Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/779073
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 29 JANUARY 2017 4 EU Summit Six key issues for Malta's During its presidency of the Council of the European Union, Malta is focusing on six key issues that it feels need immediate attention: migration, the single market, security, social inclusion, Europe's neighbourhood and the maritime policy. Migration Malta intends to push for the swift implementation of measures that have already been agreed upon, while ensuring that the issue remains at the top of the political agenda. EU citizens are demand- ing action and the EU cannot afford to remain complacent and not treat this subject with the urgency and importance it deserves. In these six months, Malta will be seeking to strengthen and streamline the Common European Asylum System, which will be important in order to distribute the migration load among member states more fairly. It will also attempt to revise the Dublin Regulation which delineates member states' responsibilities for examining asylum applications. The European Asylum Support Office, based in Malta, will be transformed into a fully-fledged European agency as part of the reform of the Common European Asylum System. Malta will also be promoting better implementation of the two- year plans to relocate 160,000 people in need of international pro- tection while calling for a holistic approach to migration, including both the internal and external aspects. The presidency will therefore be following up on what was agreed upon at the Valletta Summit on Migration and working to complete the work in relation to the European External Invest- ment Plan to promote sustainable investment in Africa and the neighbourhood and to tackle the root causes of migration. Security The Maltese Presidency intends to contribute towards con- crete progress on proposals that address regional and global se- curity challenges, while upholding the values that underpin the very existence of the Union. The EU's first line of work in this area remains effective diplomacy, and in this respect, Malta will work closely with the European External Action Service under the umbrella of the EU's Global Strategy to manage the complex challenges of migration, terrorism, and hybrid threats. Malta's objectives in this sector include continuing action on combating terrorism, taking forward the fight against serious and organised crime through the EU Policy Cycle, following up on the EU Roadmap to enhance the exchange and management of information including interoperability solutions for databases used by national law and border management authorities, and promoting the fight against terrorist financing through various legislative files including a political agreement on the fourth Anti-Money Laundering Directive. Malta will also be taking steps to broaden consensus on the outstanding elements concerning the creation of the European Public Prosecutor's Office which will investigate and prosecute people and companies who act against the EU's financial inter- ests. The single market This is the EU's greatest asset and Malta believes that if member states manage to fully exploit and develop the Digital Single Market as well as complete the Internal Energy Market, the EU will bring tangible benefits to its economies, businesses and families by removing barriers to trade and improving protection and access to services for consum- ers. Malta aims to deliver as much as it can in this area, by improving and concluding key legislation already being negotiated and giving due importance to the Capital Markets Union. Key objectives will be ending roaming charges throughout Europe, tackling geoblocking, ensuring a sharper focus in EU legislation in ad- dressing the challenges faced by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), strengthening security of energy supply for all EU citizens, particularly in times of crises, and allowing EU consumers to continue enjoying their 'home' subscription to Audio Visual online content when visiting other member states.