Permanent challenges require permanent solutions – Stefano Mallia
Stefano Mallia, member of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and vice president of the Employers’ Group told the European Commission that it was high time that the permanent challenges faced by islands and island states in the EU were addressed with permanent solutions rather than ad hoc ones. “I think it is high time that the permanent challenges faced by islands and island states were addressed in a permanent and lasting manner, that is, through the Treaties and through EU Regulation. I’m not a great fan of ad hoc solutions that need to be negotiated every budgeting period.”
Stefano Mallia was addressing a conference titled ‘How can the post 2020 Cohesion Policy meet EU Islands challenges?’ which was organised by the European Parliament and the CPMR Islands Commission.
Stefano Mallia who was recently the Rapporteur for the EESC Opinion on ‘Islands in the EU’ was addressing the Commission in view of the current discussions underway on the next EU Budget come 2020. A number of organisations representing islands and island regions found within the EU are currently pushing European Commissioner Cretu, who is responsible for the EU’s cohesion policy to consider giving islands greater recognition and to create a fund which would be specifically earmarked for islands. Stefano Mallia was, however, of the opinion that one should not only look at the issue from an islands perspective but rather from the perspective of regions facing permanent difficulties. He said that other regions such a “mountainous regions, rural regions, urban regions and sparsely populated regions should also be drawn into the discussion as we all face some kind of permanent difficulty.”
He also urged the European Commission to avoid using cohesion policy as the only tool to address all problems being faced. “Cohesion policy cannot possibly address all the economic, environmental and social problems faced by islands. We need to look beyond cohesion policy and seek flexibility when it comes to other EU policies such as competition policy, transport policy and especially state aid rules. For example, how can one justify applying state aid rules to an island on the periphery of Europe that depends on a national airline in the same way as the Commission does to a country found in the heart of Europe?”
Stefano closed off his address with an appeal to all those present to work hard to give the Union the necessary tools for it to be able to address the aspirations of its citizens. “All citizens of Europe aspire to a better quality of life. The EU cannot provide this unless it has the required resources and tools. Adopting a restrictive and reductive approach will not work. We cannot tell citizens that we will address their concerns by reducing budgets and slashing key policies. We need to be brave, imaginative and flexible to make sure we deliver what our citizens expect of us here as policy makers and shapers.”