Prof. Edward Scicluna, Minister for Finance, welcomed an EU delegation headed by Mr Alexander Italianer, Secretary General of the European Commission, accompanied by Mr Martin Selmayr, Head of President Juncker’s Cabinet and Ms Clara Martinez-Alberola, Deputy Head of President Juncker’s Cabinet, at the Ministry for Finance.
The meeting was held to discuss the Ministry for Finance’s preparations for the forthcoming EU Council Presidency due in the first six months of 2017. During this period, Minister Scicluna will preside over the Economic and Financial Affairs Council, the monthly meeting of EU Finance Ministers known as the ECOFIN in which European economic and financial legislation and policy is discussed.
PRESS RELEASE BY THE MINISTRY FOR FINANCE
Minister Scicluna gave a brief overview of the current economic situation in Malta, referring to 2015’s high growth rate of 6.3%, the consistent deficit reduction, as well as the remarkable reduction of debt, all attributed to the Government’s policies and sustained structural efforts undertaken by the Government. The Minister said that the current economic situation augured well and that the Government will continue in its efforts on enlarging the economy and ensuring strong public finances.
The Minister then presented the Ministry’s preparations for the forthcoming Presidency of the ECOFIN Council, when Malta will be at the helm of negotiations on important European projects such as the European Depositor Insurance Scheme, the Capital Markets Union and the European budget. He affirmed that Malta was eager to take forward such flagship European projects intended to make a real difference in people’s lives. The Minister also took the opportunity to underline the sensitivity of taxation issues for Malta, expressing a strong commitment to tax transparency and the exchange of information, as well as strong misgivings about certain efforts by the European Commission to reduce the flexibility of Member States to determine their own tax systems.
Minister Scicluna was accompanied by Alfred Camilleri, Permanent Secretary Ministry for Finance, Marlene Bonnici, Permanent Representative of Malta to the EU, Tania Brown, Chief of Staff and officials from the Ministry for Finance.
– 3rd June, 2016