Today marks a significant milestone for Europe. Today, the 751 members of the European Parliament from 28 member states, are meeting in Strasbourg to be formally instated as the representatives of the people of Europe in the eighth legislature of the European Parliament.
There is a lot that needs to be done. Europe is once again at the crossroads – the rise of extremist parties across the continent is cause for concern and underlines how crucial it is for us to get the small decisions just as right as we do the big ones.
The future of the European project depends on it.
The major parties will work closer together than ever before, and so will the six of us who have been elected to represent the people of Malta and Gozo.
That is not to say that we will agree on everything all the time, but more often than not, I know we will pull Malta’s rope in the right direction.
The work has already started in earnest. In the European People’s Party, of which the Nationalist Party is a member, we have already established our main priorities for the next five years in the European Parliament.
The PN delegation pushed hard to see that immigration and asylum and a fairer sharing of responsibility remain high on Europe’s agenda.
We will continue to ensure that Europe stays on its path to growth, fostering a climate of job creation and employment, while working to see the EU step up its role in regional and world politics.
The EU is a major global player and we must work hard to ensure that our influence on the world stage continues to grow.
The framework for the bigger picture is in place. But the EU is not only about the macro – we need to ensure that the decisions we take are able to trickle down and affect people’s lives and people’s livelihoods.
We need to do more to cut red tape and unnecessary bureaucracy. It is no wonder that so many people find it so hard to see the point of having EU funds available, if the process and paperwork involved renders them unreachable for SMEs, NGOs or people who need them the most. Just as it is hard for most people to understand why we are meant to have a single market across 28 EU states, but are still charged outrageous prices to use our phones in different EU countries.
Thanks to EU legislation, mobile phone usage prices will now be between 80 per cent and 90 per cent cheaper than in 2007
From today, prices for making and receiving calls, sending SMSs or using data on your mobile phone when travelling abroad have been cut by half.
It means that thanks to European legislation, prices will now be between 80 per cent and 90 per cent cheaper than in 2007.
It is a great example of the very noticeable benefits of having a single EU market.
It is one that leaves people with more money in their pockets and less worries about returning home from abroad to find a huge bill waiting.
Since its inception, the European Parliament has always been at the forefront of the technological boom.
Slashing roaming prices has directly led to a huge uptake of people having access to technology, boosted innovation and has proven to be as beneficial for businesses as for consumers.
We must remain ahead of the curve. It is why today’s reduction in prices is not an end in itself. It is clear that roaming charges in the EU must be removed altogether.
I am proud to have been part of the majority of MEPs to have voted for the ending of roaming fees within the European Union from December 15, 2015 – something that I have pushed for ever since I was first elected as an MEP.
It is only then, when we finally remove this remaining barrier once and for all, that we can claim to have a true single market in our European Union.
On this first day, I am as committed as ever to pushing forward those issues that mean the most to the people I represent.
Whether it is something as immediately tangible as price cuts for mobile phones, as significant as fairer sharing of responsibility when it comes to migration, as important as increasing the EU’s clout as a major player on the global field or as imperative as ensuring a climate for job creation – you will find me in your corner, bringing home the discussions we have on a European level, listening to your feedback, and being your voice in Europe.
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Roberta Metsola is a member of the European Parliament.