 Felly, ydych yn ei gweithio, mae'n bwrdd yma, yn gyntaf, rydyn ni'n gweithio i fynd i gyffredinol a'r dda i'r Minister dr Helena Dalley, Minister Ffwrdd i'r llawd yn ymddangosol, i'r ddweud o'r ymddangosol, a'i ddweud i fynd i'r Minister, ac mae'n ddweud i fynd i fynd i fynd i'r ddweud. Gwyddo serfodd i wneud hyn a wneud hynny'r hwnnw i ddod, rydyn ni'n deall eich bod yn gweithio'r gwybod a'i gilydd arddangosol yn rhan, ond mae'n cael ei gwybod a'u blaen oherwydd a'r gweithio'n yn rhan. Y dweud hyn yn ddweud hynny'r hynny'n bwysigol ar yr oedd amser, ac yn ffwrdd y cwestiwn ar gyfer, yn gweithio'n ddwylliant, iawn i chi'n ei ddweud o'r llyfrnod gyda'r ddwylliant? Mae hynny, ond mae'r ddweud o'r ddwylliant, ac mae'n ddwylliant, mae'n ddwylliant. So, mae'n rhaid i chi'n bwysig oherwydd yma bod yna mae'n gweithio'n union euch ymgyrch. Mae'n gweithio'n ddwylliant erioed, a mae'n ddwylliant i'r llendid, a'n ddwylliant i'r y frontiw ychydig i'w eu yw i'w gweithio, ac yn y rhan fyddech chi'n gallu ydw i'w fwy o'r challengeau sy'n gobeithio i fynd i gael, ac wrth gwrs, wneud hynny yn ymwyaf i'r ysgol. Mae bywyr yma hwn yn ddysgwyl eich cyfnod. Mae'r bywyr yma i'w gweithio'u cyfnod o'r ysgolol eu ddweud yma yn ymgyrchol i'w gweithio'i yma yn ymgyrchol i ddweud yma yn 2017. maju yn cael llaweru'n ddweud eich ysgolwll maes gwaith yn y Tym Mhau Pwyllwr yn 1996, ac thosebydd yn comprehensive yma ar y hefyd. Gwyl yn diogelu maes i unigallu amdano, oherwydd mae wedi'i gwneud o lapios hwnnw yn fwyaf ac oedd yn cefnodol cyllidebeth. Maelodd Eir ben does yn ffliwgol yn yr iawn, oherwydd mae gweinwch â'r ffliwgol yn ysgolwfu iawn, oherwydd mae'n bwyl iawn, oherwydd mae'n brydol ysgolwyd Flau ym Mewn Mwlta. In 2013, in 2017, I think it's of interest that his Minister for Social Dialogue, Consumer Affairs and Civil Liberties under the direction, her direction, the government introduced several laws and policies to strengthen equality. The Minister was the first Maltese nominee and winner of the European Diversity Award for her work in human rights and equality at the local and international level, so a hugely distinguished curriculum. As I said, many of the issues facing Maltese society as a frontier member of the European Union such as a regular migration, maritime and energy security and the need for social cohesion obviously require European solutions. We would obviously be interested, Minister, to hear your view of the renewed focus on migration and how the EU can deal with these issues, but of course any of the other challenges that we with you face in Europe as we go forward. So Minister, the floor is yours. Thank you. Thank you and good afternoon. Thank you for coming here and thank you for inviting me. I'm very pleased to be here today at the Institute for International and European Affairs to talk about the future of the EU. I really thank you for inviting me and I must tell you how much I enjoy being in your beautiful country where I feel very much at home as you make visitors feel very welcome. So this is something which I had discovered many years ago when I first came here on a family holiday and the people's attitude to visitors hasn't changed. So thank you for being so welcoming and I say this is not a platitude because I honestly enjoy being here. And I hope I won't change my mind after this session. Malta and Ireland share many commonalities, not only because as your Prime Minister had stated and I quote here, geographically we are at the periphery of Europe but I don't see Ireland in that way. The way I see us is as an island in the center of the world. This is what the Prime Minister of Ireland said. So I don't know what I'm going to say is possible that is regarding how many centers of the world they can be. But guess what? As Maltese feel exactly the same. Is that here the word Lilliput here? No seriously, our Prime Minister too insists that we should strive to be the best in the world, so the center of the world as well. So we have to decide now who is the center. But apart from both being the center of the world, we do have a lot in common. Our island status, the official use of the English language, progressive legislations such as that in the area of equality, also religious culture and especially that of the Catholic Church whether we like it or not. And also like with you the influence of the letter and how it is being put into question. Archbishop of Dublin, Reverend Martin last year said the cultural influence of the church in Irish society is difficult to define. The Ireland which many looked on as a bastion of Catholic influence was the same one which in 2015 approved marriage equality by an overwhelming popular vote. And this couldn't be closer to home. Catholic Malta for three consecutive years holds the first place in the European rainbow index compiled by ILGA Europe with regard to LGBTIQ rights. So it's the same dynamic here which the Archbishop was pointing out and it is happening in Malta as well. An anthropological study on the cultural differences between EU member states divides us between those who prefer a siesta in the afternoon from those with a Protestant work ethic. I'm saying this because understanding and appreciating anthropological, sociological and cultural diversity is of the essence and can be a useful tool for conflict resolution and the strengthening of unity. We are all speaking about the unity of the EU and unless we understand these anthropological, sociological and cultural diversities it will not be easy to have unity. Yet more pertinently to talk about the future of the EU we cannot ignore the present or the road that we have so far travelled. Today, according to recent Eurobarameter survey, Irish citizens are those most supportive of the EU and the multi citizens are those who feel that membership has benefited them most. In fact our membership of the EU since 2004 and the social economic policies introduced by the current administration since 2013 have translated into improving social and economic wellbeing. Malta now has unprecedented low levels of unemployment and high levels of economic growth coupled with progressive social policies. This is the blueprint we envisage for the EU's future and which we seek to achieve and contribute to. The EU's success inevitably has its fits and starts. The EU of 27 post Brexit will be a relatively new state of affairs and