Parliamentary Secretary for the EU Presidency 2017 and EU Funds Ian Borg this morning held a meeting with the Secretary General of the European Council, Uwe Corsepius, in Brussels.

The focus of the discussion was the preparations for Malta’s Presidency of the Council of the EU during the first six months of 2017.

Dr Borg informed Mr Corsepius that Malta has already set the ball rolling in preparing for the Presidency.

“The government is well on its way in preparing the organisational structure which will be needed in order to manage the many responsibilities which a Member State undertakes during its Presidency.

“The structure will be based upon three pillars: policy, logistics and communication,” he said.

The Parliamentary Secretary told Mr Corsepius that the government is committed to making the Maltese Presidency one which will leave concrete results that will contribute towards improving the lives of all EU citizens.

He stated that the fact that the new Administration had established a Ministry dedicated to European Affairs, with a Secretariat that is focused on the Presidency in 2017, is a testament to this commitment.

Dr Borg noted that although the Presidency is still four years away, the government is well-aware that there is a great amount of work which needs to be done in order to prepare for a successful term where the eyes of the Europe – as well as the world – will be on Malta’s stewardship of the EU’s policy negotiations and decisions.

He stated that this is why he is focusing on ensuring that all the groundwork is being carried out as early as possible, adding that he has already been in touch with Malta’s Presidency-trio partners (the Netherlands and Slovakia).

Mr. Corsepius welcomed the fact that Malta has already begun preparing for its Presidency. He also stated that the General Secretariat of the Council, whose job it is to support the work of Presidencies, is looking forward to working with the Maltese authorities and officials both in the lead-up to 2017, as well as during the term itself.

Dr. Borg thanked the Secretary General for his support and stated that he too looks forward to a successful cooperation.