Pride in the European Union

Looking forward to 2007 we are optimistic that the EU will continue to benefit Malta as it has done so far. We are equally sure that the Maltese will continue to give their contribution to the process of European unity.

There are however a number of points on which we feel more than a bit edgy and on which we wish the leaders of our country to reflect. We notice a lack of 'EU pride' or public acknowledgement of the positive difference that the EU has made in our lives.

We feel that in many ways the political establishment is responsible for this state of affairs. The opposition is still schizophrenic about membership notwithstanding its policy change and that many of its worse nightmares have not come true. But we also fear that the government's milder schizophrenia can only be camouflaged by fistfuls of sedatives. At heart it is still too nationalistic to really celebrate Europe.

The government has not been quite proactively presenting a sincere and accurate picture of the benefits of EU membership or its drawbacks. Ministers used the EU to put into effect some unpopular policies without properly explaining the longer-term benefits to the public.

Local bungling, such as the debacle surrounding the registration of medicinal products, was hastily blamed on the EU when it was not the case. At other times, harmful and unfair criticism of the EU was left unanswered to shield policy bungles.

National discussion of broader policy thrusts instigated by the EU tended to be muted. Simplistic statements, such as "We are doing well because the EU has told us so" have tended to trivialise complex issues and to unnecessarily mire the EU in local polemics.

Repeated stress on the direct benefits that flow into the pockets of individuals in some sectors of society have not helped to create a good image of the EU. The many non-material benefits, such as new rights, have often been left aside.

Some government spokesmen have tended to project the EU as the arena where they struggle for Malta's rights. According to this political myth, the 'struggle' goes on and on without end and Superman (read minister) manages to overcome the evil forces and save the fragile dame Malta from danger again and again.

Others take quite a seemingly positive approach: the EU is the source of all that is good and it will help us for as long as we wish in order to overcome all evils, a panacea. This too is not the true EU.

It projects complacency. A better line would be to present the EU as a land of opportunity where we stand a better chance of earning our livelihood and develop ourselves than if we were on our own.

And yet the EU is infinitely more than all this. It is the only example on earth where nation-states of a particular region have successfully overcome age-old divisions, turned their backs on trivial and meaningless borders and begun to construct a new society based on peace, prosperity and above all social justice.

The EU has encouraged the development of the quality of life: safer food, cleaner environment, law and order, respect for diversity, the rule of law, minority rights and all those things that are immeasurable by many of the yardsticks we use to measure progress.

The EU has shown that a truly borderless Europe does not lead to the extinction of regional or national diversities, languages or cultures. Rather the many cultural diversities that make Europe what it is, have been given a better opportunity for self-assertiveness.

In addition, a Europe that can speak with one voice in world affairs can better project its values of peace, security and respect for human rights, which are the only, truly stabilising factors in world politics.

The EU has stood up for the prohibition of capital punishment, it has strongly defended multilateralism and it is the biggest aid donor to developing states. It is not content with what it is doing and wants to do more.

We search to discover what Malta's vision of the EU is. But what we uncover are signs of a deeply-rooted, nationalistic, inter-governmental approach.

EU membership has not changed the way Malta does things: political priorities have continued to be as introverted as before. We are anxious to know what Malta's response will be when German Chancellor Angela Merkel assembles EU leaders to make a solemn declaration on the EU on the 50th anniversary of the Rome Treaties.

We are perturbed that there is little public debate on very important, hot issues that challenge many European minds and which could help our citizens connect directly with the reasons why the EU is having such a beneficial effect on them.

From a speech here and there, or the odd press release, we discover Malta's line on this or that policy. Very little comes out about the underlying principles of these positions and support for European integration is often grudgingly given. Little else is known about who paints the broader vision.

We are sure that there may be an answer to all these queries. It is also clear that the government has a number of policies which it is following at the national level covering a broad field of activities, ranging from global warming and the Lisbon Agenda to non-discrimination and which are the direct result of Malta's EU membership.

Equally clear, Malta takes positions on EU issues on the basis of a political strategy. We are aware that on the technical side national consultation takes place. But apart from this purely technical dialogue, missing is a dialogue of a vision of Malta's place in the EU and the kind of principles that guide its actions.

Malta needs also to elaborate what kind of a Union it wishes to see emerging in the next few years and to spell out more clearly how its various stands relate to it.

A plethora of documents and national plans related to membership have been published. However, these policies or approaches need to be weaved into a single coherent form, to be connected to show Maltese citizens how and what action is being taken in many fields, what the EU factor is in each and what the broader vision is.

Citizens are not connecting them mentally unless someone takes the pain to put them together. It needs to be shown how all these many documents are related to each other and how they share in a coherent 'vision' of a united Europe. This will not be possible as long as such information remains sporadic and dispersed.

It is also clear from all this that so far it is mainly political leaders, parliamentarians and bureaucrats who participate fully in the life of the EU. It is evident that the 'confidential dossier' dominates over a more open and public debate that would bring European issues closer to the Maltese citizens. All efforts made since membership to promote the participation of civil society in the EU have proved disappointing.

Notwithstanding all this bad packaging, there is no doubt that the EU has brought huge positive effects on our lives. It has securely moored Malta to the community of democratic states, opened up a huge market for its goods and services both in the EU itself and beyond, and secured it friends and allies in the struggle against the worse challenges of globalisation.

Membership has given the Maltese people new rights: new consumer rights, new environmental and product standards, more equality rights, increased competitiveness, a wider choice of goods and services, wider educational and training opportunities and more effective policies. EU membership has imbued the people with more self-confidence and raised expectations for more.

The successful introduction of the euro in a year's time will add to that confidence because it will demonstrate once again that the Maltese are not inferior to their European counterparts in attaining goals.

The introduction of the euro will also coincide with joining the Schengen agreement for freer movement across frontiers. Membership has brought the Maltese people closer to their neighbours than ever before.

They can now build stronger bridges with them. The EU has finally given Malta a voice, where previously it had none or just a faint one. When all is said and looking back over the past two and a half years of membership, we are pleased to say that we are proud of the achievements of our people.

The Maltese have had to endure a lot of change but they took the risks, learned and moved on. The rearguard resistance to certain beneficial measures, such as eliminating the hated airport (frontier) tax dismays us.

It is time to let go, shed the fears, tone down the resistance... give this economy, which is already showing a positive upturn, another positive boost.