Malta is insisting that the European Union should grant Member States greater flexibility to introduce immediate measures to protect families and businesses from pressures in the energy sector, while strengthening joint action at European level to address international challenges.
This was the key message delivered by Minister for Energy Miriam Dalli during the EU Energy Council meeting held in Luxembourg.
Against a backdrop of uncertainty in international energy markets, Minister Dalli stressed that Europe should act with one voice wherever collective action can deliver better outcomes for Member States, particularly in negotiations and in safeguarding energy security.
However, she emphasised that joint European action should not mean imposing a one-size-fits-all solution on every country, regardless of its particular circumstances.
“Faced with another energy crisis, we need a Europe that acts together while giving Member States the flexibility to take decisions that reflect their own realities. When we negotiate together, we have greater bargaining power. However, every country faces different challenges, and we cannot have a one-size-fits-all solution," Minister Miriam Dalli stated.
The Minister explained that, for Malta, this flexibility is particularly important to enable the Government to continue responding effectively to challenges in the energy sector, both in terms of the prices paid by consumers and the resilience of energy infrastructure.
“Our priority remains clear: to keep energy tariffs affordable for Maltese and Gozitan families and businesses. At the same time, we must continue strengthening our infrastructure to ensure that our country is better equipped to face future challenges. This is why we are insisting that European decisions must recognise the different realities of Member States, including those of island nations such as Malta," the Minister said.
In this context, Malta is also highlighting the importance of strengthening the resilience of strategic energy infrastructure, particularly cross-border infrastructure connecting Member States to energy networks beyond their borders.
Minister Dalli concluded by stressing that European energy policy must strike a balance between the strength of collective action and the ability of individual Member States to take timely decisions, with the ultimate aim of protecting consumers' interests and safeguarding security of energy supply.
