The U.E. General Affairs Council's conclusions on Malta

The General Affairs Council (GAC) met today in Brussels and decided inter alia that screening with Malta should start as soon as possible. The GAC also invited the Commission to come forward, as soon as possible, with appropriate suggestions towards defining a specific pre-accession strategy for Malta. The General Affairs Council confirmed that the Presidency intends to invite Malta to participate in the next meeting of the European Conference. In addition, the General Affairs Council added that it is important for Malta to define, as soon as possible, a National Programme for the Adoption of the acquis which would enable Malta to identify its priorities and define the means for achieving them. The GAC confirmed the European Union's readiness to assist Malta to this end.

The General Affairs Council's conclusions that refer to Malta are the following:

"Enlargement - Malta

Following Malta's reactivation of its membership application, and on the basis of the Commission's report updating its 1993 opinion, the Council decided that screening with Malta should start as soon as possible. This is all the more important, since it would help the Commission to better assess Malta's state of preparation in its future regular report, which will be submitted at the end of the year together with the regular reports on the other candidate countries regarding their progress towards accession. The start of screening with Malta does not prejudge future decisions to be taken by the European Council on the basis of the regular report by the Commission.

In the meantime, it is important for Malta to define, as soon as possible, a National Programme for the Adoption of the acquis (NPAA), as the establishment of such a framework would enable Malta to identify its priorities and define the means for achieving them. The Union is ready to assist Malta to this end.

The Commission was also invited to come forward, as soon as possible, with appropriate suggestions towards defining a specific pre-accession strategy for Malta, which will be examined by the Council in due course.

Taking into account the above orientations, the Presidency intends to invite Malta to participate in the next meeting of the European Conference."

The German Ambassador in Brussels, H.E. Mr Von Kyaw, made the following comments in a briefing for the press.

"There is agreement for preparations to be started for Malta so that, if everything goes well, Malta will be taken on board in Helsinki as one of the first wave countries. Malta is establishing the necessary preparatory measures and screening will take place so that Malta doesn't waste any time. At the moment, Malta is considered to fall in the second wave, then we shall see later on.".

Germany currently holds the Presidency of the European Union.