is an MEP