MALTA NEGOTIATES SUCCESSFULLY FIRST TRANSITION PERIODS

The first tangible demonstration that transition periods can, in fact, be negotiated as Malta prepares itself to become a member of the European Union came with the closure this morning of an additional three chapters of the acquis. The closure of the chapters on Free Movement of Goods, Free Movement of Services and Energy bring the total number of chapters closed so far by Malta to sixteen.

The chapters relating to Environment and to Customs Union were also opened on Friday.

Agreement between Malta and the European Union on the first transition periods was reached in the negotiations under the chapters dealing with Free Movement of Goods and Energy.

The European Union's acceptance of Malta's request, under the Free Movement of Goods chapter, for a four-year transition period for the renewal of marketing authorisations for pharmaceutical products was confirmed on Friday morning during a meeting in Brussels held at the level of Deputies of the Inter-Governmental Conference on Malta's Accession to the European Union.

After accession, any medicinal product placed on the local market will need to be registered in line with EU requirements. The four-year transition period will allow the continuing and smooth access into the local market of existing and new pharmaceutical imports or locally manufactured medicinals, while their registration is carried out in line with EU requirements. The renewal of marketing authorisations for pharmaceutical products will be completed by December 2006.

This morning's meeting also agreed to specific concessions requested by Malta. The requested concessions also fall under the Free Movement of Goods chapter and are based on existing Maltese consumer preferences that will allow the continuation of the unrestricted use within Malta of the terms ‘milk chocolate', ‘evaporated milk' and ‘low fat evaporated milk'.

The Deputies' meeting also confirmed the European Union's acceptance of the request by Malta in the negotiations on the Energy chapter for a four-year transition period that would allow Malta to build up, at the pace that it has set for itself, the required 90 day contingency stocks of fuels.

The Accession Conference, which will meet meet at Ministerial level in Luxembourg next month, will endorse the recommendations made at the different meetings of Deputies throughout the Swedish Presidency. The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Member States of the European Union will also endorse the agreements reached by the Deputies on the transition periods.

During this morning's meeting, the Chairman of the Core Negotiating Group, Mr. Richard Cachia Caruana described the successful conclusion of the detailed and intensive negotiations on Free Movement of Goods as a source of particular satisfaction. He welcomed the European Union's acceptance of Malta's requests for transition periods under the Goods and Energy chapters as well as the efficiency with which the negotiations on the Services chapter had been conducted.

During his intervention on the Energy chapter, Mr. Cachia Caruana also indicated Government's intention to apply after accession for certain derogations under the Electricity Directive as a ‘small isolated system'.

Mr. Cachia Caruana also spoke at some length on the critical issues for Malta under the Environment chapter. In particular, Mr. Cachia Caruana highlighted the areas for which Malta would be requesting transition periods.

In concluding, Mr. Cachia Caruana thanked the Swedish Presidency for its work and for the contribution that it has made to moving Malta significantly closer to European Union membership at the next enlargement.

This morning's session was also addressed by Ambassador Gunnar Lund, on behalf of the Swedish Presidency. He welcomed the closure this morning of an additional three chapters which marked further substantional progress on the road to membership. Ambassador Lund said that, in granting the transition periods requested under the Goods and Energy chapters, the Union acknowledged the need by Malta for more time to implement the Directives of the acquis under which the transition periods had been requested.

Reported speech

The Swedish presidency has reported, that it will continue to take a hard look at the initial positions in several areas. And, it has accepted a number of transitional arrangements where it has been satisfied that the necessary conditions have been fulfilled.

What the events and achievements of the last months show is that Malta has now arrived at the core of the negotiating process. Indeed, the most difficult chapters are now being addressed and what is more, negotiations have successfully been brought to a conclusion in some difficult and complex areas.

H.E.Gunnar Lund stated that work will continue right up to the end of the Swedish Presidency in order to achieve all that has been planned, according to the road map. The Ministerial meeting of the Conference on 12 June will of course be an important milestone on that road.

Mr. Eneko Landaburu, Director-General for Enlargement in the European Commission also expressed the Commission's satisfaction at the manner in which negotiations with Malta were proceeding. He described the timetable that Malta has set for itself for the transposition of the acquis on Goods as ambitious but, at the same time, realistic. He also remarked that the high quality of the documentation provided by Malta facilitated the closure of the three chapters.

Mr. Cachia Caruana was accompanied by Victor Camilleri, Malta's Ambassador in Brussels, Graziella Pullicino, Co-ordinator in the EU Negotiations Secretariat, Saviour Falzon, Head of the European Union Directorate and by a number of officials from Malta's Embassy in Brussels.