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Public Consultation – EU Funds for Malta 2021-2027

European Solidarity Corps – Evaluation of Current and Former Programmes

The European Commission has launched a public consultation on November 13, 2023, to gather opinions on the European Solidarity Corps, an EU programme for young people interested in solidarity activities. The consultation is open until February 5, 2024, and participants can contribute in any of the 24 EU languages. The aim is to gather ideas and proposals for the future of the programme, regardless of whether they have already volunteered or are interested in participating.

2021-2027 Multi-Annual Financial Framework for Malta

In 2018, the European Commission launched budgetary and regulatory proposals for the Multi-Annual Financial Framework (MFF) for the 2021-2027 programming period. In December 2020, the MFF was adopted whilst the fund specific regulations, which set out the objectives and scope of the funds, were adopted during the course of 2021.

In order to access funds under the MFF, Member States are required to prepare a Partnership Agreement and plans or programmes covering various funds for the 2021-2027 period. These programmes aim to capture interventions under the following funds: the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), Cohesion Fund (CF), Just Transition Fund (JTF) and European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF). Programmes covering the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF), Border Management and Visa Instrument (BMVI), and the Internal Security Fund (ISF) will also support migration and security initiatives under the 2021-2027 period. In addition, the Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan (CAP SP) shall cover the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF).

The Partnership Agreement is a strategic document that outlines the main parameters of EU funded plans and programmes as well as synergies with other EU instruments including the Recovery and Resilience Facility, InvestEU, ERASMUS and Horizon, amongst others. Such coordination between instruments is instrumental for Member States to maximise the use of EU funding sources and to ensure coherence between different EU funded initiatives.

In 2019, the Ministry responsible for EU Funds launched a consultation process on Malta’s challenges and investment needs that may be supported through the new wave of EU funds for the 2021-2027 period. During 2020, five (5) committees were set up with the aim of providing insights on investment priorities necessary for Malta’s socio-economic development. These committees focused on:

Mobility and connectivity
Innovative, digital and smart economic transformation
Greener, clean and resilient environment
Social cohesion, and
Gozo’s Development Needs.

Consultations were held in line with the partnership principle in accordance with multi-level governance and a bottom-up approach. Stakeholders consulted included Government entities, urban and other public authorities, civil society, environmental entities, bodies representing social inclusion, fundamental rights, rights of persons with disabilities, gender equality and non-discrimination, and youths, amongst others.

Some of the main outcomes emanating from the respective sectoral committees are as follows:

Mobility and connectivity
- Further investment on pedestrian routes and passageways to reduce private car dependency is important;
- Ensure better access to Ten-T roads by reducing bottlenecks whilst promoting the uptake of collective/public transport is needed;
- Further investment in modal shift is critical for a sustainable transport system, including electrification of cars, charging points, and further park and ride facilities.
Innovative, digital and smart economic transformation
- Invest in human capital from a young age to support the growth and address skills mismatches
- Research in smart specialisation areas and areas relevant to the labour market remains important
- Better integration of e-government platforms and opportunities for the private sector to strengthen digitalisation practices remains important
- Provide reskilling opportunities for the workforce that may become redundant in view of progress in Artificial intelligence, amongst others, and
- Support business start-ups and growth, particularly through access to finance.
Greener, clean and resilient environment
- There is economic opportunity to invest in the green and circular economy as well as preparing the future generations for green jobs
- Consideration should be given to improved water management and conservation of the marine environment, amongst others
- Investment in energy supply and stability remains crucial whilst Renewable Energy Sources (RES) possibilities should continue to be explored, and
- Future planning and investments in infrastructure should consider environmental impacts.
Social cohesion
- Investments in health and social initiatives addressing the needs of vulnerable groups should be given priority, including in the areas of mental health, children, persons with a disability;
- More importance should be given to gender equality;
- Investments in quality education that caters for the needs of the industry, fosters lifelong learning and caters for the needs of persons with a disability, amongst others, is highly important;
- Improved recognition of formal, non-formal and informal learning, including vocational education should be pursued.
Gozo’s Development Needs
- Transport infrastructure, green economy, digitalisation and decarbonisation, including through RES should be the priority for future investments;
- Opportunities for further investment in tourism;
- A holistic strategy for Gozo providing a framework for a greener, innovative and economically sustainable environment is needed;
- Eco Gozo and Tourism, including social tourism are important; and
- Upskilling of the labour force and education remain necessary.

Over one hundred forty-five (145) entities were invited to attend meetings held in 2019 and 2020. The aim of such meetings was to identify needs which could be addressed through one or more EU Funds under the 2021-2027 period. Furthermore, in 2020 and 2021, bilateral meetings with various stakeholders were also held with a particular focus on the EMFAF, Common Agricultural Policy (covering the EAFRD and EAGF) as well as justice funds.

A wider consultation exercise was carried out in 2021 with the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development which is the formally established structure in Malta representing the main employer bodies, trade unions and civil society as well as Government. The outcome of these meetings was taken into consideration in the finalisation of several public consultation documents which served as the basis for the finalisation of the Programmes and Plans for the period 2021-2027.

In response to the consultations carried out in 2021, a total of one hundred fifty-nine (159) submissions were received from the public administration, social partners, non-government and international organisations, the private sector and the general public.

A list of stakeholders consulted can be found here and presentations delivered are available to download as well.

A list of documents published in 2021 may be found hereunder:

Public Consultation Document European Social Fund Plus

Public Consultation Document European Regional Development Fund, Cohesion Fund, Just Transition Fund

Public Consultation Document European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund

Public Consultation Document CAP Strategic Plan

Malta’s Recovery and Resilience Plan: Public Consultation on REPowerEU Chapter

Malta’s Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) was endorsed by the European Commission in September 2021 in line with the Council Implementing Decision on the approval of the assessment of the Recovery and Resilience Plan for Malta. Since the adoption of the Plan, the context has changed in light of the challenges arising from the war in Ukraine which highlight immediate needs to take swift action to ensure enhanced resilience in the domestic energy mix and reduce dependency on fossil fuels.

On 18 May 2022, the European Commisson published the REPowerEU Plan, which highlights European Union action to be taken with respect to energy security of supply and storage including actions to save energy, diversify supplies and accelerate Europe’s clean energy transition. In view of this Plan, the RRF Regulation (EU) 2023/435 was amended to factor in the new realities and ambitions of the REPowerEU Plan, which now requires Member States to include dedicated REPowerEU Chapters in their existing Recovery and Resilience Plans.

Malta’s REPowerEU Chapter initiatives aim to contribute towards supporting energy security of supply, through the strengthening and widening of the electricity grid and battery storage as well as reforming the permitting process with a view to accelerate permitting timeframes and encourage RES projects. Initiatives will be implemented through a total budget of €69.9 mn.

Interested parties are invited to put forward their views, suggestions and comments in reaction to this document from Wednesday 5th April 2023 to Friday 21st April 2023, 17:00hrs CEST.

Public Consultation Notification – Recovery and Resilience Plan, REPowerEU Chapter

Public Consultation Document – Recovery and Resilience Plan, REPowerEU Chapter