though we are optimistic about the transition we could have done without it. Nonetheless, the silver lining is that we now have proof of what can happen if citizens feel that they are not being listened to. Many feel that they are disconnected from the political class and the institutions. We need to empower people and shape our relations within the European Union according to their preferred outcomes. The process must necessarily be inclusive, thorough and decisive. Citizens at the heart of the EU were in fact a priority of the multi's presidency of the council last year and it is still the essence of our vision. In my address today I shall outline the three cardinal tenants of Malta's perspective on the future of the EU. We believe that to ensure the joint success of our nations within the bloc we need a European Union that respects, that invests and that protects. A European Union that respects citizens' dignity, their voice and inclusion through the ALO but also that respects member states' competencies. A European Union that invests in a targeted, sensible and coherent manner in order to address imbalances and enhance prosperity that believes in and prioritizes its youth policies. A European Union that protects its citizens and their security, mainly dealing with the burdens of regular migration while showing solidarity. Politicians have always achieved their greatest success when showing profound respect for their constituents. The EU is a political project and must thus respond to such ethos. Citizens are calling for such response. The following are some ideas where the EU can and should do better in this regard. Following successive enlargements and especially that of 2004 when Malta became a member, citizens are faced with an increasingly diverse EU. Furthermore, a different EU to that which perhaps the citizens had in mind. A European Union that respects is built upon social rights. The Charter of Fundamental Rights and the Pillar of Social Rights Framework is an excellent basis for this across member states. Yet these rights are also best guaranteed in collaboration with member states and their citizens. They are best set in motion through dialogue and the respect for national and citizen competencies. You will recall what happened with the Constitutional Treaty even though the European Convention that drafted it in 2002 was more representative than the customary intergovernmental conference. It still did not pass the threshold of popular support. Taking cue from such events, Citizens Dialogue is now becoming a centerpiece of EU relations. Furthermore, subsidiarity is fundamental for decisions to be taken as close as possible to a citizen. And in line with national competencies. In Malta we aim to lead by example. We are strongly committed to promote equality and foster a society which embraces everyone. United in Diversity, a motto of the European Union, is not just about different cultures but also about differences within the same cultures. Gender, sexual orientation, disability, minorities, all different yet all equal. We seek to tackle current challenges such as social exclusion, marginalisation and the emergence of radicalism and build active societies which foster inclusion and diversity. Why is dialogue with citizens so important? Walking a few paces in the shoes of the other and empathising can be of immense help to policy makers. For instance, as a result of consultation exercises, Malta introduced marriage equality including equality in the right to parenting. In the same year, Malta introduced the neutral X gender marker for official documents, made reparative therapy a crime, introduced rights to transgender and intersex citizens. These initiatives complemented other ones which were introduced in our previous legislature including the Gender Identity, Gender Expression and Sex Characteristics Act as well as changes to the constitution eliminating any form of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. We advanced because we listened and learned yet more can certainly be done at both national and EU level to foster an equal society. The Maltese government welcomes the different EU initiatives for a more fair and social Europe yet some of these are best served by national governments who are most in tune with their citizens at a national regional and local level. Subsidiarity is necessary and needs more vocal support if we are to have the concerns of our citizens properly addressed at the EU level. In terms of dialogue with citizens, Malta has a very strong ongoing dialogue on EU matters and is among the member states which favour broad discussions on the future of Europe in accordance with national workings. Malta has a shared commitment to European values and principles and to the vision of a strong, stable and united Europe underpinned by our historical, cultural and geographic ties as well as our mutual political security and economic challenges and interests. Along such lines, our Prime Minister has emphasised the need to listen to people with different ideas, including those who disagree with some aspects of the EU and those who feel excluded. It is important to listen to everyone and know their expectations. The Malta EU Steering Action Committee, a public agency, is entrusted with stakeholder and civil society dialogue and scrutinises proposals in addition to the national parliament. Treatment to our success in terms of citizen involvement is the consistent high voter turnout for European Parliament elections, which at 74% in 2014 was the highest where voting is not compulsory. We look forward to continue to involve our citizens and engage with them along these lines. A final point on respect is that for competencies, the vision of competencies goes hand in hand with subsidiarity and is important for citizens. The EU is a structure that facilitates permanent negotiation between the member states and why its centralized elements can be beneficial. There should not be central overreach. The EU is not a separate entity, but the sum of its parts which together lead to a greater whole. Our insistence on the vision of competencies is grounded in our belief in representativeness and subsidiarity. It is also a new principle that decisions should be taken as closely as possible to the citizen. This feeds the legitimacy of our action and enhances appreciation of the