The European Commission has dismissed claims made by Labour MEP Edward Scicluna that the Maltese government was required to ask Brussels for a report on Gozo's economic and social situation, particularly on its socioeconomic disparities with the main island, before the 2007-13 budgetary framework was negotiated.

On the contrary, the Commission said that this was not required as Gozo, like the rest of Malta, still managed to qualify for the highest possible amount of EU funding available.

Replying to a Parliamentary Question submitted by the Labour MEP, Regional Policy Commissioner Pawel Semecki said that in view of the fact that the whole country, Malta and Gozo, has remained within the convergence objective (formerly Objective 1 Status) for the 2007-13 period, the study was not required.

"The Commission is informed that full note of the territorial priorities of Gozo was taken in the National Strategic Reference Framework and Operational Programmes for the 2007-13 period. The Maltese government also monitors the situation on the ground with respect to the possibility of any widening of the gap between the two islands," the commissioner said.

With regards to the provision negotiated by Malta on Gozo's regional status and included in the accession treaty, Mr Semecki reminded Prof. Scicluna that the declaration he was referring to is only a unilateral declaration.

"If the Maltese government will introduce such a demand in the future, the Commission underlines that the analysis of Gozo cannot be made in a purely national context but rather in a European Union context. Analyses of this kind are already available in the successive Cohesion reports published by the Commission," Mr Semecki said.

During the negotiations on the financial perspectives for the seven year period 2007-2104, concluded in 2005, Malta managed to negotiate a package of EU financing worth more than a €1 billion for the whole period.

Ten per cent of these funds are being dedicated exclusively for Gozo.