The Gozo Business Chamber has for the third consecutive time been selected to host the one of the local structures of the Europe Direct network, for the period May 2021 to December 2025.

The role of the Europe Direct is to inform about and engage citizens with the Europe Union institutions and their work.  The Gozo Business Chamber has been hosting one of the three Maltese offices of the Europe Direct Network since 2013.

During an event, held on the 28th May 2021, and targeted towards key stakeholders within the local Gozitan community at the Grand Hotel in Mġarr Gozo, the Gozo Business Chamber launched the third generation of the Europe Direct network.

Joseph Borg, President of the Gozo Business Chamber, Dr Elena Grech, Head of the European Commission Representation in Malta,  and Dr Mario Sammut, Head of the European Parliament Liaison Office made the introductory speeches.

Joseph Borg highlighted how that “while it is true that the Gozo Business Chamber is an association of businesses, it is also an association which works intensely in the community.  Its members are involved  within the community or in community organisations.  The Office of the Europe Direct network, is another service which the Chamber is offering to the Gozitan community.”

Dr Elena Grech, Head of the European Commission Representation in Malta remarked that for the European Commission Representation “it is important for us to reach out to all citizens about  the benefits of the European Union, and it is therefore important for us to have a presence in Gozo.” In this regard she urged participants in the event to give their opinion on the EU on the Digital Platform of the Conference on the Future of Europe and to engage in the ongoing debate in this regard.

Dr Mario Sammut, Head of the European Parliament Liason Office, highlighted that “it is important to explain the role and the benefits of the European Union”.  He also remarked that “it is important to target everyone, those citizens that need to know more about the European Union, but also those that are already actively involved with the European Union and its institutions.”

Daniel Borg, CEO of the Gozo Business Chamber, provided an overview of the Europe Direct’s work during the past years, and highlighted the vision for the role of the Europe Direct Gozo for the next five years.  He indicated how the three pillars that the European Union has set for the next five years, principally that of: sustainability, digitalisation and resilience, are very relevant for Gozo.  Consequently the work of the Europe Direct Gozo office will be very important in the coming period.

Ms Marlene Muscat, manager of the Europe Direct Gozo, chaired two panels.  The first panel composed of Dr Samuel Azzopardi, President of the Gozo Region and a member of the Committee of the Regions, Noel Formosa, Mayor of San Lawrenz, and Rober Tabone, Head EU & International Affairs of the Local Government Division, discussed the work of Europe Direct within the various localities in Gozo.

Marvic Refalo, Eco Schools Teacher and a representative of Nature Trust Malta (Gozo Section), Ramona Mercieca (Globe Coordianator), and Jesmond Borg, Gozo Campus Coordinator of the Institute of Tourism Studies, participated in the second panel which discussed the work of Europe Direct within the various educational insitutions.

The event was also trasmitted live on the Gozo Business Chamber, and the Europe Direct Gozo’s social media platforms.

The proceedings of the event can again be accessed from here.

You can access the interventions by Joseph Borg (President of the Gozo Business Chamber) and Daniel Borg (CEO of the Gozo Business Chamber) here:

Presentation on the activities of EUROPE DIRECT GOZO