‘Gozo business chamber’ to provide Alfred Sant concrete instances to make amends for Gozo’s isolation

Members of the Council of the ‘Gozo Business Bureau’ agreed to provide Maltese MEP Alfred Sant concrete instances of the compensatory mechanisms that are necessary for Gozo to make amends for its isolation, but which could be out of line with EU competition policy. A delegaton of the ‘Gozo Business Bureau’, led by Mr. Joseph G. Grech and Mr. Michael Galea, CEO and Council Secretary respectively, met Dr. Sant at the Council Offices in Victoria, Gozo. Dr Sant promised the Council he will bring them up for discussion and review at the European Parliament.

Dr. Alfred Sant told the Council members that at European Parliament level he was working to get reports dealing with EU competition policy to make specific allowances for the situation of isolated regions and islands in the EU, and to accept that these should be given special treatment.

The ‘Gozo Business Chamber’ and Dr. Sant discussed the situation in the Gozitan sectors of manufacturing, farming and real estate. The Council members queried the extent to which compensatory measures designed to compensate Gozo for its diseconomies of scale and isolation, would be allowable under EU competition rules. Dr. Sant confirmed that prospects in this regard are rather bleak.

The Maltese MEP and Council members also discussed the state of play regarding proposals to build a tunnel between Malta and Gozo. Dr. Sant confirmed that if it was so decided by Malta, an in-depth study on the viability of the project could be financed through project funds available for Malta from the EU.

Maltese Version – Il-‘GOZO BUSINESS CHAMBER’ SE TIPPROVDI LIL ALFRED SANT EŻEMPJI KONKRETI LI JIKKUMPENSAW GĦALL-IŻOLAMENT TA’ GĦAWDEX

Membri tal-Kunsill tal-‘Gozo Business Chamber’ qablu li jipprovdu lill-Membru parlamentari Ewropew Alfred Sant, eżempji konkreti ta’ mekkaniżmi li ma jaqblux mar-regoli tal-kompetizzjoni tal-UE li l-gżira Għawdxija teħtieġ biex tikkompensa għall-iżolament tagħha. Delegazzjoni tal-Kamra tal-Kummerċ Għawdxija, mmexxija minn Joseph G. Grech u Michael Galea, CEO u Segretarju tal-Kunsill rispettivament, iltaqgħet ma’ Dr. Sant fl-Uffiċċju tal-Kunsill fir-Rabat, Għawdex. Dr Sant wiegħed lill-Kunsill li se jqajjem dawn il-punti għad-diskussjoni fil-Parlament Ewropew.

Dr Alfred Sant qal lill-membri tal-Kunsill li fil-livell tal-Parlament Ewropew il-ħidma tiegħu qed tiffoka ħafna fuq rapporti li għandhom x’jaqsmu mal-politika tal-kompetizzjoni tal-UE. L-għan tiegħu hu li jingħataw sussidji jew għajnuniet lil reġjuni li huma iżolati jew stati gżejjer fi ħdan l-Unjoni. Dr Sant qal li qed jaħdem biex l-Unjoni Ewropea tifhem u taċċetta li l-gżejjer u r-reġjuni iżolati għandhom bżonn trattament speċjali.

Il-‘Gozo Business Chamber’ u Dr Sant iddiskutew is-sitwazzjoni ta’ Għawdex fil-qasam tal-manifattura, il-biedja u l-iżvilupp tal-bini. Il-membri tal-Kunsill staqsew lil Dr. Sant jekk l-UE hix lesta taċċetta miżuri li jikkumpensaw lil Għawdex minħabba l-problemi ta’ ċokon u iżolament. Kemm hi lesta li tħallina nagħmlu ċerti affarijiet l-Unjoni taħt ir-regoli tal-kompetizzjoni Ewropej? Staqsew il-membri tal-Kunsill. Dr Sant ikkonferma li l-prospetti f’dan ir-rigward mhumiex pożittivi.

L-Ewroparlamentari Malti u l-membri tal-Kunsill iddiskutew il-proposta li tinbena mina bejn Malta u Għawdex. Dr Sant ikkonferma li jekk il-pajjiż jiddeċiedi favur il-mina, studju fil-fond dwar il-vijabilita` tal-proġett ikun jista’ jiġi ffinanzjat mill-fondi tal-Unjoni Ewropea għal Malta.