Gozo faces big problems to benefit from juncker’s plan for investment

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.
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.

Maltese Version – DIFFIKULTAJIET KBAR GĦAL GĦAWDEX BIEX JIBBENEFIKA MILL-PJAN TA’ INVESTIMENT TA’ JUNCKER

Il-Kap tad-Delegazzjoni Laburista fil-Parlament Ewropew qal li l-verita` hi li bir-regoli attwali, il-gżejjer tal-UE bħal Għawdex ma għandhomx ċans jibbenefikaw mill-pjan ta’ investiment ta’ Juncker. Dr Alfred Sant qal li huwa essenzjali li r-rekwiżiti tar-reġjuni fil-periferija, speċjalment tal-gżejjer żgħar bħal Għawdex, jiddaħħlu fl-ippjanar ta’ programmi ta’ finanzjament tal-UE. Dr Sant qal li żoni insulari tal-UE qed jaffaċċjaw diffikultajiet kbar meta jipprovaw jiksbu aċċess għal finanzjament tal-UE, aħseb u ara jassorbuhom. Dawn id-diffikultajiet mhumiex minħabba raġunijiet nazzjonali, iżda minħabba l-mod kif inhuma mfasslin il-programmi tal-UE.
Dr Sant tkellem dwar il-gżejjer żgħar bħal Għawdex u r-reġjuni fil-periferija tal-Ewropa, meta ivvota favur riżoluzzjoni li tagħti spinta lit-tkabbir ekonomiku u l-koeżjoni tar-reġjuni fil-periferiji tal-Unjoni Ewropea.
“Ivvotajt favur din ir-riżoluzzjoni għax tagħti importanza lit-tħassib ġenwin tal-iżvantaġġi li jagħfsu fuq ir-reġjuni tal-periferija meta kkomparat ma’ reġjuni Ewropej ċentrali. Minkejja l-importanza ekonomika u ġeopolitika tar-reġjuni fil-periferija, dawn jiltaqgħu ma’ ħafna ostakli kemm f’termini strutturali, kif ukoll biex jiġu kkonsidrati fi ħdan l-istrutturi tal-politika tal-UE – speċjalment fejn huma kkonċernati gżejjer żgħar ħafna.
Għandi f’moħħi l-gżira ta’ Għawdex, li hija t-tieni l-akbar gżira fl-arċipelagu Malti. Gżejjer bħal Għawdex iridu mhux biss jegħlbu l-ostakli legali u amministrattivi li għandu kulħadd. Ikollhom jegħlbu wkoll ostakli fiżiċi li jaffettwaw direttament il-fluss tal-aktar prodotti u servizzi bażiċi,” qal Dr Sant lill-Parlament Ewropew.

Ir-riżoluzzjoni għaddiet b’594 voti favur, 58 kontra u 35 astensjoni – tirreferi għal reġjuni tal-fruntieri interni li jiġġeneraw kwart tal-PGD tal-UE u jirrappreżentaw 40% tat-terrirtorju tal-UE fejn jgħixu 150 miljun ruħ. Dawn ir-reġjuni għandhom ostakli li jfixklu t-tkabbir ekonomiku tagħhom, bħal xkiel legali u amministrattivi li jissarrfu f’inċertezzi legali (eż kwistjonijiet ta’ sigurta` soċjali, rikonoxximent ta’ diplomi jew ta’ kwalifiki oħra) għal ħaddiema u impjegati li jkollhom jaqsmu l-fruntiera biex jaħdmu, jew huma moqdija b’mod insuffiċjenti f’dak li għandu x’jaqsam ma’ trasport.