MEP Simon Busuttil has been appointed the European People's Party coordinator for economic cooperation in the Euro-Med region.
In this role he will be the spokesman of the EPP group and co-ordinate its policy on economic co-operation between the European Union and Mediterranean partner countries.
Reacting to this appointment, Dr Busuttil said: "I am delighted to be given this new responsibility in an area which is at the heart of my political activity as an MEP."
Dr Busuttil has been active in the Economic Co-operation Committee of the Euro-Med Parliament Assembly for the past two and a half years. His appointment as EPP coordinator for Euro-Med economic affairs comes a few weeks before the next meeting of the Assembly which will be held in Tunis next month.
Dr Busuttil is also the vice-president of the European Parliament's delegation to the five Maghreb countries, Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania, Tunisia and Libya.