Malta's priorities for the next five years were highlighted by Prime Minister Robert Abela during a visit to Vienna at the invitation of European Council President Charles Michel.

The visit, which was also attended by another four European leaders, was in preparation for the EU's strategic agenda leading to 2029.

The agenda addresses the priorities European institutions will work upon in the next five years.

Malta's priorities, Abela said, were centred around what families were experiencing and what was important for them.

These were linked to peace, economic growth, migration, the social sector, transport, energy and health, among others.

Abela said that such meetings in smaller groups provided a unique opportunity for leaders to go into more detail about specific issues.

"We want our families to relate, understand and benefit from the EU's work so the priorities for the next five years have to reflect their priorities," he said.

On the common market, the Prime Minister said there were circumstances where certain countries, such as Malta, were at a disadvantage. So when the common market was discussed one had to go further than acknowledging the challenges and ensure that concrete action was taken particularly when it came to access to medicines.

The Prime Minister also stressed the need to strengthen relations with countries which shared the same values and principles to continue strengthening economic security.

During the debate on transport and energy connections, the Prime Minister reiterated the importance of retaining competitiveness and that all EU states should have the same opportunities. This was crucial for member states, especially for Malta and people and businesses were expecting concrete action.

Abela also insisted on the need for concrete action regarding migration to prevent people from leaving North Africa.

Such work should be done in coordination with African states with whom dialogue was crucial.