EU funding to Gozo has better chance of EC approval through cross border initiatives

To achieve EU funding to Gozo that goes beyond that already accorded to Malta under EU budgetary rules, it is important to set out cross border initiatives with other island groups from other member states, said Labour MEP Alfred Sant. Dr Sant met the Gozo Business Chamber who requested the meeting to discuss further cooperation with the Maltese MEP and his Gozo office to promote the Gozo Business Chamber’s initiatives in the EU.
Gozo Business Chamber members emphasised the need for new ideas to promote initiatives that would help generate new business in EU small islands. They stressed their commitment to generate such proposals on a cross border basis with other island buisness organisations.
The Maltese MEP explained that EU procedures have to be followed strictly when new investment ideas are being sought. Dr Sant said that most procedures followed by the European Commission are not designed to cater for small islands like that of Gozo and Malta.
“Extra focus should therefore be given to ensure that some projects that make sense for Gozo really get the right backing”, emphasized Sant.
Dr Sant explained how this has already been achieved in a project to promote clean energy sources for EU isolated islands that was launched through the European Parliament through his initiative and other MEPS from Croatia, Sicily and Sardinia. This project has now been adopted by the EC with a budgetary commitment of €10 million for a pilot project.

During the meeting Mr Borg emphasised the importance of ever improving connectivity between islands and mainlands. On this basis he stressed that besides the tunnel project, Gozo Channel facilities have to be given the same importance as a basic infrastructure by way of new investment that Malta International Airport has been given over the years.
European financial instruments that could help SMEs and Gozo’s labour market were also discussed during the meeting.
25% of Gozo’s working population commutes to Malta because of better working conditions.
Currently the Gozo Business Chamber holds the presidency of INSULEUR (network of the insular chambers of commerce and industry of the European Union).
Further follow-ups will take place in Brussels during an upcoming visit in January 2019 of a delegation from the Gozo Buisness Chamber.
The meeting was attended by Mr Joseph Borg (President), Michael Galea (Vice President) and Council Members Peter Paul Hili, Dr Jonathan Mintoff, Andrew Zammit and Jack Thewma (Office Manager).

Maltese Version – ĊANS AKBAR LI JKUNU APPROVATI FONDI TAL-UE GĦAL GĦAWDEX B’INIZJATTIVI LI JINVOLVU GŻEJJER DIFFERENTI

Biex jinkiseb finanzjament mill-UE għal Għawdex li jmur lil hinn minn dak li diġa` ngħata lil Malta taħt ir-regoli tal-baġit tal-UE, huwa importanti li jiġu stabbiliti inizjattivi li jinvolvu għadd ta’ gżejjer minn stati membri oħra tal-UE, qal l-MEP Laburista Alfred Sant. Il-Kamra tal-Kummerċ ta’ Għawdex talbet dil-laqgħa biex tkun diskussa l-kooperazzjoni bejn l-MEP Malti u l-uffiċċju tiegħu f’Għawdex għal promozzjoni tal-inizjattivi tal-Kamra tal-Kummerċ ta’ Għawdex fl-UE.

Il-membri tal-Kamra tal-Kummerċ enfasizzaw il-ħtieġa ta’ ideat ġodda li jimbottaw ’il quddiem inizjattivi li jistgħu jiġġeneraw negozji ġodda fil-gżejjer żgħar tal-UE. Huma enfasizzaw l-impenn tagħhom li joħolqu proposti li jinvolvu numru ta’ organizzazzjonijiet ta’ negozju minn gżejjer oħra tal-UE.

L-MEP Malti spjega li l-proċeduri tal-UE jiġu segwiti b’mod strett meta jkun hemm ideat ġodda ta’ investiment. Dr Sant qal li l-biċċa l-kbira tal-proċeduri segwiti mill-Kummissjoni Ewropea mhumiex iddisinjati għal gżejjer żgħar bħal dawk ta’ Għawdex u ta’ Malta.

“Għalhekk għandha tingħata attenzjoni sħiħa biex jiġi żgurat li l-proġetti li jagħmlu sens għal Għawdex jiksbu l-appoġġ meħtieġ”, enfasizza Sant.
Dr Sant spjega kif dan diġa` seħħ permezz ta’ proġett ta’ enerġija nadifa għal gżejjer tal-UE li tnieda bl-inizjattiva tiegħu flimkien ma’ MEPs oħra mill-Kroazja, Sqallija u Sardenja. Dan il-proġett issa ġie addottat mill-Kummissjoni Ewropea b’impenn baġitarju ta’ €10 miljuni għal proġett pilota.
Il-Kamra tal-Kummerċ Għawdxija enfasizzat l-importanza li dejjem titjieb il-konnettivita` bejn il-gżejjer u l-kontinent Ewropew. Minbarra l-proġett tal-mina, il-faċilitajiet tal-Gozo Channel għandhom jingħataw l-istess importanza bħal infrastruttura bażika permezz ta’ investiment ġdid, l-istess bħal kif ingħata l-Ajruport Internazzjonali ta’ Malta matul is-snin.
Għodda finanzjarji Ewropej li jistgħu jgħinu n-negozji żgħar u medji u s-suq tax-xogħol ta’ Għawdex ukoll ġew diskussi fil-laqgħa.
25% ta’ dawk li jaħdmu jinżlu Malta għax il-kundizzjonijiet tax-xogħol huma aħjar.

Bħalissa l-Kamra tal-Kummerċ ta’ Għawdex għandha l-presidenza ta’ INSULEUR (għaqda tal-kmamar tal-kummerċ u l-industrija tal-gżejjer tal-UE). Is-segwitu ta’ din iż-żjara se jseħħ fi Brussell f’Jannar 2019 permezz ta’ delegazzjoni mill-Kamra tal-Kummerċ ta’ Għawdex.

Attendew għal-laqgħa s-Sur Joseph Borg (President), Michael Galea (Viċi-President) u l-membri tal-Kunsill Peter Paul Hili, Dr Jonathan Mintoff, Andrew Zammit u Jack Thewma (Office Manager).