EU diplomatic missions in Malta

The correspondent of The Times in Brussels touched on the number of resident diplomatic missions from Malta's European partners. There are even more of us here today than were listed in his September 20 article.

The number has grown rapidly since Malta decided to join the EU, though some of us have been here for quite a lot longer! As the United Kingdom currently holds the Presidency of the European Union, I have consulted my EU colleagues, and have pleasure in providing this update.

When I arrived in Malta in September 2002, four EU member states had a permanent diplomatic presence here: Italy, Germany, France and the United Kingdom. The Netherlands established an embassy in Ta' Xbiex towards the end of 2002. Since Malta's decision of 2003 to join the European Union, many member states have opened resident diplomatic missions here: Spain, Belgium and Greece opened in 2004 and Austria in the spring of 2005.

Since the summer of this year, Portugal has a resident Ambassador in Malta and Ireland a resident chargè d' affaires. Both of these EU partners will open their permanent missions in Malta soon.

So, once we were four; now we are 11, and counting!