PRESS RELEASE BY THE MINISTRY FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, PLANNING AND EMPLOYMENT AND THE MINISTRY FOR EUROPEAN FUNDS, SOCIAL DIALOGUE AND CONSUMER PROTECTION

ESPON Conference in Malta calls for stronger recognition of island realities in future EU Policies

The Ministry for European Funds, Social Dialogue and Consumer Protection, and the Malta ESPON Contact point today hosted the international conference “The Economic Costs of Insularity and EU Policy Responses", bringing together European policymakers, researchers, institutional representatives, economic stakeholders and experts to discuss how the realities of island territories can be better reflected in future European policies and investment frameworks. The conference will contribute to the discussion on the future of EU Cohesion Policy and builds on the recently launched EU Strategy for Islands.

In his opening speech, the Minister for Infrastructure, Planning and Employment, Jonathan Attard said that Malta's economic success and continued investment in infrastructure, as well as in the country's economic and social development, do not mean that the challenges arising from its insularity have disappeared.

“That was the message we conveyed at this conference, which comes at an opportune time, as the European Commission is increasingly recognising the challenges associated with insularity. At the same time, we are stressing that we now need to move from recognition to tangible measures that provide meaningful support to countries such as Malta, which face these realities," said Dr Attard.

The Conference highlighted the importance of ensuring that European policymaking better reflects the realities faced by islands and other territories with specific geographical characteristics.

Throughout the conference, participants examined the findings of the ESPON M-INSULAR study, which concludes that insularity creates permanent structural challenges related to connectivity, market access, infrastructure, service provision and economic scale. Discussions focused on whether greater flexibility within existing EU instruments is sufficient, or whether the territorial realities of islands should be taken into account more systematically in the design, appraisal and implementation of EU policies and programmes.

The event featured contributions from representatives of the European Commission, the European Parliament, ESPON, Cambridge Econometrics, academia, the business community, the Planning Authority, as well as public administration officials from Malta, Gozo, Cyprus and Greece. Discussions also explored islands' contribution to Europe's competitiveness, resilience, energy security and blue economy ambitions.

Addressing the conference, Minister for European Funds, Social Dialogue and Consumer Protection, Keith Azzopardi Tanti emphasised that “Malta's island status comes with specific structural challenges and costs, which need to be better reflected in European policies and funding. Recognising these challenges is an important step, but this recognition must now be translated into concrete action. As we look ahead to European policy and funding beyond 2027, we must continue working to ensure that the particular realities faced by islands such as Malta are properly taken into account, while also unlocking their full potential to contribute to a more resilient, competitive and connected Europe."

A key message emerging from the conference was the need to move beyond recognising the challenges of insularity towards strengthening the evidence base, developing a clearer understanding of the specific costs and gaps it creates, and using that evidence to inform future policy design, investment appraisal and funding frameworks. Participants underscored the importance of ensuring that European policies can respond effectively to different territorial realities while supporting sustainable and resilient development across all regions.