The Europe Direct Information Centre - University of Malta, hosted by the Institute for European Studies, recently participated in a European Commission pilot project to help gather cross-border feedback from EU citizens on the future of Europe.
Organised by the European Commission, the initiative gathers citizens from across Europe who share a border and encourages them to discuss and provide opinion on the future of Europe.
Malta is participating in a cross-border discussion with Sicily, coordinated by the EDICs in Malta (University of Malta, MEUSAC and Gozo) in collaboration with EDIC Sicily. The first meeting took place on 5 July in Palermo when 65 Maltese citizens, including 26 University students, joined 70 Sicilians in discussing migration, external relations, tax harmonisation and the EP elections. A follow-up meeting, with the same group, will take place on 25 October in Gozo, and a final meeting, in Trapani, in March 2019.
The project is fully funded by the European Commission and was open to all University students. Dr Mark Harwood, Dr Jean Claude Cachia and Mr Stefan Bezzina accompanied the University delegation and participated in the event.
The conclusions of the public discussion will be communicated to the Commission and the European Parliament and will help in ensuring that the EU is responsive to the feedback provided by its citizens.
The conclusions of the public discussion will be communicated to the Commission and the European Parliament and will help in ensuring that the EU is responsive to the feedback provided by its citizens.