The Social Climate Fund provides significant financial support to EU Member States to finance measures and investments identified in their national Social Climate Plans, ensuring that the clean transition is fair and leaves no one behind. Running from 2026 to 2032, the Fund is expected to mobilise at least €86.7 billion, combining revenues from the new emissions trading system for fuel combustion in buildings, road transport and additional sectors (ETS2) as well as Member States’ contributions (at least 25% of the costs of their plans).

Malta’s plan will help vulnerable households improve the energy efficiency of their homes and renovate apartments in public social housing buildings, the statement said. It will do so through energy-efficiency upgrades, such as roof insulation, and the installation of renewable energy systems, including heat pump water heaters and photovoltaic systems with battery storage.

The plan will also expand sustainable transport options for more than 30,000 vulnerable transport users through door-to-door community transport services. In addition, it will support vulnerable micro-enterprises in transport-dependent sectors by improving access to affordable electric mobility and charging infrastructure, helping them transition to electric vehicles.

From 2026 to 2032, the measures will help to tackle energy poverty in the country and are expected to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 3,500 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent.

The plan was developed in consultation with national stakeholders and the Commission and reflects the needs of the country. The Commission concluded that it adequately addresses the social impacts of extending GHG emissions trading to buildings and road transport under the ETS2.

Malta will be able to request a first payment to the Commission once implementation has started and the initial investment results have been achieved, the statement said.

The post European Commission endorses Malta’s €60 million social climate plan first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

These works are being carried out in parallel with the plant’s detailed engineering and process design, marking a major milestone in one of Malta’s largest waste management investments.

The project represents a total investment of €75 million, including approximately €45 million in co-financing through the European Union Cohesion Fund. The new facility will more than double Malta’s capacity to treat organic waste and further strengthen the country’s transition towards a circular economy. This project is also part of the government’s electoral programme.

Minister for Energy, the Environment and the Regeneration of the Grand Harbour Miriam Dalli, Minister for European Funds Keith Azzopardi Tanti, and WasteServ CEO Richard Bilocca visited the site to view progress on the ongoing works.

“The start of works on this new facility marks another important milestone in a project that will enable us to recover more resources, generate more renewable energy, and continue building a stronger circular economy for Malta,” said Minister Miriam Dalli.

Minister Keith Azzopardi Tanti highlighted the important role of European funding in delivering strategic national infrastructure projects. “Through a €45 million investment co-financed by European funds, WasteServ is implementing a crucial project that will bring our country closer to a circular economy. We are demonstrating in practical terms how European funds can be invested in Malta’s real needs, while treating waste as a valuable resource from which we can generate clean energy and compost.”

Once operational, the new facility will increase annual organic waste treatment capacity from around 36,000 tonnes to more than 74,000 tonnes. As waste separation continues to increase, this additional capacity will enable significantly larger volumes of organic waste to be converted into renewable energy and high-quality compost, while increasing electricity generation from the current 8.5 GWh to up to 20 GWh annually.

The facility will also incorporate advanced technology and higher levels of automation to maximise efficiency, improve operational performance, and further enhance environmental safeguards.

WasteServ CEO Richard Bilocca said the project is progressing according to plan. “Construction has now entered its first phase, with excavation works underway across the site. General excavation is being carried out using specialised surface planer excavators that are specifically suited to the scale of the project while helping to minimise environmental impacts, particularly noise and vibration. In line with WasteServ’s commitment to sustainability, excavated material is also being reused on site to backfill low-lying areas to the required design levels. Works have also started on the construction of the facility’s perimeter retaining wall, while detailed process and engineering designs are currently being finalised.”

The Organic Processing Plant is expected to be completed within two years and will become another key component of the ECOHIVE strategy.

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However, while welcoming several of the amendments it had advocated, the Malta Business Bureau cautioned that the reform still falls short of adequately protecting island member states from the disproportionate costs of decarbonisation.

This introduction captures the contrast between the two statements from the outset: the government’s emphasis on success and the MBB’s more measured assessment, setting up the story to present both perspectives.

The government said it is satisfied that the European Commission’s revised Emissions Trading System (ETS) proposal incorporates a number of key Maltese priorities, including stronger protection for Malta Freeport, continued safeguards for the country’s air connectivity and the retention of dedicated support for island Member States.

The proposal for the revision reflects several recommendations consistently advanced by the Government throughout the past years following the entry into force of the current system, which recognise the unique realities faced by island states whose economies depend heavily on maritime and air transport.

The ETS is the European Union’s carbon pricing mechanism, which places a cost on emissions from shipping, aviation and other sectors. While the system is designed to drive down carbon emissions across Europe, its implementation must also ensure that island Member States are not placed at a structural disadvantage simply because of their geography.

These results are the outcome of sustained engagement by the government at European level, backed by continuous consultation with Malta’s private sector, the government statement said. “Government worked closely with businesses, industry representatives and operators to understand the practical realities they face and ensure Malta’s position was firmly grounded in evidence, practical experience and economic realities.”

As a result of these efforts, Malta positively notes that a number of important improvements to the current system are being put forward by the Commission.

Under the proposed revision, transhipment operations involving cargo arriving from non-EU ports and not destined for the European Union will no longer be subject to ETS charges. This is a significant achievement for Malta Freeport, safeguarding its competitiveness against rival transhipment hubs outside the European Union.

The Neighbouring Port clause has also been extended to cover all competing North African ports. This closes a loophole that previously incentivised shipping operators to make an intermediate stop outside the European Union purely to reduce their ETS costs before entering EU ports.

The government said it also welcomes the proposed retention of a dedicated allocation of ETS revenues for Malta, Cyprus and Greece until 2038.

In aviation, the temporary suspension of full ETS charges on departing flights has been maintained until 2032, helping safeguard Malta’s connectivity while limiting additional costs for airlines, businesses and passengers.

Minister for Energy, the Environment and the Regeneration of the Grand Harbour Miriam Dalli welcomed the revised proposal, describing it as proof that Malta can achieve meaningful results when it combines ambitious climate objectives with a strong defence of the national interest. “Climate action must be fair. Island states cannot be expected to carry disproportionate costs simply because of their geography. Throughout its active engagement with the European Commission ahead of this proposal, Malta consistently made the case that Europe’s climate ambitions must go hand in hand with competitiveness, connectivity and fairness. I am pleased that Malta’s realities are reflected in this revision, delivering tangible improvements that safeguard the competitiveness of our strategic maritime and aviation sectors.”

“We look forward to the negotiations in the Council where Government will continue working constructively to deliver further targeted support to our businesses and citizens. Our commitment to climate action is unwavering, but the transition must also be practical, equitable and leave no island state behind,” Minister Dalli stated.

For its part, the Malta Business Bureau (MBB) called for the re-design of EU ETS to deliver for all Member States, especially those in the periphery.

MBB said it has proposed concrete amendments to prevent disproportionate harm to Malta and other island Member States. In line with MBB amendments, the Commission has proposed a reduction in the transhipment activity threshold from 65% to 50% providing relief for Maltese transhipment against North African ports. The review was tasked by European Council conclusions of 19 March 2026, with reducing the volatility of the carbon price and mitigating its impact on supply chain costs, while preserving the ETS’s role in the climate transition.

It nonetheless falls short of proposing tangible measures which will reduce costs for maritime and aviation operators. MBB’s CEO Mario Xuereb said: “. MBB supports ambitious decarbonisation, but the structural realities of island states, higher transport and energy costs, limited economies of scale, and import dependence, must be reflected in the design of the EU ETS. Without targeted safeguards, the reform risks overburdening Malta with the costs of decarbonisation, without reaping any of the benefits.”

Malta, as an island Member State with no land connection to the rest of the Single Market, depends entirely on maritime and air links for the movement of goods and people. The MBB has repeatedly flagged that vessels carrying the majority of goods consumed in Malta return to the mainland more than half empty, meaning the full ETS cost is absorbed disproportionately across the round trip.

Decarbonisation measures in both sectors are far from being feasible to be implemented, and until then, Malta will be left to foot the bill. MBB has submitted concrete textual amendments to the Commission, including partial derogation from the maritime ETS surrender obligation for routes serving small islands with no fixed link to the mainland, and an equivalent free allocation for aviation to and from island airports of less than 10,000 km².

MBB said it had also proposed extending the definition of a “neighbouring container transhipment port” from 300 to 1,000 nautical miles, alongside lowering the threshold from 65% to 50%, which was accepted. While the Commission did not extend the radius itself, it introduced a further anti-evasion safeguard: any port within 150 nautical miles of an EU port with adequate transhipment infrastructure, will now qualify as a “neighbouring transhipment port” regardless of its transhipment share.

MBB welcomed this additional layer of protection against the relocation of transhipment activity to nearby non-EU ports. MBB’s Brussels-based Nigel Caruana said: “This ETS review is the first real test of the Commission’s commitment to tailor policies to island realities. The measures MBB has proposed would mitigate the impact on essential connectivity while preserving the environmental integrity of the system.” The European Commission published its EU ETS reform proposal on 17 July 2026.

The reform, the first legislative proposal shaping the post-2030 climate architecture, adjusts the Linear Reduction Factor, phases out free allowances, strengthens the Market Stability Reserve, and considers extending the system to waste and extra-EU/EEA flights. It also addresses revenue use and the potential inclusion of carbon removals and international credits. The EU ETS was extended to maritime transport from 2024 and reached full compliance from January 2026, with shipping companies now required to surrender allowances for 100% of verified emissions on qualifying voyages. Aviation allowances moved to full auctioning from 2026, following the phase-out of free allocation.

Malta, as one of three island Member States alongside Ireland and Cyprus, faces structural economic constraints recognised explicitly in Article 174 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), which identifies islands among regions “suffering from severe and permanent natural or demographic handicaps.”

The Commission’s ETS 2021 Impact Assessment (SWD(2021) 601 final) recognised that extra-EU imports and exports transported by sea account for over 50% of the total value of traded goods for island countries such as Malta, Cyprus and Greece, and that these countries and regions are among those most exposed to changes in shipping activity resulting from the ETS. Transport costs can exceed mainland benchmarks by up to 300%, and geographic isolation imposes GDP per capita costs estimated between 7% and 36%.

BusinessEurope and several Member States have highlighted competitiveness concerns, while others have called for greater ambition. The MBB, marking its 30th anniversary this year, said it will continue to advocate the Maltese government, the EU Commission, MEPs and BusinessEurope counterparts to ensure the final text of the ETS revision take proportionate account of the structural realities faced by island Member States.  

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According to Brian Vella, CEO of the Malta Food Agency, entering the agricultural sector from scratch in Malta has become an impossible feat for those who do not inherit land. The barrier is primarily financial, driven by a real estate reality that makes soil in Malta the most expensive in the European Union.

While an average hectare of arable land across the EU costs around 15,224 Euro, in Malta, that same patch of earth fetches over 201,263 Euro. This staggering thirteen-fold difference means landowners often find it more lucrative to sell their plots for alternative uses than to till them, creating a structural crisis for the nation’s food security.

The demographic shift is equally concerning. In an interview with this media house, Vella notes that the traditional pipeline of farming families has dried up. Where families once had many children, ensuring at least one stayed on the farm, modern smaller families and a societal push toward high-skilled professions have left the fields empty of local youth.

Farming is no longer seen as an attractive career path, a trend Vella admits is global but felt acutely on a small island with limited resources. Beyond the human element, Maltese agriculture faces a trifecta of environmental hurdles: a lack of fresh groundwater, extreme land fragmentation, and the increasing volatility of climate change.

