Brexit Withdrawal Agreement: Rights assured for Maltese citizens, but Malta loses an ally at EU level

While the endorsement of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement by every European Union member state is a show of unity and practicality, this is no cause for celebration, and it is certainly not a good day for the European Union and Malta.

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat commented at the end of a summit held in Brussels yesterday about the agreement reached between the EU and the United Kingdom on their terms of exit from the European Union.

The UK will exit the union on 29 March 2019, the day on which a transition period of two years on the future relationship between the EU and the UK is then due to start.

Joseph Muscat said that Malta will maintain its excellent relations with the UK once it leaves the EU, and citizens will not lose any rights they have had before the Brexit deal was passed. However, Malta is losing an ally at EU level, and “likeminded member states need to work together to safeguard their status on issues such as financial and economic affairs”.

The Prime Minister said that the discussion on the future relationship between the UK and EU will be the toughest part of the Brexit process, “and while we want future relations to be ambitious, we have to ensure that there is a level playing field at every stage”.

Prime Minister Muscat also praised the work done by the negotiators, and the willingness by all member states to reach an agreement on the withdrawal of the UK.