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Introduction
The essay is a position paper concerning the role of Malta in the European Union. Malta is located at the center of Mediterranean Sea it boasts of the following beautiful scenery, frenetic nightlife, rich history and citizen who are described as being unusually friendly.
It is worth to note that the country has a population of 0.4 million being one of the countries with the smallest population but with the highest population density of about 1300 per km2. The country has two official languages English and Maltese. It is an independent republic that joined EU back in the year 2004 (Andreatta 2005).
In terms of governance, the country is a representative parliamentary republic where the president is the Head of State serving a term of five years having ceremonial duties. The president is assisted by the Prime Minister who is the head of the government. The country has two party systems center-right Nationalist Party. Its relationship with European Union has grown since the year 2004.
When it joined EU it nominated one commissioner as well as electing 5 MEPS to the European parliament. It was in the year 2007 that the country was allowed to enable passport to travel free across nations (Barber 2010).
Through the ministry of foreign affairs the country’s foreign policy on EU, bilateral, global and regional issues are fostered, maintained as well as enhance the country’s relation with other countries and organization, taking part in EU issues on security policies among others (Bretherton & Vogler 2006).
It is worth noting that when countries join hands like in EU the issues concerning borders, politics, economy and environment pose great challenges. These challenges cannot be met by single countries (Smith, Crowe & Peterson 2006). It has been argued that when member states act in unison, then they can deliver the desired outcomes as well as successfully address issues raised by the public.
There is need for Europe to modernize the recent expansion to 27 members up from 15 calls for more efficient and effective tools that are coherent to help the member states to tackle changes that are apparent in this world (Nugent & Saurugger 2002). It is also important to note that the contribution of member states are key in ensuring that external issues are handled in the best way.
To accomplish this, member states opt to rethink on the ways to come up with common ground rules that will enhance them to work in unity. In this case, the paper will analyze the concept of World Center for New Thinking is deemed to be the major Malta’s contribution to EU as well as the entire world.
World Center for New Thinking
The problems of today will not be solved by the same thinking that produced the problems in the first place. This is a famous quote by Einstein Albert. It is a fact that Malta has shown a continuous interest in addressing international conflicts throughout the world.
Since it attained her independence from Britain, Malta has become a force to reckon for brokering peace not only in Mediterranean regions but also in North Africa and Europe. Public officials as well as scholars of Malta origins have found themselves playing a very significant role in brokering peace as well as negotiating international agreements on law of the sea as well as environmental policies.
In addition to this, the country has also invited Israel as well as Islamic countries to embrace each other. More importantly, Malta has played a significant role in trying to address problems facing those in the Mediterranean region by convening conferences (Øhrgaard 2004).
Since the country joined EU one of the milestones in her history concerns establishment of World Center for New Thinking which is the work of Dr de Bono. The center is though to be an arena where new ideas on global issues will emerge (Smith Crowe & Peterson 2006).
There is no doubt that this concept is of its own kind. According to the founder, he asserted that the current issues being faced in EU member states and the entire world calls for a set of new ideas.
The main purpose of the center is to act as an avenue where new ideas will be generated. It is with the contention that human usually think on the basis of analysis and judgment, however there are situations where people will need to come up with ways to successfully handle the issues at hand. Examples of such issues include conflicts, environmental policies among others (Smith 2006).
Based on the assertions of the founder of the center, the ideas generated will benefits all and a sundry. To him fields such as economics, environmental studies, international and local politics, education among others will need new ideas.
It is with no doubt that these ideas once generated they will contribute to rational decision making as well as developing ways in which necessary actions are to be taken. All these can be seen in the environmental policy proposed by Malta (Marsh & Mackenstein 2005).
It is worth to note that Malta as a country has embarked on serious steps geared towards making the economy green, safeguarding environmental health, using resources particularly natural resources in an efficient and sustainable manner, making the country pleasant through improving local environment, greening Gozo enhancing long term sustainability issues.
One area that Malta has contributed to EU is with regards to greening the economy not only of its country but the entire EU zone (Smith 2008). The country understands that a green economy is one which will lead to an improved in human wellbeing and social equity and at the same time reducing risks associated with the environment.
Malta recognized that going green has the potential of creating expansive growth as well offer employment (Spence 2006). Additionally there is recognition that there is a strong correlation between the quality of the environment and economic growth. Based on all these factors, Malta embarked on an effort to persuade EU members to support going green in terms of economy (Hayes-Renshaw & Wallace 2006).
