Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1544245
11 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 5 APRIL 2026 Q&A THIS IS A PAID COLLABORATION service that helps people dream' Roderick Zerafa, CEO of Servizzi Ewropej f'Malta, explains how the agency brings Europe closer to one-stop EU shop cases, and we need to be honest with ourselves, where as a government we could have done better when it came to consultation on European policy mat- ters. Everyone knows what I am refer- ring to. We learned from that, and we could have simply stayed silent and let the same mistake happen again. Instead, on our own initiative as a team, and I want to thank the prime minister and Minister Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi for understanding this need, a Cabinet decision was taken for Servizzi Ewropej f'Malta to take on this im- portant role. 7. In concrete terms, what will the role of the policy unit be? The department will work hand in hand with the government's Consultation De- partment. When there is something EU-re- lated that the government feels the need to consult on, with our technical staff who have expertise in European matters, will bring together the relevant stakeholders and citizens to have their say. That feed- back will then be passed on to the gov- ernment and the relevant ministry, so that when our country makes its proposal or responds to the European Commission, the voice of the people is genuinely heard. Another part of the role is simplifying EU regulations, directives, and legislation as much as possible because I am well aware that the EU can be somewhat complex. This helps people better understand what is happening in Brussels, Strasbourg, and Luxembourg, and how the decisions taken there affect us directly. 8. Looking ahead to the next five years, what is your vision for Servizzi Ewropej f'Malta? The starting point is the policy unit. I want to see it working and delivering re- sults, and I want the voice of the Maltese and Gozitan citizen to be heard not only in the European Parliament through our six representatives, but also directly where legislation is being drafted and written. I also want to see us continue growing the positive numbers we already have. In the coming months, discussions will begin on the new package of European funds covering 2028 to 2034, and we need to be ready to assist more people than ever be- fore. On a broader level, I also want to in- tensify our work in increasing the number of Maltese careers within European insti- tutions, because more Maltese diplomats in Europe means greater influence over European policy. 9. How can someone get in touch with you or stay updated? We are active across all social media platforms, Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn, and we try to be as close to people as possible. But it goes beyond the online space: We go into the heart of our communities. One innovative example is the bike ri des we organise, where participants pass through locations that have been co-financed by European funds, learn- ing while exercising. We also run activities with the elder- ly, visiting EU-funded sites where they can spend the day. We have a summer school through which we have reached more than 1,700 children across more than 130 sessions. We also published a book, Islands in a Continent, with contributions from writers including Manuel Mifsud, which helps adults un- derstand in a realistic way what the Eu- ropean Union has given us and what it has also taken. For anyone who wants to contact us directly, our website is sem.gov.mt. 10. On a personal level, how do you feel you have left your mark on the way SEM operates? More than anything personal, I think the mark is in the direction we have arrived at today and are now begin- ning to see the fruits of—the way we communicate with people and bring the European Union closer to them. The launch of the policy unit is a natu- ral continuation of what we have been doing over the past five years, moving from simply informing and assisting to actively involving citizens in European policy. I believe that is the best reflec- tion of everything we have worked to- wards. When there is something EU-related that the government feels the need to consult on, with our technical staff who have expertise in European matters, will bring together the relevant stakeholders and citizens to have their say