Maltese MPs Advocate EU Competitiveness And Innovation At Inter-parliamentary Conference In Denmark

A Maltese parliamentary delegation, comprising Hon. Alex Muscat and Hon. Jerome Caruana Cilia, took part in the Inter-parliamentary Conference on Stability, Economic Coordination and Governance (IPC-SECG) in Billund, Denmark, held on 29–30 September. The conference was organised as part of the interparliamentary dimension of the Danish Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Key topics discussed included strengthening the EU’s position in the global economy, financing the Union’s security policy independence, and evaluating whether new European fiscal rules are sustainable in the current geopolitical context.

The Conference was opened by the Speaker of the Danish Parliament, Mr Søren Gade, and the Chairperson of the Danish Finance Committee, Mr Simon Kollerup.

During the session on enhancing the EU’s global economic standing, Hon. Alex Muscat addressed the plenary, emphasising that Europe faces a decisive moment. Once a global leader in trade, technology, and diplomacy, the EU now risks falling behind the United States and China as they accelerate in innovation and influence.

“Overregulation, fragmentation, and slow decision-making are holding Europe back,” he said. “For smaller states like Malta, Europe’s strength is vital. Our resilience and adaptability show that size is no barrier to sustainable success—what matters is ambition and smart choices.”

He urged the EU to restore global relevance by reducing bureaucracy, fostering innovation, building hubs for technology and entrepreneurship, reinforcing trade partnerships, cutting energy dependency, and taking decisive action in foreign policy. “Above all, Europe must be bold, because relevance is earned not given,” he concluded.

Hon. Jerome Caruana Cilia highlighted the rapidly changing global landscape and stressed that Europe cannot afford dependence or division. He called for an EU industrial policy that strengthens resilience, drives innovation, and unites member states.

Cilia continued, “Competitiveness means cutting unnecessary regulation, boosting productivity, and enabling companies to scale globally. Investment in skills, infrastructure, clean technologies, and digital transformation must go hand in hand with a flexible, forward-looking regulatory framework.”

He concluded that for Malta and all of Europe, competitiveness is essential. “The choice is clear: Europe must act decisively and together to be a leader in the global economy.”

#MaltaDaily