Citizens don’t have a problem with the EU Agenda but with the implementation of the Agenda

Speaking at the informal meeting of EU ministers in Bratislava, on 25th July, Deputy Prime Minister Louis Grech recalled that the Strategic Agenda remains focused enough to capture the issues that need to be prioritised. He added that Member States now have to focus on implementing the European Agenda.

The Deputy Prime Minister stated that whilst there is broad agreement on the European Economic Project - particularly the completion of the Single Market as well as the implementation of the Digital Single Market, the Capital Markets Union, the Energy Union and the Climate Change Agreement - there are other priorities which tend to be more sensitive, threatening and complex such as the migration agenda.

In this regard, he said that there is a need for a common way forward. He added that "We are not lacking on proposals, neither are we lacking on decisions - what we lack is implementation".

The Deputy Prime Minister highlighted the priority of internal security and stressed that citizens need to feel safe. At present, citizens feel that national responses to the challenges of migration and internal security are more adequate than European ones.

The Deputy Prime Minister stated that the EU needs to have sufficient in-built flexibility. It should be loose enough to remain relevant as a Union but at the same time not too rigid which would render it too intransigent to citizens’ needs. This is even more important today when there are no simple answers to the disparate needs and wants.

He stressed that a flexible Union is not a weaker Union and it is important to continue to review and reform without the constant talk of Treaty change which would open Pandora's box.

The EU Ministers also discussed how best to communicate Europe to the citizens. Highlighting further the need to address the implementation deficit, the Deputy Prime Minister stated that while the problem of convincing EU citizens is not new, wealth inequalities brought about by the financial crisis and the fear arising from the recent terrorist attacks have only highlighted this problem because citizens feel the EU's inability to respond fast and to give comfort to their concerns.