Despite these pressures, Vella is adamant that Malta must maintain its own production. He compares local food to oxygen, arguing that while the country will always need imports to survive, fully relying on overseas supply is a dangerous gamble. Recent storms in early 2026 proved this point when supermarket shelves went bare after supply lines from Sicily were severed. To counter this, the Malta Food Agency is working to modernise the sector’s infrastructure. They have already digitized the Pitkalija market, introducing barcoding and a mobile app that allows farmers to track sales in real-time and consumers to trace their produce back to the specific field where it grew.

A significant part of the strategy involves addressing market failures caused by Malta’s small scale. Vella highlights a 3% tax incentive for farmers selling directly to the catering industry and plans for a Food Innovation Hub expected to open in the second half of 2027. This hub aims to solve the problem of overproduction; instead of wasting surplus tomatoes when prices drop, farmers will be able to use the provided infrastructure to process them into value-added products like salsa.

However, Vella notes that for these efforts to truly take root, Maltese farmers must overcome their hesitation toward cooperatives. To compete in a fast-paced market, individual growers need to unite to achieve better economies of scale. While the contribution of agriculture to the national GDP may be small, its role in maintaining a functional ecosystem is irreplaceable. By shortening supply chains to just a few kilometres, Malta offers a level of freshness that larger nations can only dream of, provided the island can find a way to keep its next generation of farmers on the land.

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Mumenti recently presented a cheque for €17,118.58 to Hospice Malta following Mumenti 5, a theatre production that brings together different artistic disciplines with the main support of APS Bank. Held in October 2025, the event united emerging talent, organisers and audiences in a shared effort to raise funds for Hospice Malta’s free palliative care services.

Through the commitment of everyone involved, Mumenti 5 made a meaningful contribution to families who rely on Hospice Malta’s care. The cheque presentation, held at Hospice Malta, recognised the collective effort behind the initiative, with APS Bank among the supporters of the production.

Jeremy Vassallo, CSR Manager at APS Bank, said: “Presenting this cheque at Hospice Malta was a reminder of why these initiatives matter. We thank everyone who took part and helped make this contribution possible.”

Rachael Blackburn, Head of Culture at APS Bank, added: “Mumenti 5 shows what can happen when people come together with a shared purpose. We are proud to support initiatives that give space to emerging talent while also making a real difference in our community.”

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“Non-hazardous waste increased by 18.2% (519,503 tonnes), while hazardous waste decreased by 3.3% (2,392 tonnes). Taking into consideration the total waste generation, the mineral fraction increased by 21.8% (502,983 tonnes) while the non-mineral fraction increased by 2.2% (14,128 tonnes).”

In absolute terms the highest increases were noted for non-hazardous Mineral waste from construction and demolition (323,198 tonnes) and non-hazardous Dredging spoils (131,989 tonnes). On the other hand, the most notable decreases were registered for non-hazardous Sorting residues (25,935 tonnes) and hazardous Discarded vehicles (21,482 tonnes), it said.

Waste treatment

In 2024 the total waste treatment amounted to 3 million tonnes, increasing by 14.6% (386,840 tonnes) in comparison to 2023.

Increases were registered for Backfilling (385,533 tonnes), Other disposals (175,010 tonnes) and Landfilling (14,937 tonnes). Conversely, decreases were recorded for Recycling (186,385 tonnes), Energy recovery (1,711 tonnes) and Incineration (545 tonnes).

When considering the location of treatment, the 2024 figures show that for the amounts treated in Malta, Backfilling registered the highest increase (385,533 tonnes) while Recycling experienced the highest decrease (198,010 tonnes). Regarding treatment in overseas facilities, the main increase was for Recycling (11,625 tonnes) while Energy recovery exhibited the highest decrease in absolute terms (1,711 tonnes), the NSO said.

“During 2024, increases were registered for the waste input into the Għallis landfill (9,435 tonnes), the Tal-Kus (Gozo) waste transfer station (829 tonnes) and the Sant’ Antnin Waste Treatment Plant (276 tonnes). On the other hand, decreases were registered at the Malta North Mechanical Biological Treatment plant (13,111 tonnes), and at the Marsa Thermal Treatment Facility (118 tonnes).”

In terms of weight, inert mineral waste is the major type of waste undergoing treatment in Malta. In 2024 the backfilling of Mineral waste from construction and demolition surged by 58% (381,727 tonnes). In contrast, recycling for this waste category declined by 13.6% (197,255 tonnes). In 2024 disposal at sea and backfilling for the remaining mineral waste categories both advanced by 175,010 tonnes and 3,806 tonnes, respectively.”

Separate collection of waste

In 2024, the collection from civic amenity sites and bring-in sites went down by 5,346 tonnes and 18 tonnes respectively. During the year under review, increases were registered in the door-to-door collections from households for the organic bag (2,444 tonnes), the grey bag (834 tonnes) and glass (299 tonnes). An increase of 887 tonnes was also registered for plastic, metals and glass that were collected by the Beverage Container Refund Scheme, the NSO said.

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With over a third (34.7%) of the Malta’s population reporting that such problems have affected their household, Malta recorded the highest rate for this metric by over 14 percentage points in comparison to the next worst European Union Member State, Greece.

Following Malta for how widespread these natured complaints were, were Greece (20.5%), Germany (16.8%), and France (16%).

On the other end of the spectrum, EU countries that reported the lowest share of their respective populations noting such complaints were Croatia (4.2%), followed by Sweden (5%), and Slovakia (5.8%).

Across the entire Union, 12.2% of the EU population reported pollution in their area to have affected their household. This marks a decrease of 2.9% since this was last reported by Eurostat in 2019, where the Union-wide percentage was 15.1%.

Malta is one of just seven EU countries that reported a percentage of at least 15% or over.

Following Malta, the next smallest countries in the European Union – Cyprus and Luxembourg – recorded percentages of 10.5% and 9.5% respectively.

Eurostat published that at EU level, exposure to pollution, grime, or other environmental issues increased with the degree of urbanisation. In rural areas across the continent, just 6.8% were affected; meanwhile, this share stood at 10.5% in towns and suburbs and 17.2% in cities.

The post Over a third of Malta’s population said they were affected by pollution in 2023 – Eurostat first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

The ministry said that this scheme is divided into five branches and aims to strengthen key areas within the same sector that have been identified as needing prioritisation and support. It continued that each branch supports audiovisual works at every stage of development, from script writing to production, with a key focus on creativity, quality, and cultural value.

With that said, the ministry added that in recent days, Arts Council Malta has also launched a sixth branch of the scheme, which the ministry said will assist in the promotion stage of cultural and audiovisual productions that were completed no more than 18 months prior to the submission of the full application. It added that this branch is managed on a rolling call basis and will close on 18 November 2025, or when the fund is fully disbursed.

Minister Owen Bonnici said that, for the second consecutive year, the government is investing heavily in Malta’s domestic film industry and consolidating their commitment to prioritising the sector and ensuring that it receives support. He commented that there was an investment of €1 million last year targeted towards Maltese film producers, and remarked that this year the investment was increased to €2 million to be given to local productions.

Bonnici said that the government strongly believes in the talents and capabilities of local filmmakers, “so much so that we made this part of our election promises, and promised to offer this local industry the recognition and resources it deserves”. He said that the government will continue to deliver on this promise, “not with a one-off measure, but with a clear plan that will undoubtedly strengthen the audiovisual ecosystem as a whole, and thus help it reach its potential”.

Arts Council Malta Executive Chairman Luke Dalli said that there was strong competition for this scheme, which he said shows how much enthusiasm and capacity there is in the field. He said that Arts Council Malta’s goal “goes beyond just financial support”, as he commented that a sustainable growth platform is being built with this scheme, “where creatives not only find funding, but also mentoring, professional development, and collaboration tools”.

