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BUSINESSTODAY 17 October 2019

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17.10.19 11 INTERVIEW honest brokers in Brexit negotiations preparations for a no deal sce- nario. Basically, all government de- partments will internally test their systems and administra- tive processes as if the UK were - what in EU lingo - we refer to as a, third country. is will enable us to identify any areas where we would need to fine tune our preparations. In view of the developments in the past week – where the UK, the EU and now even Ireland are showing more positive signs of reaching an agreement by the prescribed date of 31 October – what is the feedback your department is getting from within the EU? I think the mood is more positive than it has ever been since the Withdrawal Agree- ment was concluded almost a year ago. It augurs well but we are still keeping our feet on the ground – hoping for the best but preparing for the worst. Time is not on our side and un- til we are absolutely certain, we cannot and should not, rule out the possibility of a no deal. Whilst I know better than to speculate, I sincerely hope that the negotiators manage to put a deal together. What do you envisage will cause the biggest disruption in Malta come Brexit? Uncertainty is what irritates people the most. ere will be pressures on the administra- tion in various areas but I am confident that the public sector will be able to handle it. Malta has thus far not been able to start bilateral negotiations with the UK because of the EU's policy, but have ideas been exchanged with the UK representatives as to what kind of relationship both countries will seek once the UK leaves the EU? I think that both governments have always been clear that they want to have the strongest possible relationship after the UK leaves the EU regardless of the outcome of the Article 50 negotiations. Insofar as the bilateral relationship between the two countries after Brex- it, this will have to be framed within a new context than what we had before Malta became an EU Member State. In other words, as a Member State we are bound by the Treaties and therefore need to ensure that the division of competences is respected. More specifically, whilst in- ternally as a government we are studying how the future bilat- eral relationship can be shaped, we remain committed to the approach agreed amongst the EU27 that there should not be any bilateral negotiations. Frequently, over the past three years, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and, more recently, even minister Edward Zammit Lewis, have mentioned the special relationship Malta enjoys with the UK. The Prime Minister went as far as to say that Malta was aiming to be the most UK-friendly country in the EU. How realistic is this claim, and can we expect any special treatment from the UK simply because of our historic ties? I think it's realistic because there's a lot the two countries have in common and because of our government's com- mitment to deliver on this. This has been confirmed by the UK's High Commission- er to Malta, when he publicly spoke about our preparations and our assurances to the UK community. They remain unmatched in the EU 27. On the second part of your question, I think that time will tell but that to a certain extent we already have a spe- cial treatment. Take the bi- lateral agreement we have in the healthcare sector for in- stance. This is something that both sides remain committed to, that will continue to apply after Brexit and which shows that we enjoy special treat- ment(s) in / by the UK. In the BusinessToday breakfast meeting held recently, where you formed part of the speakers' panel, serious concerns were raised by representatives of various sectors, including the GRTU, the pharmaceutical industry, pensioners and expats. Are you sure enough has been done to dispel the fears of many concerned citizens? I reiterate that I am confi- dent in our preparations. I will not be naive or arro- gant and tell you that there will not be issues or hiccups. What I will tell you is that I am committed – as the rest of my colleagues in the differ- ent departments in the public sector, to do everything pos- sible to ensure the smoothest possible changeover. Please provide one word to describe the following: Brexit: Unpredictable Brussels: Misunderstood British High Commissioner Stuart Gill: Articulate Boris Johnson: Determined UK-Malta relationship: Healthy There's a lot the two countries have in common ... This has been confirmed by the UK's High Commissioner to Malta, when he publicly spoke about our preparations and our assurances to the UK community. They remain unmatched in the EU 27

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