ECONOMIC VISION 2020: Business. Finance. Economy.
We need to remain fair to those in need, be firm with those who are not, and be strong with those who seek to exploit the vulnerable.
The peak of the migration crisis has passed, yet, little progress has been made to create a new framework that would prevent or help the EU deal with a similar crisis in the future. With geopolitical relations with Turkey, a strategic partner in addressing migratory flows, at a historic low, and several EU member states not willing to cooperate on long-term solutions, what progress do you see possible in this area, and what role can the European Parliament play in the process? We cannot allow issues like migration to become existential questions that are agreed only on shortterm lines. It is clear that there is the need for a more effective control of the EU’s external borders. At the same time, we need to remain fair to those in need, be firm with those who are not, and be strong with those who seek to exploit the vulnerable. The new law on the European border and coastguard will better protect the Union’s external borders, which means a safer continent for our citizens. Europe needs to be able to effectively manage its external borders, to ensure that returns are effected more efficiently and to provide for enhanced security within the Union. In the EP, I will be pushing for an approach that is holistic, one where we are fair with those in need of protection, firm with those who are not eligible and strong with those who seek to exploit the vulnerable. Migration is, above all, a human issue, and we can never lose sight of the fact that, behind every statistic, lies a person, with dreams and hope for a better future. A new SME strategy is long overdue. This appears to be forthcoming during this mandate. How do you think SMEs can be aided to be productive, innovate and grow? Saying that SMEs are the backbone of Europe’s economy shouldn’t simply be a fancy way of describing our 21 million SMEs across the EU for about 85 per cent of jobs actually depend on SMEs.
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While governments need to focus their strategic efforts on improving the environment in which SMEs operate, we need to be looking at an SME strategy that doesn’t simply improve the business environment in an isolated national context. The new SME strategy must ensure that businesses are given all the tools necessary to exchange best practices, for instance, with respect to finding ways of improving access to finance and increasing the uptake of EU funds. The process needs to be less cumbersome and funding must be made more accessible, even for the smaller firms. While we need to make sure that the Single Market caters precisely for the backbone of Europe’s economy in a way that it is SMEfriendly, the new SME strategy needs to be designed in a way that puts SMEs in the best possible position to operate in the current global climate and to continue doing so effectively in the future. To this end, the strategy must address issues such as skills and talent, innovation and digitalisation, as well as internationalisation. The EU is facing many labour market challenges, particularly characterised by an ageing population and a structural skills mismatch. Companies today are struggling to hire employees with the right profile compared to 5-10 years ago. What, in your view, can the EU do to address what many have already started labelling as a ‘skills crisis’? We need to work on European legislation like the Blue Card that will allow any member state to better fill any gaps in the labour market. It is not only about legislation. This is another area where exchange of best practices across member states could be extremely beneficial for SMEs. The EU’s action plans have been focusing on increasing the EU talent pool and helping people to acquire new skills, with a focus on new technologies. Much more, certainly, needs to be done to properly implement these plans by creating stronger networking programmes between educational institutions, such as the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology and the University of Malta, and their counterparts across the other member states. But this also needs to be done in conjunction with industry players in order to ensure that the various needs are addressed and met accordingly. EV