For business, Europe is not an option, but a necessity

Last week, French President Emmanuel Macron issued an open letter to Europe, highlighting that Brexit is a lesson for all of us, and that it is time for an EU renewal. A recent European Parliament poll concluding that the next election will likely result in diminished centrist pro-EU parties and a rise of radical populist parties, is worrying to us all.

Malta may be the most supportive Member State, with a Eurobarometer survey in 2018 concluding that 93 per cent of Maltese feel they benefit of EU membership. The reality, however, is that benefits can continue to be derived if we continue to be part of a strong unifying political project with the world’s largest common market. Should the growing disruptive forces prevail, benefits could transform into burdens.

President Macron’s call for EU renewal is timely, not because we are on the eve of an electoral appointment, but because we have been through a painful two-year Brexit process that should serve as an eye opener. EU-UK negotiations over the past two years have consumed a lot of energy for everyone, and the experience of the UK’s reversal of integration exposed how the EU affects every aspect of our lives.

For in past...