After gaining independence from the United Kingdom in 1964, Malta immediately sought friendly relations with the European Union. Though Malta did not gain membership until 2004, it has been significantly influenced by the EU, has influenced the EU and seeks to continue exerting influence on the EU. This paper seeks to present evidence demonstrating how Malta’s social and economic condition have changed since joining the EU, how Malta has worked to make the issues salient to them salient to the EU as well as to drive for change in EU policies in those issue centers. My paper relies on scholarly journal articles, documents presented by the European Union, and scholarly works by various experts in EU-Malta relations will begin by explaining the
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Malta reduced its budget deficit from 10% to 2% by 2006. It also reduced its public debt significantly, has kept its inflation rate under the 3% value, and continues to have falling interest rates. Meeting with these terms are signals of increasing economic growth and stability (EU, EFA). This growth can be attributed to the EU membership and economic reform policies because three years before attaining membership, Malta’s rate of economic growth was decreasing but between 2005 and 2007, economic growth reached an average of 3.5%. Joining the Eurozone also meant that Malta could use the Euro as its official currency and it benefitted from the stable exchange rate regime. The Lira, Malta’s previous currency was small and vulnerable to massive economic shocks in the world, but adoption of the Euro gave Malta a stable and credible currency and gave Malta a higher credit rating, an important indicator when borrowing money from other nations (Tabone, …show more content…
Though gender inequality is an area that Malta continues to lack in when compared to other EU nations, the national organization as well as projects co-financed by the European Social Fund have been implemented with the goals of raising the overall employment rate and increasing the number of women in the workforce. Malta’s continued commitment to the promotion and implementation of projects to fight gender inequality have been recognized by the EU and the United Nations. The Maltese government has also worked to rewrite government policies that may have gender discrimination written into them and to make them more gender inclusive (Social
Malta reduced its budget deficit from 10% to 2% by 2006. It also reduced its public debt significantly, has kept its inflation rate under the 3% value, and continues to have falling interest rates. Meeting with these terms are signals of increasing economic growth and stability (EU, EFA). This growth can be attributed to the EU membership and economic reform policies because three years before attaining membership, Malta’s rate of economic growth was decreasing but between 2005 and 2007, economic growth reached an average of 3.5%. Joining the Eurozone also meant that Malta could use the Euro as its official currency and it benefitted from the stable exchange rate regime. The Lira, Malta’s previous currency was small and vulnerable to massive economic shocks in the world, but adoption of the Euro gave Malta a stable and credible currency and gave Malta a higher credit rating, an important indicator when borrowing money from other nations (Tabone, …show more content…
Though gender inequality is an area that Malta continues to lack in when compared to other EU nations, the national organization as well as projects co-financed by the European Social Fund have been implemented with the goals of raising the overall employment rate and increasing the number of women in the workforce. Malta’s continued commitment to the promotion and implementation of projects to fight gender inequality have been recognized by the EU and the United Nations. The Maltese government has also worked to rewrite government policies that may have gender discrimination written into them and to make them more gender inclusive (Social