9 - 15 March 2000

Positive reactions to Romano Prodi's visit

by Anthony Manduca

There has been an overall positive reaction in Malta to the visit by EU Commission President Romano Prodi and EU Enlargement Commissioner Gunter Verheugen. John Sullivan, the President of the Chamber of Commerce, told The Malta Business Weekly that Prof. Prodi's visit had a positive lasting impact on Malta's bid to join the European Union. "Although Prof. Prodi said that there were certain rules and regulations pertaining to the acquis communautaire which would have to be adopted by Malta he also made it clear that the EU was willing to be flexible and helpful to Malta, and I think that is very positive".

Mr Sullivan said that perhaps there was some apprehension prior to Prodi's visit but things were clearer now. Asked about the fact that he had expressed his concern to Prof. Prodi about Malta's limited access to pre-accession funds, Mr Sullivan said that the EU President had promised to look into the matter.

During Prof. Prodi's visit to the Chamber of Commerce Mr Sullivan remarked: "Malta's eventual accession is already hampered by its limited access to pre-accession funds. In this regard I must stress our concern that Malta (and Cyprus) are being discriminated against vis-à-vis other Central and eastern European countries also aspiring towards EU membership. It is my opinion, which I am sure is shared by many others, that Malta should benefit from dedicated funds such as SAPHARD and ISPA before EU accession."

Besides creating a positive atmosphere with the business community, the results of the visit by President Prodi and Commissioner Verheugen were also welcomed by the Maltese government and pro-EU membership elements of Maltese society. The fact that Prof. Prodi said that the EU will do its best to speed up accession negotiations with Malta and that Malta may very well be included in the first EU enlargement was greatly welcomed.

The comments by EU Commissioner Gunter Verheugen that Malta was in a "pole position" as far as membership negotiations were concerned has also been welcomed.