Malta had anticipated the EU on a number of measures proposed for its European Energy Union, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said yesterday.
These included moving away from the use of heavy fuel oil to gas, something the government had worked on from its first day in office.
In a ministerial statement in Parliament, he said the government had also anticipated the EU in its efforts to diversify gas acquisition sources, with the Union encouraging member states to create strategic energy partnerships with third countries, emphasising Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Turkey and Algeria.
The EU would also be utilising its instruments for the start of talks on a tripartite energy partnership on gas supplies with Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan.
The EU energy agency was introducing an LNG strategy, one which the government was looking forward to. This would not only mean lower prices for families and businesses but also cleaner air, with substantial reductions in emissions.
Member states were being given the opportunity to voluntarily make joint arrangements for gas supply purchases from non-EU states.
Malta welcomed the EU’s commitment to security of energy supplies, particularly through interconnections especially for peripheral regions. The EU was committing itself to the accelerated installation of electrical and gas interconnections.
Dr Muscat said Malta’s project for a gas pipeline, on which studies were at an advanced stage, was considered a Project of Common Interest. It was the government’s intention to start negotiations at the opportune time for interconnections to be laid with North Africa, besides Italy.
The European Council had also agreed on giving an impetus towards the realisation of energy efficiency and renewable energy targets for 2030, which had been agreed at the council last October.
Malta fully intended to contribute ambitiously towards European targets on emissions. Whereas the EU was targeting better energy efficiency of 27 per cent by 2030, Malta had indicated its own target of 27 per cent by 2020.
What happened in the Mediterranean was of direct importance to all of Europe, indeed to the whole world through globalisation
The Prime Minister recalled that at the Malta Energy Conference last July in Malta, the European Commission, the European states and those of North Africa had agreed on the setting up of a Euro-Mediterranean structure in the gas sector. It was a source of satisfaction that the EU Energy Strategy had gone beyond this and was proposing a EuroMed Process on gas, energy and renewables.
Malta was taking energy very seriously. The legislative peak in this sector would be complete during Malta’s Presidency of the EU.
On Libya, the PM said the EU’s “substantial” discussions had been brought to the top of the agenda primarily through the insistence of Malta and Italy.
Although it was good to attach importance to what was happening in Eastern Europe, it must be borne in mind that the Mediterranean was not at the periphery of Europe. What happened in the Med was of direct importance to all of Europe, indeed to the whole world through globalisation.
The Council’s conclusions were an important development in that the responsibility for action was not falling on any one country but there would be a common commitment. European involvement could mean the implementation of ceasefire arrangements and the securitisation of critical infrastructure like airports, government buildings, ports, energy terminals and frontiers.
Although there was no alternative to a political solution, there had been the realisation that there could be a partial political solution with the involvement of the majority of stakeholders of goodwill from both sides. The European Commission was working on recommendations for illegal immigration, which was held to be a separate phenomenon from the Libyan issue, but at the same time related.
The EU’s High Representative Federica Mogherini had said the issue had surfaced on the agenda of the foreign affairs ministers for the first time in 11 years. She had announced that during the Luxembourg Presidency she intended to hold a joint meeting of EU ministers of justice, internal and foreign affairs.
He felt proud that Malta was not only not falling behind but was in the process of building up such relations with China
On the Ukraine and Russia, Dr Muscat said the Council had issued a strong message to all parties involved that the Minsk agreement of last month must be implemented completely without delay. In the next few months the Council would be monitoring the level of such implementation and taking the necessary decisions.
The Prime Minister said the Council had discussed the European Semester and reforms in various states, as well as negotiations on the free trade agreement with the US, or TTIP.
He said Malta was in favour of the TTIP and wanted negotiations to move forward with due regard to individual members’ reservations. Such a free trade agreement would be beneficial to an open economy like Malta, leading to job creation.
A number of member states had said the EU and the US should make similar agreements with China in order to compete with non-EU states vis-à-vis China. Dr Muscat said he had felt proud that Malta was not only not falling behind but was in the process of building up such relations with China.