NEWS

05 Jan 2017

MALTA EU ROTATING PRESIDENCY

Categories: Misc.

Rome, January 5, 2017

Malta took over the Council of the EU presidency on January 1, when the smallest Mediterranean island took the baton from Slovakia.

The Maltese presidency will be driven by the aim to restore trust in the EU and the need for a dialogue and reflection on the EU’s future.

During the next 6 months the presidency will focus on 6 key areas: migration, single market, security, social inclusion, Europe’s neighbourhood and maritime sector.

As last country of the current Troika programme (The Netherlands, Slovakia, Malta), Malta will continue to work on inclusion, one of the main priorities of the European Commission, by fighting poverty and social exclusion. Equal treatment is also a priority, focusing on gender equality, social equity and social inclusion.

Focusing on Sport, Malta will reaffirm EU Council conclusions that sport can contribute greatly towards social inclusion. SportMalta, official sponsor of the Malta Olympic Committee, will be responsible for organizing and hosting a number of important events during the EU Presidency.