He began his career in politics as an advisor to the Foreign Minister on European Union matters from 1989 until 1995. From 1992 until 1995 he also served as member of the board of directors of the Maltese Central Bank. He was elected to Parliament in 1995 as a member of the Nationalist Party. He later served as Parliamentary Secretary within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 1998 to 1999 and was subsequently appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1999. He held this post until he was nominated Commissioner for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs in 2004, upon Malta's accession to the EU.