Foreign Minister Michael Frendo has held three meetings with two vice presidents and a commissioner of the European Commission.
Dr Frendo met vice president Gunther Verheugen, vice president Franco Frattini and Commissioner Charlie McCreevy after attending the meeting of the Council of the European Union on General Affairs and External Relations held in Brussels.
Minister Frendo told Mr Verheugen that Malta welcomed the communication from the Commission to the March European Council, which assessed progress made at both European and national levels on the basis of the Community Lisbon Programme and the 25 National Reform Programmes.
He emphasised Malta’s continued request for the opt-out clause in the working time directive, stating that flexibility in this matter was crucial to achieve the goal of competitiveness as laid down in the Lisbon agenda. There was, he said, broad consensus on this issue among political forces and the trade unions in Malta.
“Malta is a country with no natural resources and flexibility in human resource management is crucial to its competitiveness and attractiveness as an investment destination” said Minister Frendo.
During his meeting with Mr Franco Frattini, illegal immigration featured high on the agenda, and Dr Frendo emphasised the important of joint repatriation flights and reintegration programmes.
Minister Frendo expressed his appreciation of the Commission’s positive response to the notion of setting up an Emergency Fund on immigration.
Discussions also focused on the European Commission’s proposal for a directive on common standards and procedures in member states for returning illegally staying third-country nationals (the Return Directive).
Dr Frendo emphasised the importance of joint repatriation flights and reintegration programmes and the need for further collaboration at European Union level in the repatriation processes of illegal immigrants. He welcomed the initiative to create a rapid reaction team which would include people with a knowledge of the language and culture of the countries of origin.
Speaking to the European Commissioner responsible for Internal Market and Services, Charlie McCreevy, Dr Frendo focused on the provision of online services in the internal market, with particular reference to the gaming sector.
He emphasised the importance of the provision of such services in the internal market, particularly in the light of the European Court of Justice’s decision in the Gambelli case.
“Malta will be strongly pursuing the application of this internal market aspect in the European Union” he said.
Minister Frendo and Commissioner McCreevy also discussed the European Commission proposal for a directive on services in the internal market, and referred to Malta’s strong belief that the approach of the proposed directive should be based on specified and agreed exclusions, such as health services, education and tax.
On the future European patent policy, Dr Frendo welcomed the launch of the European Commission’s public consultation with regard to the future Community Patent Policy in Europe.
Foreign Minister Frendo was accompanied by Malta’s permanent representative to the European Union, ambassador Richard Cachia Caruana.