During a press conference after a meeting with Foreign Minister Michael Frendo, Mr Moeller said that this was the first time a Danish Minister was in Malta.
Mr Moeller said: “Denmark has never had as much influence on European affairs as it has had since becoming a member of the European Union.”
Mr Moeller said that before the union existed, the bigger European countries ran the show and even ‘terrified’ their smaller neighbours.
“In the EU everyone has a vote and every vote has the same value. It is the weight of the argument that counts. It is important to be flexible and to discuss things,” he said.
Mr Moeller said that the EU was looking to reach the goals of the Lisbon Strategy by 2010. “But if we are not the most knowledgeable and dynamic economy by 2010, we will look to do it in 2012. We just have to keep working hard and strive to improve,” he said. Other agendas high on the EU’s list, he said, were the up and coming budget and sustainability.
Mr Moeller and Dr Frendo said that apart from pleasantries, they talked about the acceding and candidate countries, such as Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey and Croatia. They also spoke about the European Constitution and the importance of making the European Union accessible to the people. Dr Frendo also stressed the importance of striking a balance between the people and the state.
Other issues the ministers discussed included the fostering of trade and the possibilities of mutual investment between Malta and Denmark.
Asked for their views on the waste of money due to the European Parliament having three ‘homes’ (Luxembourg, Brussels and Strasbourg), the two ministers gave similar answers.
Mr Moeller said that in principle, the EP itself should decide where to set up home. “In principle, it should decide where to be housed. But the treaty that is in place does not allow that; it stipulates that there are three Houses. If one had to renegotiate, we might not find consensus and that might mean we would no longer have a final binding treaty,” he said.
Mr Frendo said that countries normally had all parliamentary institutions in the one city, but the EP could not be equated to a national parliament.
To conclude, both ministers said they realised the importance of strengthening the economies and knowledge base of states outside the EU’s borders. He said that was common to Denmark and Malta.
“Denmark’s near neighbours are the eastern European countries and Malta has North Africa. It is important to help these people and offer them opportunities because progress, reform and development will help reduce the amount of terrorism sympathisers and fundamentalism,” he said.
Mr Moeller also paid visits to President Edward Fenech Adami and Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi at the President’s Palace and at Castille respectively.