On Sunday, Malta’s membership in the European Union will be one year old. One year that has led to a diversity of experiences in many fields.

This year has opened opportunities for so many Maltese in different spheres of life – be it in employment, in the world of education, business and so on. However there is still much to be tapped and realised.

Without elaborating in so far as this is affecting our outlook and attention towards improving the environment, controlling the disposal of waste and the upgrading of our infrastructure and roads network – something which is no longer merely conceptual but is now visible to the eye – I believe that in other fields, such as in finances, competition and education there has been substantial improvement.

Finances

One must comment on the fact that there has been substantial improvement within the government’s goals of controlling the deficit. Last year’s objective of reducing this to Lm95 million was reached and this is not only claimed by the Nationalist government but has been confirmed by the finance sector in Brussels.

Within the next two years we aim to reduce the annual deficit to three per cent of GDP without hurting the local economic development in the process. Furthermore our joining the European Union has already brought us financial assistance through the fifth Italian protocol and the nearly E190 million which were made available to us through the accession negotiations.

A fortnight ago Malta’s application for Cohesion Funds (objective one) within the European budgetary measures for 2007-2013 was accepted. This was the result of hard bargaining, intelligent persuasion and the right documentation being available at the appropriate time.

It was not a question of putting forward one document and not the other but one of being punctual, to the point and getting through a message which explained the realities of life on the Island. It has meant highlighting the real necessary financial assistance required if we are to improve further the Maltese standard of living, upgrade and increase our GDP and economic capabilities.

This assistance, for which we have qualified, should play an important role in establishing what funds are necessary for assistance in the various sectors. Funds are needed to improve our situation and act within a convergence plan. Technical assistance is required so as to improve our strategies and capabilities in our goal of coming up to standard within the new realities of the European Union.

Competition

At the same time, we are envisaging an equal status position within the European goal of having a strong competitive economy which according to the Lisbon criteria has to be among the best by 2010. It is true that, as an island, most of our people have what is known as a survival instinct; however in the wider sense, we require professional and good preparation as well as strategic marketing if we are to survive and make good all opportunities coming our way.

Diversity of our various economic capabilities coupled with the minimising of unnecessary overheads together with the affording of a mature and high level product are certainly the agenda of the day.

Amateurism as well as a laissez affaire attitude are no longer possible.

One understands that our standards needed to improve; certain previously acceptable modus operandi had to be dismissed and thinking solely of the local markets and needs had to be seen and affronted with an eye viewing the market now available across the waters in mainland Europe.

The competition is there however we can overcome it and avail ourselves of its benefits. In itself the market has grown and blossomed – now it is up to us to grow up and be conscious of what we are good at and start choosing where and what to avail ourselves of.

Education

Though over the last 10 years education at post secondary level has increased from some 10,000 students to over 19,000 students, the opportunities available for further studies all over Europe are not yet being taken full advantage of. With our students described as being among the brightest, and education fees now much less than what they were prior to our accession to the Union, more attention is to be given towards the participation on all levels in what is academically available for our students – who individually could rank among those that will make the difference in years to come on a national and international level.

These can eventually mean further opportunities for employment. Employment can be attained within our shores as interested parties could choose Malta as their work base if we have the right qualified people for their type of business and services. In fact our work base within the servicing sector has grown in a steady and healthy manner during the past years however that dimension has mushroomed now that the corners of our operation can extend to Ireland to the West and the Baltic to the East.

One year on and it is a different world. One year on and we are still starting out. One year on and opportunities are there for Malta and Gozo.

Tony Abela is Parliamentary Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister