Government MPs were absent from a two-day meeting in Brussels discussing the future energy policy of the EU, with Malta only represented by Labour MP Joe Mizzi.

The joint parliamentary meeting with MEPs, which started yesterday, a public holiday in Malta, is debating the EU's future direction, particularly the need to create an integrated energy network across the 27 member states and increasing the use of renewable energy.

Despite being a highly charged subject in Malta, none of the government MPs was able to make it to Brussels for the meeting, which is normally attended by backbenchers.

Asked by The Times why no one from the government backbench was present, whip David Agius said "due to various circumstances no MP from the government's side could attend this meeting". He gave no more details.

Incidentally, during yesterday's official speech on the occasion of Sette Giugno, Speaker Michael Frendo repeated his predecessor's appeal for Parliament to be adequately prepared to face the additional challenges created for member states' parliaments by the new EU Lisbon Treaty.

Admitting that Malta's House of Representatives was still not prepared to face these challenges, Dr Frendo said empowering Parliament to be able to participate better in the EU sphere "has become very urgent".

Malta is the only member state which has so far failed to appoint a permanent representative in Brussels to represent the interests of its House. All other member states have a fully-fledged representative office up and running in the EP's building in Brussels with one or more officials.

Though office facilities have been made available to the island for the past years, former speaker Louis Galea has cited lack of funds as the main reason.

Spain's parliament, which until last year was also absent from the EP building, opened a representative office earlier this year, leaving Malta the only absent member state.