Labour MEP Miriam Dalli has been appointed as coordinator of the Socialists and Democrats Group in the European Parliament on policies in favour of a new economic model that ensures competitiveness and environmental protection. The move is part of the EU’s Green New Deal.
As the vice-president responsible for this portfolio, Dr Dalli will be working on a new industrial policy that ensures innovation, social protection, economic competitiveness and climatic integrity.
“The European Green New Deal will be our priority for the next years. As Socialists and Democrats we will continue working hard to make sure that the economic transformation that is required will ensure our industries’ competitiveness and protect our workers,” she said.
As part of her portfolio Dr Dalli will be coordinating the work on the EU’s first European Climate Law which the President elect for the European Commission committed herself to introduce in the first 100 days of the new European Commission. The climate law will be setting the basis for the long-term ambition of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and mid-term targets for 2030, which the S&D want to see set at 55 per cent.
Dr Dalli will also be overseeing work related to the Just Transition Fund, which is to be set up to help workers be prepared for changes that can happen in certain industries particularly energy intensive ones.
“It is our priority to protect workers. As part of my work I will be working on a cross-cutting strategy to move towards an economy that works with less emissions. This can help us as a continent to remain competitive whilst at the same time ensure that we reskill our current workforce. This is also about educating young people to be prepared for the economies of the future,” Miriam Dalli said.
The Maltese MEP will also be responsible for agricultural and fisheries policies, including a new approach for a sustainable Blue Economy. Dr Dalli will also be working on an S&D strategy for Green Financing and also the political group’s strategy to address Energy Poverty.
The Labour Party’s Head of Delegation has also been entrusted with supervising policies pertaining to the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee; emissions from all transport modes; the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee; the Fisheries Committee and the energy sector.