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MaltaPost has again joined members of the Euromed Postal Joint Stamp Project in the issue of a new set of stamps bearing a common theme – “Resources of the Mediterranean”. In this regard, MaltaPost will issue a set of two stamps related to the main natural resource of the Maltese Islands, Globigerina Limestone. The stone’s relatively soft texture makes it easy to carve, rendering it an essential material for both structural and decorative purposes.

The €0.45 stamp shows a skilled stonemason, carving a low-relief design out of a large stone structure. The second stamp, bearing a denomination of €1.50, shows a striking example of a magnificent baroque building, the Banca Giuratale in Gozo, built in 1733 from locally quarried globigerina limestone. Both stamp visuals are the work of local artist Mariah Grech.

The set will be issued in a sheet of 10 stamps, with each stamp measuring 44 mm x 31 mm, with a comb perforation of 14.1 x 14.2 and bearing the Maltese Cross watermark. The sheets measure 115 mm x 182 mm and were produced in the offset process by Printex Limited. The issue consists of 100,000 stamps of the €0.45 denomination and 50,000 stamps of the €1.50 denomination.  

The stamps will be available from all Post Offices in Malta and Gozo from Wednesday 9 July 2025. Orders may be placed online at www.maltaphilately.com ; or by mail from the Philatelic Bureau, MaltaPost p.l.c., 305 Qormi Road, Marsa MTP 1001; by telephone 2596 1740 or via e-mail info@maltaphilately.com

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SOFTSWISS, an international tech company headquartered in Malta, has won an Eventex Award 2025 for its Kids Camp initiative in the Corporate Event category. Designed to support employees by engaging their children in a unique, cross-border experience, the programme reflects SOFTSWISS’ commitment to creating an inclusive and supportive workplace. The recognition places the company alongside global leaders such as Disney, Nike, and Netflix, all recipients in this year’s awards.

Held in August 2024, the SOFTSWISS Kids Camp brought together 65 children of employees in the Masurian Lake District in Poland, an area renowned for its natural beauty. The week-long camp welcomed participants from SOFTSWISS development hubs in Warsaw and Poznań, as well as team members from Georgia, Cyprus, Germany, and other locations across Europe.

This initiative is part of the company’s people-first approach to HR and team culture. With a growing presence in Malta, one of Europe’s leading hubs for tech and iGaming talent, SOFTSWISS continues to raise the bar for employee wellbeing across its global teams. The Kids Camp programme is a testament to this, combining custom educational activities with a focus on cross-cultural understanding and family connection.

The camp featured immersive learning experiences, including a children’s hackathon that addressed real-world challenges like flooding in Brazil, and creative workshops aimed at fostering empathy and social awareness.

“One of my favourite aspects of this project was that the activities at the camp were not just fun and play, but also had an impact, where the children got to experience supporting their fellow humans,” said Shannon Jones, a jury member of the Eventex Award 2025.

Organising an eco-conscious, cross-border event for children and families within a hybrid workplace model posed logistical challenges. Still, SOFTSWISS successfully delivered a memorable and meaningful experience, one that aligns with its values of trust, diversity, and care.

“Kids Camp is a powerful example of how we care for our team beyond the workplace. It reflects our belief that a supportive culture embraces the whole person, not just the employee. At SOFTSWISS, we truly stand for the value of family, recognising it as an integral part of our people’s lives. This award reaffirms that meaningful, people-first initiatives rooted in care and connection can build stronger teams, lasting trust, and a genuine sense of belonging,”  mentioned Liudmila Glasunova, Co-Chief HR Officer at SOFTSWISS.

As SOFTSWISS expands its operations in Malta and beyond, the company remains committed to creating spaces that promote connection and well-being across borders. Initiatives like Kids Camp complement other efforts such as Movember and Pink October awareness drives, mental health programmes, professional development support, and regional events that unite employees in person, including in Malta, where the company’s presence continues to grow.

Now in its 15th edition, the Eventex Awards is one of the most recognised global celebrations in the events and experience industry. This year’s competition received 1,239 entries from 59 countries across six continents. For more information about SOFTSWISS and its award-winning campaigns, visit www.softswiss.com.

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