Single market to be one of Maltese presidency’s top priorities, Grech says

Louis Grech says that the completion of the single market and the focus on the digital market will therefore remain one of the priorities of the Maltese presidency of the European Council from January 2017

(From left) Ian Borg, Louis Grech and Andrus Ansip
(From left) Ian Borg, Louis Grech and Andrus Ansip

The benefits of the single market through the development of the digital market will not just boost Europe’s home-gown technology business to compete with giant firms but it will also bring benefits and a higher degree of efficiency to the European citizens, according to Louis Grech, minister for European Affairs and Implementation of the Electoral Manifesto.

Grech said that the single market was the major economic unifying factor within the European Union, especially at this delicate juncture of the European integration process.

“The well-functioning of the single market will help to restore citizens’ trust in the European project,” he said.

Grech, accompanied by parliamentary secretary for the EU Presidency 2017 and EU Funds Ian Borg, held discussions with the Commissioner for the Digital Market and former prime minister of Estonia, Andrus Ansip.

They agreed that the single market was the major engine which could reinvigorate the European project and economy to create economic growth.

Grech said that – following the recent financial and economic downturn –European citizens no longer perceived the single market as working in their benefit.

“The completion of the single market and the focus on the digital market will therefore remain one of the priorities of the Maltese Presidency,” he said.

Other issues which were addressed included the multiannual financial framework, migration, Brexit, security, maritime policy and the Mediterranean policy dimension.