Despite having visited the European Parliament “80 times before”, new MEP Peter Agius acknowledges that his first few weeks in the seat have been eye-opening.
“I have learnt secrets about the European Parliament that I didn’t know before,” Agius admits.
Having worked at the European Council and having served as a member of parliament president Antonio Tajani’s secretariat, Agius is no stranger to Brussels and Strasbourg.
For four years he also served as head of the European Parliament Office in Malta.
He was elected to the European Parliament on the Nationalist Party ticket in June, at the second attempt, and he now sits with the European People’s Party MEPs.
“I have learnt how deals are struck within one’s own group and how essential they are. I have learnt that collaboration between delegations and MEPs is key if one is to make headway. These are things which I had taken for granted but now I understand they are key to my performance in parliament.”
Agius underscores the importance of forging alliances within the European Parliament.
“The new MEPs are all in this boat together and we sympathise with each other. I need allies in all the European Parliament’s committees if I want to advance the interests of the Maltese and the Gozitans,” he says.
He believes that mutual understanding and support are crucial. “From experience, I can say that when people understand your position, they are more prone to support you.”
Agius is committed to addressing “bread and butter issues” that impact the daily lives of his constituents.
“I will be working on the internal market, consumer standards, food safety… the primary sectors like agriculture and fisheries,” he explains.
Agius believes his proactive approach includes participating in any committee discussing matters relevant to Malta, even if he is not an official member.
“The European Parliament allows one to be present on all committees. I may participate in a committee of which I am not officially a member. That is why I mentioned alliances. Even if I am not a member of the industrial or the energy committees, I will use the presence of my colleagues and other MEPs in other political groups to voice my position.”
When people understand your position, they are more prone to support you
Agius also advocates for better coordination among MEPs.
“It is not a bad idea to have a structured forum in which we could coordinate our positions. But it may make even more sense to have a platform that would bring together the MEPs with the social partners. It may well be that such meetings are organised in an informal way,” he suggests.
He sees potential for collaboration with MEPs from the opposing Labour Party on committee levels, despite acknowledging inherent limitations due to differing priorities.
Agius’ primary focus remains the safeguarding of Malta’s national interests.
“We have to keep an eye on the national interest in each and every proposal made by the European Commission. We must carry out impact assessments on the Green Deal, on proposals on transport, agriculture,” he emphasizes.
He highlights the unique challenges faced by Malta, such as the small size of its farms compared to those in larger EU countries like Poland. “We have to make sure that the European Union understands our reality… and that each proposal takes note of Malta’s needs.”
Recognising the importance of raising awareness about Malta’s specific circumstances, Agius is committed to ensuring that the EU appreciates the unique challenges faced by smaller member states.
A plenary session at the European Parliament in Brussels. Photo: Alexandros Michailidis/Shutterstock.com“Often, this does not happen enough because it requires a lot of work. We need to raise awareness in the EU much more than other countries.” To this end, Agius is actively building relationships with MEPs from countries with similar situations to Malta.
“The situation in the Netherlands and the Czech Republic may be more similar to ours than to Germany and Italy. That is why I have tried to meet the Cypriot MEPs, because their situation is much closer to ours,” he notes.
In his new role, Agius is determined to navigate the complexities of the European Parliament, forging alliances, and advocating for Malta’s interests with unwavering commitment.
He is trying to use his experience and proactive approach to make a significant impact on behalf of his constituents.
Agius ran in the 2019 MEP elections but his nearly 10,474 first-count votes were not enough to get him elected then.
Last June Agius obtained 9,418 first-count votes and ranked second among the PN’s candidates behind EP president Roberta Metsola, from whom he inherited another 11,643 votes which propelled him into winning the much coveted third seat for his party.