‘Malta’s size can be its advantage’ - Metsola

An international conference held in St Julian’s Tuesday was an example of how Malta can use its size to its advantage, the president of the European Parliament has said.

Addressing delegates at multi-practice association Delphi Alliance’s second global conference – held in collaboration with Times of Malta – at the Hilton Hotel via video link, EP president Roberta Metsola said she was “proud that this is taking place in Malta”.

The conference, she said, showed “how Malta can shape the global discussion – how we can use our size, not as a hindrance, but as an advantage”.

Metsola used her address to discuss concerns and aims relating to EU competitiveness, the strength of the bloc’s single market and its strategic partnerships worldwide.

Recounting Malta’s ascension to the EU, Metsola said “one of the most exciting prospects... was the idea of being part of a unified market with more choice, lower prices and greater access to goods and services”.

“For my country and our businesses, it meant growing in a growing union,” she said.

Turning to competitiveness – one of the “twin engines” of the EU alongside security considerations – Metsola said it was “time to move from ambition to action”.

“That means taking real, concrete steps to put Europe back on a stable path to growth by cutting red tape, deepening our single market and boosting productivity,” she said.

The EP president noted the union had “postponed the application of some corporate reporting and due diligence requirements”, while also adjusting tariffs to soften the blow of international trading policy changes on small and medium-sized enterprises.

Acknowledging challenges, however, Metsola said while Europe was home to “some of the best PhDs in artificial intelligence in the world, only 20% of them [graduates] decide to stay... because it is so difficult for them to start and scale up here”.

Seeming to try to assuage concerns over the EU’s relationship with the USA following trade talks she noted had dominated media headlines recently, Metsola stressed there was “no stronger alliance, no deeper democratic partnership, in the history of the modern world”.

“Our economies are as intertwined as our ways of life,” she said.

Around three weeks ago, US President Donald Trump threatened fresh tariffs against the bloc in response to what he described as “discriminatory” taxes and regulations targeting American tech firms.

Metsola said that efforts to strengthen Europe’s ties with the US “should not come at the expense of strengthening our alliances worldwide”, however, pointing to the UK, Canada, Africa, Latin America, the Indo-Pacific region and the United Arab Emirates as areas for closer cooperation.

‘Malta is moving up on every index that matters’

Speaking at the same event, Economy Minister Silvio Schembri delivered a robust assessment of the country’s future, saying Malta was “moving upwards on every international index that matters”.

Annual results of an index measuring foreign direct investment (FDI) released earlier this month saw Malta achieve the biggest jump out of all the countries on the index, tapping its status as an EU member state.

Economy Minister Silvio Schembri called on businesses to engage with Malta on a range of initiatives. Photo: Jonathan Borg.

Schembri stressed Malta is “small enough to be agile... From iGaming – contributing around seven per cent of gross value added – to advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, maritime and aviation, Malta brings unique specialisation to the table”.

“It's not only where Malta stands today, it’s the speed of our progress,” he said.

Calling the Delphi Alliance conference “more than a meeting; it is an opportunity to act,” Schembri called on delegates to engage with Malta on a wide range of business matters.

“Use Malta to stress test your supply chains, commit to pilot projects and turn theory into productivity... and let Malta be your proving ground,” he said.

“Malta is not just a backdrop for your discussion; Malta is ready to be a platform and a partner".

Discussions later in the conference focused on doing business in Malta, geopolitical and geoeconomic developments, artificial intelligence, capital investment and cross-border tax policies.

Delphi Alliance CEO Christos Christodoulou (R). Photo: Jonathan Borg.

Guests included speakers from private companies, the Tax and Customs Administration and members of the diplomatic corps. The conference was hosted by law firm EMD Advocates.

Delphi Alliance includes companies from a range of industries including real estate, finance, hospitality, energy, shipping, aviation, industry, trading, services, technology, education and media.