Malta takes the EU presidency
The country will hold this position for the first time at a crucial moment of EU energy reforms.
From January till June of 2016 the Maltese government will hold the 6-month rotating Council presidency of the EU. Among its tasks, the presidency will draft agendas, set the timing of the Council’s work programme and represent all 28 states vis a vis the other European institutions.
The presidency has outlined its main policy priorities, which can be found here. Concerning the Commission’s recently published “winter package” of proposals on energy, the Maltese committed to start work in Council first with the two directives dealing with the heat sector: Energy Efficiency Directive and Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. The remaining proposals on governance, renewables and electricity will most likely start in earnest during 2018. The aim is to conclude work on all these energy directives by 2020, so as to have a solid EU legislative framework for the 2020-2030 period.
Another relevant Maltese priority is the continuation of the Council’s ongoing work to revise the Fertilisers Regulation, which aims to recognise digestate as a fertilising product.