In institutions such as the European Parliament, respect is only earned by hard work. Hollow speeches delivered as earth shattering statements make little impression and end up sidelined, politely sugared with the standard helpings of platitudes.

The significant work that attracts real attention is promoting a progressive agenda in your political group, and, more important, at committee level. This entails building sensible arguments to back requests you make on behalf of the people you represent and getting actively engaged in committee work.

Every year the European Parliament's Budget Committee appoints an MEP as rapporteur to represent Parliament on the budgets for all the institutions, except the Commission. This "Other Institutions" report is considered as one of the main strategic ones in this sector. My colleague and friend Louis Grech was selected by the Socialist Group and, later, by all political parties in the Budget Committee to be in charge of this budget. Frankly speaking, he did us all proud.

Through his effective negotiation skills, Mr Grech has earned a formidable reputation within the Budgets Committee and has become one of its most respected members. The prestige and respect he has earned will help us when we argue in favour of policies that best suit the Maltese reality.

The Grech Report promotes consolidation as one of the main targets for EU institutions during the next budgetary year. An increase in allocations has only been granted where fully justified and where related to specific targets and priorities, in many cases those related to enlargement activities. It also makes recommendations on how the institutions should present their requests for additional financing, stressing the need for better workings and clearer justifications.

The report envisages the more efficient use of existent resources and the launching of a re-deployment exercise. It also provides for the possibility of the setting up of an internet television station to broadcast Parliament-related matters.

The most important feature of the report is the emphasis it puts on the need to give European taxpayers more value for the money they pay to finance these institutions.

Mr Grech's report won wide support both at the committee and, more recently, at Parliament's full plenary session where it was approved with overwhelming majority by all main political parties (PSE, EPP, Liberals, Greens and Communists).

A parallel initiative taken by Mr Grech in the budget framework was his proposal to set up an agency to study migration and asylum trends and share best practice in this area. The proposal garnered the support of the Budget Committee, which also agreed that Malta would be the ideal base for this agency.

The proposal had the backing of the Socialists, Liberals and Greens. Unfortunately, it did not make it through the Plenary, where it needed a qualified majority. This was mainly due to the opposition of the European Popular Party. Had it been approved, this structure would have been responsible for the planning and development of comprehensive EU migration policy, something which is sorely needed to mitigate, if not solve, the serious problems of illegal immigration.

The disappointment was even greater because the establishment of an EU agency in Malta would have brought with it a host of multiplier beneficial opportunities to our country.

Despite this, Mr Grech did a great job!

Mr Muscat is a Labour member of the European Parliament.

www.josephmuscat.com

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