Malta will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union during the first semester of 2017, following six months of Slovak Presidency. Research is one of the Maltese Presidency priorities, with a focus on strengthening the Euro-Mediterranean cooperation in research and innovation, primarily through ensuring legislative deliberations on the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA) initiative. The Maltese Presidency also intends to identify areas where monitoring and reporting burdens in the European Research Area (ERA) could be reduced. Furthermore, they will focus on antimicrobial resistance by making progresses on the Regulations on Veterinary Medicinal Products and Medicated Feed, and on circular economy, envisaging to progress the negotiations for the six Waste Directives while also promoting discussions on marine litter and on the plastics strategy. Under the Maltese Presidency, EuCheMS will organise a workshop in Malta, in April, on the topic of Circular Economy and pharmaceuticals.
Source: http://www.eu2017.mt/