The President of the Government of Spain and the Maltese prime minister meet as part of the preparatory tour for the Spanish presidency of the Council of the EU

Valletta (Malta)

On Tuesday, Pedro Sánchez continued his preparatory tour for the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU, which today took him to meet with his counterparts in Cyprus and Malta, continuing on to Italy on Wednesday, for the purpose of gaining first-hand knowledge of both the priority issues and the particularities of each of these governments in matters of great importance for the EU-27.

President Sánchez met with the Maltese Prime Minister, Robert Abela, with whom he discussed three main issues: the promotion of open strategic autonomy, energy and digital transformation, and the reform of the Migration and Asylum Pact. Both leaders agreed on the importance of Europe's reindustrialisation and the impact it will have on the continent's autonomy and resilience. "We must take advantage of the opportunities offered by the digital and energy transformation", stressed the president. To this end, during the meeting they underlined the importance of economic governance reform and electricity market reform.

Pedro Sánchez and Robert Abela also discussed open strategic autonomy, agreeing on the importance of promoting other pillars, such as the health sector, the food sector and new technologies. In a context marked by the consequences of Putin's war in Ukraine, the two leaders emphasised the unity of the EU, stressing that today Europe must act more united and stronger than ever. At this juncture, the President of the Government pointed out the need to strengthen strategic alliances, and the EU-CELAC Summit that will take place during the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU will be an opportunity to move in this direction.

On the subject of migration, President Sánchez has conveyed to his counterpart that Spain is committed to achieving an inclusive agreement, a consensus that overcomes division and bloc politics and is committed to a balance between solidarity and responsibility. Furthermore, both leaders agreed on the need to pursue a positive agenda with our southern Mediterranean neighbours.

Non official translation