The security and safety of our society

It has often been emphasised that Malta's sovereignty has been enhanced by our membership of the European Union. An area where this is obviously so is that involving the security and safety of our island state. It is also an area where action on a pan-European level is certainly more effective efficient than if the member states had to attempt to do it on their own independently of each other.

The European People's Party (EPP-ED) group in the European Parliament - that includes the PN members - considers that the issue of security and safety in society is one of paramount importance and, in fact, its manifesto spells out what EPP-ED intend to deliver on this issue.

Since terrorism and organised crime unacceptably compromise the security and stability of our societies, it is our duty to safeguard Europe's strong tradition of the rule of law and to firmly combat these phenomena at all levels. We must step up our efforts not only within Europe, by increasing the effectiveness of police and judicial cooperation, but also beyond, to the extent that crime pays no heed to borders.

Terrorism - coming from outside or within the European Union - is a leading concern of all European citizens and Europe has been combating terrorism in all its forms for many years. The EPP is all for adopting a firm attitude on preventing and combating terrorism, wherever it comes from. To this end, the rapid establishment of the European arrest warrant and of extradition procedures between member states is considered to be a priority.

Due to the enormous economic inequalities in our world and the great difference in the quality of life in Europe and that in Third World countries, many people from these countries feel forced to migrate. Millions of people are also forced to flee away from their native countries as a result of war or political crises as well as a result of natural disasters.

The EU member states cannot absorb the global challenges of forced migration by just allowing more people in. Despite their different backgrounds and status, immigrants are often mixed together and labelled as a problem. This is far from accurate. For each of the three categories of immigrants - temporary refugees, asylum applicants and economic immigrants - Europe needs clear standards.

More specifically the EPP is committed in favour of a coordinated management of the Union's external borders; a common asylum policy; the establishment of a European immigration agency; the establishment of a consistent approach on the issuing of visas and more cooperation between countries of origin and transit in the case of human trafficking and economic exploitation of immigrants.

Every year, some 700,000 women and children cross the EU's borders illegally, ending up victims of illicit labour trafficking practices or of sexual exploitation. The fight against those responsible for these abuses - persons who usually belong to cross-border criminal networks - necessitates the intensification of the collaboration between police forces and intelligence services throughout the European Union. The EPP prefers harsher penalties for traffickers and better protection for victims and witnesses in legal proceedings.

The European institutional framework must be simplified in the areas of freedom, security and justice. The EPP is in favour of rapidly creating a community framework for all aspects of police and judicial cooperation, while at the same time respecting subsidiarity.

This is yet another area in which the EPP-ED has a clear, concretely spelled-out strategy that contrasts with the vague utterances of other political groups.

This is yet another reason why you should vote for the PN candidates in the European Parliament election on June 12.

Mr Falzon, a former minister, is a Nationalist Party candidate for the European Parliament elections.

micfal@maltanet.net