Helena Dalli will have to assure MEPs that she won't carry any "Maltese baggage" when it comes to her position on abortion, according to one of the parliamentarians set to grill her in Brussels on Wednesday afternoon.  

Maria Noichl, a German MEP in the Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee (FEMM), told Times of Malta that Dr Dalli will be asked to commit to a pro-choice position on abortion in line with the committee's view. 

“She will have to show that she will not be bringing any national Maltese baggage with her," she said.

"Obviously she doesn't have to reject her own past. But she has to realise that she is now looking to become the Commissioner for Equality of the entire EU.

"She isn't only Maltese alone anymore, now her flag is blue with stars.” 

FEMM is one of two lead parliamentary committees set to grill Dr Dalli for her prospective post as Equality Commissioner on Wednesday.  

What is Helena Dalli's position on abortion?

Malta is the only country in the EU where abortion is not allowed under any circumstances. Last year the Council of Europe  urged Malta to update its position to fall in line with European norms.  

Neither the Commission, nor the EP can force a member state to introduce abortion which is a sovereign matter to be decided by countries in the union.

Malta’s position on the matter was accepted by Brussels when Malta joined the EU back in 2004. 

Ms Noichl said that the EU had member states where pregnancy termination was dealt with more liberally,  and others that had more stringent controls on the matter.   

She said that the FEMM position was clear in stating that women can’t be made to terminate a pregnancy against their will, but they should also not be made to go through with a pregnancy against their wishes.  

Tied to this issue, were policy matters like maternity pay, State support for mothers,  and assurances of work security, she said. 

At home in Malta, Dr Dalli has rarely voiced an opinion on abortion, however in rare instances, when asked during the 2013- 2017 legislature, she has indicated that it was not likely any time soon.

Incidentally, this is not the first time that a commissioner-designate will face tough questions on abortion. 

Former deputy prime minister and speaker of the House, Tonio Borg had also been grilled hard on his past statements on abortion, as well as same-sex couples and women’s rights when he was nominated for Health Commissioner in 2012.   

What other commitments will Dr Dalli be asked to make?

Ms Noichl said there were a number of matters that had not been addressed by the last Commission that MEPs will want to press Dr Dalli on. 

One of these is the Women on Boards Directive, which seeks to attain gender balance among non-executive directors of companies listed on stock exchanges. MEPs will want Dr Dalli to commit to supporting this.  

MEPs will also want a clear road map for Dr Dalli's next five years.  

“What we did not have in the past five years was a plan with clear objectives on equality from the Commission," Ms Noichl said.

"So we want a tangible strategy for the next five years, with goals and objectives."   

Another pending matter is the Commission’s Anti-Discrimination Directive which has been in the pipeline for quite some time.  

In 2008, the Commission presented a proposal for a Council directive on implementing the principle of equal treatment outside the labour market, irrespective of age, disability, sexual orientation or religious belief, which aims at extending protection against discrimination. However the directive is yet to be fully implemented. 

As an aside, Dr Dalli could very well face calls for a plan on dealing with prostitution - as a spin off from the human smuggling plan, something close to the FEMM Committee’s heart.

What are the MEPs’ priorities?

According to Ms Noichil, the FEMM Committee will ask Dr Dalli questions based on it’s five policy priorities.  

These are:

• Protection 

“We have to deal with a lot of violence against women in the EU. If you look at the figures, domestic violence is the biggest source of human rights violations. In Germany, every three days, a woman dies at the hands of her husband.”

• Participation

“How can it be be that women are still under represented in today’s working world - this something we need to address concretely.”

• Pay 

“We can’t have people paid differently for the same work, or citizens who are not recognised for the work they are doing - at home for instance.”  

•  Power

 “Women - and others - are not empowered enough in today’s society. This demands acton and change.”   

• Peace

 “We know that we can’t have a progressive movement without freedom and peace - peace of mind, and freedom from injustice and violence.”