The Malta Business Bureau, alongside Business MED9, this week held a high-level panel on Cohesion Policy at the European Parliament in Brussels. This marks a major milestone: the first formal joint initiative by business federations across the nine Mediterranean EU Member States.

Mediterranean regions face unique structural challenges, from insularity to connectivity. To thrive, we need targeted solutions, not a one-size-fits-all approach.

Speaking for Malta, Kevin Mizzi (The Malta Chamber) highlighted our vital dependence on transport and the need for sustained funding to tackle the inherent handicaps of an island nation. His message was clear: MED9 states must be policymakers, not policy-takers.

Key priorities from our discussion:

• Proactivity: Being proactive and anticipating challenges.
• Flexibility: Making EU funds more flexible and adaptable in response to current shocks and realities.
• Connectivity: Taking into account transport connectivity disparities in the Mediterranean when allocating Cohesion funding.
• Collaboration: The need to strengthening multi-level governance to bring together all stakeholders, involved in the benefits of Cohesion funding to ensure a genuine bottom-up approach.

Representing Malta was MBB’s Brussels-based team, Nigel Caruana and Juliette Mizzi.