Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1544958
7 gozotoday | FRIDAY • 15 MAY 2026 OPINION IN an increasingly intercon- nected world, Gozo cannot af- ford to be a passive observer. Its voice must be heard at Eu- ropean and on the internation- al level. However, too often, smaller regions are treated as afterthoughts in policymak- ing frameworks, designed with continental realities in mind. Therefore, Gozo's challenges — double insularity, limited connectivity, small market size — are not anomalies. They are shared by island and peripheral regions across the continent. Nonetheless, for small island regions like Gozo, decisions taken in Brussels or Strasbourg are not distant debates; they shape daily life, from the cost of goods and transport links to economic opportunity and climate resilience. Thus, the difference lies in whether these realities are acknowledged ear- ly enough in the policy process to make a meaningful differ- ence. This is where strategic en- gagement becomes essential. Within the Ministry for Gozo and Planning, the EU, Inter- national Affairs and Policy Coordination Directorate (EU- IAPCD) plays a role that is both technical and deeply political in the best sense of the word: it ensures that Gozo is present where decisions are shaped, not merely where they are im- plemented. Representation is not a symbolic exercise; it is the difference between adapting to policy and helping design it. Participation in European networks such as the Confer- ence of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR), the Greening the Islands Foundation, EU Re- gions Week, and the European Regions Research and Innova- tion Network (ERRIN) is not about ticking diplomatic boxes. These platforms are where alli- ances are built, common posi- tions are forged, and influence is exercised. They allow regions like Gozo to speak collectively, amplifying concerns that might otherwise be too easily over- looked. Consider the role of the CP- MR in particular. It operates as both a think tank and an advo- cacy platform, translating re- gional concerns into concrete policy proposals. Through joint position papers and direct en- gagement with EU institutions, it shapes debates on funding, connectivity, and development strategies. For Gozo, being part of this conversation means standing alongside regions that understand the practical impli- cations of geography — where a missed ferry or a delayed ship- ment is not an inconvenience but a structural constraint. But influence does not happen by accident. Every intervention at a European forum is under- pinned by meticulous prepara- tion: policy analysis, strategic briefs, and carefully crafted positions that align immediate concerns with long-term de- velopment goals. This behind- the-scenes work ensures that when Gozo speaks, it does so with clarity and credibility — and, crucially, that it is heard. Equally important is anticipa- tion. Monitoring emerging EU policies allows Gozo to engage early, shaping discussions be- fore they harden into decisions. In a system as complex as the European Union, timing is of- ten as important as substance. Reacting late means negotiat- ing from a position of disad- vantage; engaging early creates space to influence outcomes. The recent Political Bureau meeting of the CPMR in Nic- osia underscored this reality. Discussions on connectivity, the EU budget, and the future strategy for islands are not dis- tant policy themes — they are central to Gozo's future. By contributing to the CPMR's policy position on transport, particularly in advocating for stronger allocation of Connect- ing Europe Facility funds to ci- vilian transport, the Ministry ensured that island realities were reflected in the broader European conversation. This kind of engagement mat- ters because policy is never neutral. A transport framework designed without considering islands risks reinforcing iso- lation. A funding model that ignores scale can inadvertent- ly penalise smaller regions. A climate strategy that overlooks territorial diversity may fail those most exposed to environ- mental change. The metaphor is simple but accurate: European policies cannot be one-size-fits-all. Giving every region the same shoes without checking if they fit does not create fairness — it creates imbalance. For Gozo, the path forward is clear. Con- tinued, active participation in European and international networks is not optional; it is essential. It is how the island safeguards its interests, contributes to col- lective solutions, and ensures that its realities are understood rather than assumed. In the end, the measure of effective representation is not visibility alone, but impact. Gozo's voice must not only be present — it must help shape the conversa- tion. Raising Gozo's profile on the European and International stage Angele Xerri Agius, EU, International Affairs and Policy Coordination Directorate