Malta submits National Reform Programme 2015 to European Commission

The ministry for finance has submitted its National Reform Programme 2015 to the European Commission.

The programme outlines the government’s policies and measures pertaining to Malta’s country-specific recommendations, and its efforts to sustain growth and jobs and to reach the Europe 2020 targets. The document is submitted annually and forms part of the European Union’s Economic Semester.

It also addresses the most pressing issues, which are, in the European Commission’s view, in most need of attention and reforms. These are commonly known as the Country Specific Recommendations (CSRs).

The reform programme focuses on raising potential output, putting back the country’s public finances on solid ground, and enhancing Malta’s competitiveness in light of an encouraging economic and financial climate.

This year’s programme focuses on four main priority areas: strengthening the sustainability of public finances by ensuring the attainment of Malta’s fiscal targets, strengthening labour market performance and addressing skill mismatches, ensuring resource efficiency in the energy and transportation sectors, and strengthening Malta’s business environment by improving access to finance for SMEs, reducing bureaucratic practices, and reforming the justice system.

The budget framework behind the National Reform Programme 2015 represents the first step along the way towards the Budget 2016, which will be aligned with the European Semester.

The National Reform Programme 2015 Document can be accessed online on: http://mfin.gov.mt/en/Library/Pages/National-Reform-Programme.aspx