As another year draws to a close, the European Union’s year dedicated to the citizen will also be drawing to a close. Indeed, the major challenge the EU has had to deal with is how to narrow the gap between the institutions that are synonymous with it and the general public whose economic and social wellbeing they are supposed to safeguard.

As I visit more towns and villages in Malta and Gozo in my electoral campaign, discussing various issues with constituents from both sides of the political spectrum, the very common question that crops up is: “So, Mr Grixti, tell us: if you are elected to the EU Parliament, will you forget us and simply disappear?”

Whilst acknowledging that it is a shame that politicians – for one reason or another – forget that they have borrowed a seat in either the national or EU parliament, I do admit that this is the general feeling. Yet such a question has a wider context as well. What can the EU do to project itself as being there by the people and for the people?

The EU came into existence at the end of the Second World War to secure peace and prosperity among its founding members. Since then, major developments have occurred. From a community of six, today the bloc embraces 28 countries. In addition, there is now a single currency, the euro, which is now legal tender among 17 of the 28 EU members. All in all, such developments have now translated the EU into not only a major economic bloc but also an important force that influences international politics. The recent tough negotiations in Geneva regarding Iran’s possible reduction in uranium enrichment are a case in point. These are the big issues which the individual EU citizen maybe does not appreciate and yet, in some way or another, they do affect the leading of a serene life.

The recent financial crisis and the eventual sovereign debt problem have, however, created a certain degree of uncertainty among EU citizens, especially among those who had to bear the brunt of the austerity measures imposed. The aftermath has resulted in the possibility of two scenarios: on the one hand there was, and still is, the notion of creating a banking union which, in essence, paves the way for creating a United States of Europe. At the other extreme, many thought there would be a disintegration of the euro that would surely reduce the EU to rubble. As things stand, neither has occurred – with the second option surely damaging people’s lives to incalculable levels.

Although I strongly believe that, in order to prevent the occurrence of another crisis, the creation of a banking union is really essential, I cannot visualise the Maastricht Treaty being ratified to include it in countries such as Greece and Portugal. The citizens there have a very high feel-bad factor where the EU is concerned and we still have to see what the EU will be doing to motivate such citizens to exercise their democratic right and go to the polls on 24 May next year.

In terms of the second option, we should all be thankful to the Almighty that such a disintegration did not actually happen. I, too, was rather sceptical as to whether or not the EU would manage to weather the storm, but it did because there was great political will from member states to fix the situation.

Although there were elements of fire-fighting in the process, I have to admit that, to a certain extent, the EU disposes of some unique political glue. It may be invisible, but it surely works and doubting it can come at a financial cost! There exists documentary evidence to support the notion that hundreds of millions of dollars were lost by traders who placed bets that 2012 would go down in history as the year of the euro break up.

The recent events demonstrate one major issue – the EU has to seek public support in any of its endeavours, as underlined by the current British Prime Minister in his political address on Europe earlier this year. On that occasion, David Cameron asked for Europe “both to deliver prosperity and to retain the support of its peoples”. As far as Dutch political philosopher Luuk Van Middleaar is concerned, he takes the British PM’s words to mean that ‘even if the Union were merely a market, political choices would still be involved and democratic accountability needed’.

So, how can all this be projected for the citizens of an individual member such as Malta? In terms of being an influential economic bloc, Malta can continue to prosper by attracting a larger share of foreign direct investment. Anyone who is elected as an MEP next May should at all times be an ambassador for Malta and should market our country as an ideal location for investors to open shop. Such direct foreign investment is a guarantee of the creation of new employment opportunities. In turn, through increased wealth the national government can earn more revenue in the form of increased income tax – revenue that will assist the government in financing the regeneration of the social programme. A very concrete example would be to increase the statutory pension in such a way that the elderly can lead a decent life.

However, the other major issue that indeed still affects the daily lives of Maltese citizens is that of illegal immigration. Whilst acknowledging that we are discussing a very sensitive humanitarian issue here, we also have to acknowledge that Malta is small in size and certainly has its limitations in terms of the numbers it can accommodate. Quite rightly, the current Labour government – in conjunction with the Italian and Greek governments – has made a sound case for all other EU countries to seriously engage in the process of burden sharing.

Yet, from my point of view, that is not enough. If such desperate people manage to get food and water and a roof to shelter under, they would not risk their lives. Such a notion requires that the exploitation of the African continent be put to a stop. This time around, the EU – as a major political force – can assist its member states such as Malta, Italy and Greece by mobilising the international community to do just that. Malta’s hosting of the CHOGM in 2015 would be a golden opportunity to raise our island’s concerns about illegal immigration. Before all its citizens go to select their MEPs next May, the EU has to actually demonstrate that it is democratically accountable when it comes to the issue of illegal immigration.

Mr Grixti is a Labour Party candidate in the upcoming European parliamentary elections