Clarification on the MLP "EU information leaflet"
by a staff reporter
The Malta-EU Information Centre has been approached by members of the public seeking clarification on points made in an "information leaflet" issued by the Women's Section of the Malta Labour Party last weekend.
The centre said in a statement that it is disappointed to note that this leaflet contains incorrect information and incorrect conclusions. In view of this, the centre is issuing a statement to clarify a number of points raised in the said leaflet:
1. The leaflet claims that subsidies on bread and transport were removed because of Malta's preparations for EU membership.
Clarification: EU law allow subsidies which are given on social grounds provided that these are granted directly to consumers. Both the subsidies on bread and on transport fell within this category and are therefore not illegal under EU rules. This means that their removal has no connection with EU membership. Equally, subsidies on water may fall under this exemption provided that they are granted to individual consumers.
2. The leaflet claims that upon EU membership, all State subsidies currently paid to the ship-building and ship-repair sector will have to be stopped.
Clarification: Under EU law, a difference is made between subsidies which are illegal (operating aid) and subsidies which are legal (restructuring, training, regional, environmental aid and so on).
Malta will be seeking a transitional period during accession negotiations for those subsidies currently being paid which may fall foul of EU law. Furthermore, it would be possible to continue to grant to this sector those subsidies which are considered by EU law as legal.
3. The leaflet claims that the rate of unemployment in the EU is at 17 per cent.
Clarification: The latest statistics on unemployment in the EU published for the month of March show that the average unemployment rate in the EU is of 8.7 per cent and not 17 per cent. This rate varies between different member States and ranges from 2.2 per cent in Luxembourg to 4.1 per cent in Portugal, five per cent in Ireland and 14.9 per cent in Spain.
4. The leaflet claims that upon membership, Malta will lose its neutrality.
Clarification: Negotiations on foreign policy have already been provisionally closed and there is a common understanding between Malta and the EU that Malta's neutrality will not be affected by EU membership in the same way that four current member States - Ireland, Finland, Sweden and Austria - have retained their neutrality despite joining the EU. Nor will Malta, as a member State, be obliged to participate in any EU initiatives of a military nature without its consent.
The leaflet also makes a number of gratuitous and pre-emptive conclusions on areas where negotiations are still to be opened and where it has already been publicly announced and made amply clear that Malta will be making specific requests during negotiations. These are the following:
5. The leaflet claims that upon membership, EU fishermen will be able to fish in Maltese territorial waters.
Clarification: Currently, each EU member State retains an exclusive fishing zone of 12 miles. Furthermore, Malta will be seeking to negotiate a limit of 25 miles for conservation reasons.
6. The leaflet claims that upon membership, food prices will go up.
Clarification: Malta will, where necessary, seek to negotiate on this issue during negotiations on agriculture.
7. The leaflet claims that upon membership, EU citizens will have an unrestricted right to purchase property in Malta.
Clarification: Here too, Malta will be seeking to negotiate on this issue during the ongoing accession negotiations.
Conclusion
While it is not the role or the intention of the
Maltese-EU Information Centre to enter into the local political fray on EU membership, the centre feels the duty to rebut the dissemination of material which is presented as "genuine information" but which is, in fact, based on misinformation or based on the lack of knowledge of correct information. The centre appeals all parties involved to present their arguments on EU membership on the basis of facts rather than fiction.
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