Germany could not have sat at the helm of the European Union in more turbulent times. It assumed the presidency of the European Council of a Union scorched not just with the summer heat of July but with a pandemic steadily roasting its economy and social stability. Putting it mildly, with an economy that was set to shrink by over seven per cent, posing serious threats to the single currency and the single market, things looked rather bleak.

Amid the fear and governments’ unilateral decisions, the Germans came in promising alignment for a swift recovery and a sustainable future for the Union spurred by a developed environmental policy and innovation.

The discussions about the Union’s budget for the next seven years had already taken long enough. Delivering on the promise, though, necessitated tweaks just short of an overhaul and a hefty stimulus package meant to revitalise battered economies.

Brussels’ attempts to dim the spotlight on Brexit talks did nothing to lessen the impact of the second largest contributor parting ways. If in the summer there was a glimmer of hope for a positive deal, those hopes shrank with every passing week and the possibility of not reaching a deal by the end of the year still looms large.

Our islands were not immune to all of this. With the government’s attention over the last months primarily focused on people’s health and containing the disease, efforts were invested in laying the short to medium term future of our island state. Such efforts returned dividends.

Securing the largest ever allocation of European funds for Malta – over €2.27 billion – represented a determining step in the right direction and one which instilled much-needed confidence. We managed to acquire a very considerable allocation, notwithstanding the country’s unprecedented positive economic performance of the past seven years. Our continued growth together with such a substantial budget put Malta among those member states predicted to emerge the least trodden by the effects of the pandemic.

COVID-19 took away relatives, normal life and people feared for their jobs and their business. We went to great lengths to safeguard thousands of jobs since March and induce demand in weakened sectors like catering and retail.

Our management in these difficult times had to rebuild trust in our country and our enterprise almost from scratch.

European funds will be instrumental in making sure industry shifts to cleaner ways- Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi

While a significant portion of the allocation was directly dedicated to the economic recovery and the expenditure related to the coronavirus, the most substantial part of the rest will be invested in the continued development of our physical and social infrastructure.

A modernised road system, improved healthcare and quality education programmes for different age groups are developments we can readily experience. In the coming years, more funds will be available for workers seeking to learn new skills, for small businesses, especially those ready to embark on innovation and to limit their impact on our environment. Support to farmers and fishermen will not subside as their activity remains key to ensuring we have high-quality food on our table and a world-renowned export product.

It is fairly clear to me how European funds, when used wisely, changed Maltese society and upgraded our country. European funds will be instrumental in making sure our industry shifts to cleaner ways without losing productivity. The green transition is paramount in my discussions with my European counterparts as Europe leads the way in the global fight against climate change.

Climate change is a fact. So are the natural disparities between member states. Ensuring collective targets to reduce emissions by 2030 reflected this basic reality in last week’s major victory at the leaders’ summit. Our country started slowly years ago but Malta is adamant to make giant industrial and environmental leaps to reduce emissions. National energy, transport and industrial policies reflect our direction and we will not backtrack.

In a difficult phase for Europe, as the presidency of the largest member state draws to a close, there is a significant list of things that should make the smallest member rather proud. A contingency plan securing national interest is set but we shall still contribute for a good deal to garnish the UK’s exit. Notwithstanding the various challenges, we moved ahead believing in a better not so distant future.

Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi is Parliamentary Secretary for European Funds.