Two Maltese Citizens Take Part in EU Debate on Fairness Between Generations in Brussels

Over the weekend, 150 citizens from across the European Union met in Brussels for the first session of the European Citizens’ Panel on Intergenerational Fairness. The panel formed part of a process launched by the European Commission to shape a new EU strategy aimed at ensuring that today’s decisions remain fair not only for current citizens, but also for future generations.

The Citizens’ Panel brought together randomly selected people of different ages, backgrounds, and nationalities. Over three sessions, participants were tasked with sharing ideas, debating openly, and drafting recommendations for the European Commission’s Strategy on Intergenerational Fairness, which is expected to be presented in 2026.

The goal was clear: to make sure every generation, young, old, and those yet to come, had a voice in shaping Europe’s future.

Maltese Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport, Glenn Micallef, opened the session by stressing the importance of long-term thinking in policymaking. “This was the start of a process that will reflect later. It was the compass that should guide policies keeping future generations in mind,” he said. Micallef highlighted several common challenges faced across Europe, including: Housing affordability, health, particularly mental health, employment and preparing the workforce for the digital age, the reality of an ageing population, and more. He explained that Europe needed to find ways to combine the experience of older generations with the fresh ideas of younger people, while promoting fairness across age groups. Micallef also called for more young people in politics, stressing that they brought new perspectives and could make policies fairer. “Making a difference was not an issue of competence. It was an issue of political will,” he added.

Maltese citizens among the 150 participants

Among the randomly selected citizens in Brussels were two Maltese participants:

Michael, 69, a retiree and grandfather of four, who described Malta as small but beautiful, attracting many tourists each year.

James, 51, an electrician, who said he was chosen at the last minute but was looking forward to working with the group.

Their role, along with the other participants, was to share their views and contribute to shaping recommendations for the Commission.

Why did this matter?

The European Union is facing major demographic changes – including a projected decline of 17 million people in its population in the coming years. Other continents are experiencing growth, making it even more important for Europe to adapt its policies to remain fair, sustainable, and competitive.

The Citizens’ Panel marked the beginning of that journey, ensuring that decisions taken today would not harm tomorrow’s generations, and that solidarity between young and old would become a core principle of EU policymaking.

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