Dr Roberta Metsola, Member of the European Parliament, said that she will continue to work non-stop within the European Parliament to ensure that Gozo’s particular circumstances and double insularity do not hinder economic growth on the island, and that Gozo’s specific needs must be catered for.

Dr Metsola explained that, since EU accession in 2004, Gozo has benefited in various ways from EU membership. Classified as an “Island Region” as defined in the Treaty of Lisbon, the EU recognises that Gozo faces severe and permanent natural or demographic issues that require particular attention and that, because of its dependence on Malta, which is itself an island, faces the problem of double insularity. A Declaration annexed to the 2003 Treaty of Accession on the “Island Region” of Gozo was designed specifically to address Gozo’s inherent needs.

Emphasising that Gozo deserved special treatment by the EU, Dr Metsola said, “the European Union must continue to support Gozo in reducing the disparities between its level of development and that of Malta. Particular attention needs to be paid to those areas facing particular geographical issues, so as to improve Gozo’s attractiveness for companies and industries wanting to operate on the island and as a popular destination for tourists. This is an issue that requires constant work within every institution of the EU and is an area where all MEPs must work together in the national interest irrespective of partisan considerations.”

MEP Metsola gave an overview of the projects financed under the EU’s last budgetary period of 2007-2013, saying that Gozo received approximately 10% of the Structural Funds allocated to Malta. These funds were utilised to fund various projects such as:

The improvement of the TEN-T Road infrastructure linking the Mgarr Ferry Terminal to Victoria; Part-time higher education courses leading to a diploma or degree in Finance, ICT and Tourism Studies in Gozo; The restoration of the citadel in Victoria and the development of the first Eco-museum; The installation of equipment for solar water heating systems and photovoltaic panels in different educational institutions; The upgrading of the operating theatre and the setting up of a radiology unit at the Gozo General Hospital; The provision of language courses in English, French, Italian, Spanish and German.

Dr Metsola added that much more needed to be done and for the next 2014-2020 EU financial period, Gozo shall continue to be entitled to additional funding from the European Union. Moreover, due to the efforts of former Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, as part of the extra funds obtained by Malta during the negotiations of the budget in Brussels, Gozo will also receive an additional allocation of agricultural funds, ensuring that the island receives more funds than it had ring-fenced under the previous 2007-2013 period.

Furthermore, in addition to the €78 million that Gozo shall receive under the Cohesion Policy heading, a further €32 million (23% of Malta’s agricultural allocation) will be earmarked for Gozo, bringing the minimum total allocation for Gozo to €100 million.

Emphasising the importance of representing the interests of Gozo on an EU level, Dr Metsola added, “Lawrence Gonzi did an excellent job in making sure Gozo was awarded the additional funding, the challenge now is to ensure that these funds are all fully utilised over the next years in ways that directly benefit Gozitan families and businesses. As a Member of the European Parliament representing both Malta and Gozo, I shall do everything I possibly can to make sure that this happens and that the voice of Gozitans is heard in Europe. My office will always be open to help wherever and whenever needed.”

Dr Metsola was talking during a public dialogue on the role the EU plays in Gozo, organised by the European Parliament Information Office in collaboration with the Ministry of Gozo, the Gozo Business Chamber, the Gozo Tourism Association and Sir M.A. Refalo Post-Secondary School. The event was entitled ‘Europe for Gozo’ and highlighted the importance of interest representation at EU level.

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