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Government wants to close six
more chapters by December
The Maltese government wants to close another six chapters
by the end of the year to increase the tally to
23 chapters under the Belgian
presidency.
Foreign Affairs Minister Joe Borg told The Malta Business Weekly
that the next priority will be the opening of the Agriculture
chapter under the Belgian presidency as well as the closure
of at least six chapters.
The government had made it a priority to close seven chapters
but one of these was closed yesterday during a meeting of deputies
held in Brussels. The Justice and Home Affairs chapter, which
was the only chapter that remained to be opened, other than
Agriculture was opened yesterday during the accession conference.
Dr Borg said the government wants to close the chapter on Justice
and Home Affairs because the government believes this chapter
does not pose any problems.
Among the chapters the government wants to close are Transport,
Social Policy, Fisheries, Customs Union and maybe two from Free
Movement of Capital, Tax and Environment. “We would then
hope to conclude the remaining chapters in the first six months
of the year and leave just the agriculture and budget chapter
for the very end,” Dr Borg said.
He told The Malta Business Weekly the government was confident
that it would be in a position to close all chapters by the
end of next year. “We hope to join the European Union in
January 2004,” he said.
There has been some disagreement regarding the implications
of the Gothenburg summit with different countries interpreting
the wording of the conclusions differently.
However, Dr Borg is not at all concerned about this. “The
conclusions of Gothenburg are clear. It states that the candidate
countries which are ready will participate in the European Parliament
elections as members. I see no possible doubt in the wording.
It is the government’s intention and objective to be a
member of the EU by then,” Dr Borg said.
Malta registered good progress under the Swedish presidency.
In fact 11 chapters were opened and five were closed under this
presidency.
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