European Union. A European Union that invests. For Malta, the principle is for the EU to both allow investment and contribute to it. The investment should be in the member states ability to operate and allocate resources in terms of national priorities while aiming EU contributions towards fostering cohesion. National taxation prerogatives are key for us. Centralization and common taxes supplanting national taxation would immediately undermine the support of the smaller member states for the EU system. It is also much more effective for small member states to address their citizens through targeted investment, stemming from the resources they are capable of generating. We believe strongly in the diversification of economic growth and as a small country with few natural resources it is only through our hard work that we can survive and thrive. Generating competitiveness means being efficient and open for business. We will appreciate that countries like Malta within the EU have a particular social geographic context. Furthermore, as an archipelago, its smaller inhabited islands have needs unto themselves. Like Ireland, we believe that the MFF should continue to adapt to the EU's evolving priorities such as migration, but at the same time we should not lose sight of the value and contribution of traditional policies such as cohesion policy and rural development. In terms of cohesion, this is crucial for the European Union of Equals. This is where the EU should invest best to address imbalances, some of which are caused by permanent characteristics contingent to member states. A level playing field across member states and the quality within would go some way to enhancing citizen approval for the EU project and allow for greater unity. The discussions on the MFF, which will define the first post-Brexit budget, we seek an outcome which is fair for all member states and keeps periphery of the union well in mind. Our economies are in transition due to our specific characteristics. Although we are no longer amongst the less economically developed member states, we have a continuous challenge to sustain conversion and the progress achieved in the past years. Furthermore, a European Union that invests prioritises sound youth policies. The development of skills and education is necessary both for the present and for the future. In this regard we welcome the commission's proposal to more than double programs for young people such as Erasmus Plus with 30 billion euros and the European Solidarity Corp with 1.3 billion. A European Union that protects. Citizens look to national governments and the international organisations they form part of to address challenges such as irregular migration. We are duty bound to protect citizens and legitimate asylum seekers alike from the scourge of human trafficking. Recent incidents in the Mediterranean are sadly not the first and unlikely to be the last. The humanitarian aspect is vital as is that of legality. Malta stance has always been that to address the issue which affects the EU as a whole but especially the frontier states, there needs to be a European solution based on fairness and solidarity. Malta in fact has one of the highest recognition rates for asylum in the EU. Our calls for burden sharing are due to the nature of being a frontier state and we seek the completion of a genuine common European asylum system. We welcome the fact that the recent European Council specifically underlined the need for all vessels to respect applicable laws and not obstruct operations of the Libyan Coast Guard in which the EU has invested considerable efforts and resources in training. Malta considers it important to ensure that implementation is taken forward on all aspects external dimension borders and internal dimension in parallel. Focusing exclusively on the external dimension and border control will not be sufficient. We look forward to the planned way ahead as regards the concept of regional disembarkation platforms, the strengthening of Frontex mandate and the reform of the common European asylum system. To be naive however to think that efforts on the external dimension and border control can put a total stop to migration so a system of responsibility sharing remains necessary. The Dublin regulation must thus be reformed. Moreover we must protect the Schengen area. More than any of the EU's achievements the Schengen area of borderless free movement has gained the support of most citizens. It is a tangible and cogent benefit which they value. While there are provisions for restrictions to movement within Schengen these are intended to be temporary, limited and of an exception of nature. Prioritising success stories such as Schengen also brings to light such a positive contribution of the EU project. The future of the EU has many hurdles and its path. Starting from Brexit. Yet there is reason to be optimistic. The EU 27 have showed that we can unite around our common interests. Support for the EU from citizens is at its highest in 35 years. Indeed improved dialogue with citizens can certainly help this upward trend and allow us to forge ahead with a European Union moulded by citizens. For this to occur the EU needs to respect its citizens and ensure that nobody is left behind. Listen to citizens and include them in rule making processes. The EU also needs to invest in citizens and give them the economic tools to shape a good and better future. As can be judged by Malta's progress in recent years, economic well-being is key for citizens to feel valued, prosperity with a purpose. Helps us strike a balance between the economic and the social. We cannot have one without the other. We also need to continue investing in the aspirations of our youth. We need to see and believe that their future is now. A European Union that protects is also necessary, protecting its member states from being alone and facing external burdens such as regular migration and coordinating responses within a European Union that upholds solidarity. A social progressive Europe is our vision for the present and for the future. In meeting such aspirations we will meet our joint success. I hope this has contributed to the IIEA's quest for further identifying European policy trends which will inform the work of Ireland's decision makers and business leaders. As you can hear, I have read your mission statement. Thank you.