Every fortnight I will be sharing my thoughts with you through these columns. In my contributions I intend to address topics of general interest, both local and foreign. Primarily, I will write about EU affairs, in particular about issues of direct relevance to my portfolio as Parliamentary Secretary for EU 2017 Presidency and EU funds within the Ministry for European Affairs and the Implementation of the Electoral Manifesto.

This article is appearing in the month of May when we, as Maltese and European citizens commemorate two important historical events.  On 1st May we celebrated the ninth anniversary of Malta’s membership of the European Union in 2004.  Yesterday, together with other EU citizens, we marked Europe Day, the anniversary of the ‘Schuman Declaration’ of 1950. 

This year has another significance because the European Commission has dedicated 2013 as the European Year of Citizens. The objective is to emphasize the fact that the citizen should be at the heart of Europe. It is also meant to give EU citizens, Maltese included, the opportunity to become more aware of their rights, to have the opportunity to say how they wish to see the EU developing in the future, what their aspirations are and especially to strive for those rights which they are still denied.  This is an opportunity for the EU citizens to make their voice heard.    

To mark these events, on Saturday 4 May, MEUSAC, with the support of our Ministry and the Ministry for Social Dialogue, Consumer Affairs and Civil Liberties, organized a Public Dialogue at the Auberge d’Aragon with the theme ‘Maltese Citizens – European Citizens’. 

Last Saturday’s event was an opportunity for the Maltese public not only to hear what the politicians had to say about Europe but for them to air their views about their experiences as EU citizens nine years into membership.  It was an occasion for the Maltese citizens to say whether EU membership had made a difference in their lives, or whether the single market had brought benefits which they had not enjoyed before.  It was also intended to give a platform to the general public to have their say on how they saw the future of the EU.

Also, during the past two weeks, together with the respective Ministers, I visited successful EU funded projects that are improving people’s quality of life.

While today there is political consensus in Malta about our place in Europe and that we are one of 27 EU Member States, soon to become 28, I still wonder how many Maltese people feel that they are also European citizens.  How many are aware that, in many respects, we enjoy the same civil and political rights as other EU citizens irrespective of the EU country that we reside in?  

Today, as EU citizens we enjoy new rights that we did not have before, including the right to move and reside freely within the EU, the right not to be discriminated against on the grounds of nationality, the right to vote and stand as a candidate in European Parliament elections, the right to petition the European Parliament, apply to the European Ombudsman and contact EU institutions, and the right to organise or support, together with other EU citizens, a citizens’ initiative to call for new EU legislation. 

We have also gained other rights and opportunities as a result of the EU’s single market including the right to work in another EU country without a work permit, the right to practice our profession in any EU country, the right to study in any EU country under the same conditions as nationals of that country, the right to buy or sell a car in any European country and benefit from EU rules on VAT exemptions or recovery of VAT.

At the same time, there are still hurdles that European citizens face when exercising their rights across the EU, such as not having the right to vote in national elections, which is denied also in Malta, or the lack of harmonisation of best practices when it comes, for example, to the issuing of a common identity card, another issue about which there is currently a strong debate among Europeans living in Malta. These topics should be part of the national debate about the second Republican Constitution for Malta.

In terms of funding, as an EU Member Malta has benefitted from substantial funds for improving our road infrastructure, creating a better and more sustainable environment, providing new training and employment opportunities for our workers, improving health facilities and creating opportunities for people with special needs. 

This year we are coming to the end of the funding programme 2007-2013. Although, as I had occasion to say in Parliament, we inherited many problems in the management of these funds, to the extent that substantial sums are at risk of being lost, we are adamant we will make every effort to avoid this from happening. 

At the same time we are already planning how to invest the funds that will support the new National Reform Programme for the period 2014-2020. We need to continue to invest in the economic and social development of the Maltese Islands and to create employment opportunities for the upcoming generation.

In four years time we will be facing another major challenge when Malta will hold the EU Presidency in the first 6 months of 2017.  Preparations are already in hand and diplomatic contacts are being established to ensure that Malta will complete this challenge with flying colours.

I will elaborate more on these issues in future contributions to this newspaper.

Dr Ian Borg is the Parliamentary Secretary for EU 2017 Presidency and EU Funds