European Parliament Gozo Faces Big Problems To

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

Alfred Sant

Member of the European Parliament Head of the Maltese (S&D) Delegation

TUESDAY 25 SEPTEMBER 2018

GOZO FACES BIG PROBLEMS TO BENEFIT FROM JUNCKER’S PLAN FOR INVESTMENT

ALFRED SANT

The truth is that under current rules, EU islands like Gozo stand no chance of benefitting from the Juncker plan for investment, remarked former Prime Minister and Maltese MEP Alfred Sant when voting in favour a resolution on boosting growth and cohesion in EU border regions at the European Parliament.

Dr Sant's explanation of vote focused on small island border regions – specifically Gozo – and their difficulties, foremost about the difficulties to absorb EU funding.

“This is not for national reasons but due to the ways by which EU programmes are designed and structured. It is therefore essential that the requirements of peripheral regions, especially small islands like Gozo, are embedded into the planning of such funding programmes.”

Dr Sant said that insular regions encounter huge difficulties when trying to access, let alone, absorb EU funding

“I voted in favour of this resolution because it highlights genuine concerns about the disadvantages that burden border regions compared to other European regions. Despite the geopolitical and economic importance of EU border regions, they experience various obstacles in both structural terms, as well as when it comes to get the right regard within EU policy structures – especially when very small islands are concerned.

I have in mind the island of Gozo, which is the second largest island of the Maltese archipelago. Islands like Gozo must not only overcome the usual legal and administrative barriers of other cross-border regions. They also face physical obstacles directly affecting the flow of the most basic products and services,” Dr Sant told the European Parliament.

Malta Brussels Strasbourg MEP Sant Local Office Parlement Européen Parlement Européen 74, Level 2, Bât. Altiero Spinelli 14G146, 60, Bât. Louise Weiss T07127 1, Hompesch Street, Rue Wiertz / Wiertzstraat 60 B-1047 Avenue du Prés. Robert Schuman Fgura, FGR 2013 Brussels CS 91024 F-67070 Strasbourg Cedex

Tel: 00356 21490705 Tel: +32(0)2 28 45287 Tel: +33(0)3 88 1 75287 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

Alfred Sant

Member of the European Parliament Head of the Maltese (S&D) Delegation

The Resolution - adopted with 594 votes in favour, 58 against and 35 abstentions – refers to internal border regions which generate a quarter of EU GDP representing 40% of the EU territory where 150 million Europeans live. These regions however face obstacles which hamper their growth, such as legal and administrative barriers which translate into legal uncertainty (e.g. social security issues, recognition of diploma or qualification requirements) for border workers and employees, or insufficient transport network.

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Tel: 00356 21490705 Tel: +32(0)2 28 45287 Tel: +33(0)3 88 1 75287 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]