The main building blocks used by Malta include expansion of how environmental products and services are shared in the economy and trying to cut down the environmental impact of the entire economy.
Guided by the principles of United Nations on Environmental Protection that would enable for a green economy to be realized, Malta has proposed a number of enabling conditions that would help to expand the sharing of environmental products and services as well as curbing the impact to the environment (Edwards 2005).
Among the strategies include; to link considerations of the environment to the economic development planning, soliciting money to finance the initiative, giving incentives to green job sectors, allowing the private sectors to be associated or adopt opportunities linked with green economy and having in place as well as using market based policy instruments to help internalize environmental cost (Smith 2001).
The country has managed to develop a policy that will help steer up the entire EU members to step out of environmentally polluting and resource intensive economics sectors. This is proposed to be attained by reducing negative environmental impacts and at the same time enhancing those business opportunities that are deemed environmentally friendly (Nuttall 2005).
There will be in place a framework to ensure that those economic activities that are environmentally sustainable are rewarded.
Other strategies that were proposed entails continual approach to environmental taxation, ensuring that a favorable environment for the mobilization of money to help successful transaction to green economy, facilitating private sectors to take an active role in managing the environment and lastly encouraging innovations that are friendly to the environment (Vanhoonacker 2005).
Conclusion
From the review of role of Malta in European Union, it is evident that although the country joined the commission in 2004, its contribution has been enormous particularly in solving conflicts among others. However, through the World Center for New Thinking, the country has played an important role in ensuring that new ideas are developed to help members address issues at hand.
Through this initiative, the country has been a force in advocating and negotiating for a safer environment. The efforts put forth by the country entail policies that encourage greening the economy of all member states.
Among the policies that the country has supported and advocated for include providing incentives to innovations that are friendlier to the environment, continuous engage in environmental taxation among others. I believe that although the countries have come up together, it is important for every member state to take initiatives that will help better the environment, politics, environment and social aspects of the member states.
References
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Barber T. 2010. The Appointments of Herman van Rompuy and Catherine Ashton Journal of Common Market Studies, 48: 55-67.
Bretherton C. & Vogler, J. 2006. The European Union as a Global Actor. Oxford University: Oxford University Press. P. 56-62
Edwards G. 2005. The Pattern of the EU’s Global Activity’ in Hill, C. and Smith, M. (Eds): International Relations and the European Union. Oxford University: Oxford University Press. P. 23-45.
Hayes-Renshaw F. & Wallace, H. 2006. The Council of Ministers (2nd edition) (Palgrave Macmillan), Chapters: ‘General Affairs and External Relations (GAERC)’. P.36-41.
Marsh S. & Mackenstein M. 2005. The International Relations of the European Union. New York: Pearson Longman. P. 51-74
Nugent N. & Saurugger S. 2002. Organizational structuring: The case of the European Commission and its external policy responsibilities’ in Journal of European Public Policy, 9 (3): 345-364
Nuttall S. 2005. ‘Coherence and Consistency’ in Hill, Christopher and Smith, Michael (Eds): International Relations and the European Union. Oxford University: Oxford University Press. P. 91-112
Øhrgaard J.2004. ‘International relations or European integration: is the CFSP sui generic?’ in Tonra, Ben and Christiansen, Thomas (Eds): Rethinking European Union foreign policy. Oxford University: Oxford University Press. P.23-32.
Smith K. 2008. European Union Foreign Policy in a Changing World. London: Polity Press. P. 56.
Smith M. 2001. ‘The Quest for Coherence: Institutional Dilemmas of External Action from Maastricht to Amsterdam’ in Stone Sweet, Alec; Sandholtz, Wayne and Fligstein, Neil (Eds): The Institutionalization of Europe (Oxford University Press), pp. 171-193
Smith M. 2006. ‘The Commission and External Relations’ in Spence D. and Edwards, G. (eds): The European Commission. London: John Harper. P. 313-340
Smith, M. Crowe B. & Peterson J. 2006. ‘International Interests – The Common Foreign and Security Policy’ in Peterson J. and Shackleton M. (Eds): The Institutions of the European Union. Oxford University: Oxford University Press. P. 252-271.
Spence, D. 2006. ‘The Commission and the Common Foreign and Security Policy’ in Spence, David and Edwards, Geoffrey (Eds): The European Commission (3rd edition) (John Harper), pp. 356-395
Vanhoonacker S. 2005. ‘The Institutional Framework’ in Hill, C. and Smith, M. (Eds): International Relations and the European Union. Oxford University: Oxford University Press. P.123-134.
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