EU-Malaysia Media Night 2026 rings in new chapter for Team Europe and press ties

Organised annually by the Delegation of the European Union to Malaysia, this year’s edition was held with the Council with the aim to provide a dynamic platform for dialogue by bringing together the media fraternity with the Heads of Missions and representatives from 18 EU Member States for an evening of networking.

Moving away from the regular format of cocktail dinners, this year’s media night came with a creative twist, featuring a high-energy "speed-dating" session. 

This innovative format allowed some 45 journalists to engage in three rapid-fire rounds of direct four-eyed conversations with the EU Ambassador to Malaysia, as well as 18 Ambassadors or representatives from EU Member States.

In his keynote address, EU Ambassador to Malaysia H.E. Rafael Daerr highlighted the importance of transparency and access to information in modern diplomacy.

He noted that open interactions with journalists, who stand as vanguards of truth, are crucial for fostering a deeper understanding of the complex, multifaceted relationship between the EU and Malaysia.

Ambassador Daerr opened by praising Malaysia’s "highly successful" 2025 ASEAN Chair-ship, noting that Malaysia provided critical leadership at a pivotal moment for the region. 

He emphasised that the surge in high-level diplomatic visits over the past year including the Malaysian Prime Minister’s visit to Brussels in January last year, signalled a strong commitment to strengthen partnerships.

Ambassador Daerr also laid out the sheer scale of the economic partnership, noting that the EU remains Malaysia’s fourth largest trading partner and the second largest source of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), with €32 billion in stocks, adding that the EU has an undeniably strong foothold in Malaysia, with nearly 2,000 companies from 26 EU Member States operating across all states, from Sabah to Kedah. 

"These figures are not abstract. Behind every number there are jobs, businesses, and families. This partnership delivers for both the EU and Malaysia,” said Ambassador Daerr while also underscoring the media’s key role in highlighting these primary links binding EU-Malaysia relations.

“We are looking forward to further strengthening our partnership over the course of the coming year, in particular in the areas of trade and investment (with further progress on FTA negotiations), on common challenges such as climate change, supply chain resilience, and regional security,” he added.

He also said that there is tremendous potential to do even more together, particularly through the Global Gateway. 

There are currently two flagship Global Gateway programmes in Malaysia – the Lumut Maritime Industrial City (LuMIC) in Perak, which is expected to generate 55,000 jobs in the next 25 to 30 years, and also Infineon’s expansion in Kulim, now the world’s largest 200-mm semiconductor plant.

“These projects show how the Global Gateway is driving technological development and deepening EU-Malaysia cooperation. They also show that we invest for the long term, not just for quick returns,” said Ambassador Daerr.

Representing the media fraternity, Premesh Chandran, Deputy Chairperson of the MMM expressed his enthusiasm for the maiden collaboration between the EU and the Council.

He underscored the role of the Council as an independent, self-regulatory body established under the Malaysian Media Council Act to uphold journalistic ethics, safeguard press freedom, and serve as a bridge between media and public disputes, as well as the importance of global partnerships to the Council.

“We greatly appreciate collaborating with the EU on hosting the media night. It was a great opportunity for the industry to meet various Ambassadors from the EU, and to get to know the EU better. We look forward to further collaborations,” said Premesh in his remarks. 

He added that the speed-dating format served as an effective icebreaker between the journalists and embassy representatives, besides giving media professionals an unprecedented look into both the individual priorities of Member States and the collective stance of the EU.

By the time the bell rang at the end of the third round, new connections were forged, copious business cards have exchanged hands, and the groundwork has successfully been laid down for a better partnership between journalists and Team Europe.