Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1449240
14 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 9 FEBRUARY 2022 EUROPE These articles are part of a content series called Ewropej. This is a multi-newsroom initiative part-funded by the European Parliament to bring the work of the EP closer to the citizens of Malta and keep them informed about matters that affect their daily lives. These articles reflect only the authors' view. The European Parliament is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains. UK medicines to Malta: Engerer negotiator for longer importation period SEBASTIAN VASSALLO LABOUR MEP Cyrus Enger- er has been nominated as the negotiator for the Progres- sive Alliance for Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament, for two key deoga- tions relating to the importation and sale of British medicinals in Malta, Ireland and Cyprus. The two derogations are cru- cial for Malta since pharmaceu- ticals produced in the United Kingdom can no longer be im- ported and sold in the European Union following the end of the transition period after Brexit. These derogations will guar- antee for a longer temporary period that Malta, along with Ireland and Cyprus, would not suffer from a shortage of med- icines as an indirect effect of Brexit – given that the countries have historically been heavily reliant on the supply of medi- cines produced in the United Kingdom. "I have stressed time and time again that each and every citi- zen must be able to access the medicines they know, are used to and trust at an affordable price. Therefore, we cannot let our citizens bear the brunt of the consequences of Brexit," Engerer said. "We are a part of this Euro- pean Union, and like any oth- er Member State, we have the right to access affordable medi- cines whenever the need arises." Engerer pledged to continue working directly with his coun- terparts in the other political groups, in order to find a suit- able compromise benefitting all Maltese and Gozitans, as part of his work in the Public Health Committee in the weeks ahead. SEBASTIAN VASSALLO LABOUR MEP Alex Agius Sal- iba has called the social media giant Meta's bluff over "threats" to withdraw Facebook and Ins- tagram services from Europe. Agius Saliba was commenting on Mark Zuckerberg's warn- ing in Meta's annual report, that Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp would withdraw their services from the EU over new regulations on personal data, digital markets and digital services. Meta, whose data infrastruc- ture operates by sending user data outside the EU in order to provide its services, said it was considering pulling out of the entire European single market because of new EU privacy rules. "The European Union is not some Wild West where compa- nies can do as they please," Agius Saliba, who is the EP's rappor- teur on the Digital Services Act, a package of laws that safeguards social media users. "If these companies want to do business here they are going to follow our rules instead of mak- ing threats and demands," Agius Saliba said. Agius Saliba described Me- ta's statement as a threat mo- tivated by a wish to change the EU's rules so that "among oth- er things, they can bombard us with ads and profit off our data and sell it". He highlighted various scan- dals with Facebook at its heart, such as the use of personal data by Cambridge Analytica to influ- ence the outcome of the Ameri- can elections. "This isn't the first time we've been threatened," Agius Saliba said, referring to similar events in Australia with Meta and Google over government legisla- tion they claim was not favoura- ble to them. But Agius Saliba downplayed the gravity of the threat. "At the end of the day, Facebook and Google backed down because their enormous profits depend on how much we post informa- tion, pictures, like, share and use their platforms." The MEP also pointed out Me- ta's quarterly losses stemming from a massive reduction in user volumes. "How can these companies risk massive losses because they don't want to com- ply with new laws?" Agius Sali- ba asked, adding it was unlikely that Meta would make good on its "threats". Agius Saliba said he was still unsure of what would come of all this but stressed the importance of the European Parliament's work. "My position has always been clear that we cannot afford to allow these giant companies, that in a vacuum of legislation, make up their own rules." Agius Saliba did stress the im- portance for these services to be maintained, because of the posi- tives they bring to the economy and society. But he said he would stand firm against what he de- scribed as "threats and brink- manship from massive corpo- rations threatening to withdraw their services unless we placate them." Cyrus Engerer appointed Socialists & Democrats negotiator on two key derogations for Malta on British medicinals Agius Saliba decries Facebook and Insta withdrawal threats over EU rules Alex Agius Saliba Cyrus Engerer