VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Time is running out for Malta to secure hundreds of millions in EU funding for a mass transport system, according to a forthcoming report commissioned by the Nationalist Party in MEP Peter Agius.
The report argues that although both major parties and NGOs support a mass transit system, Malta has yet to seriously tap into competitive EU funds that could finance much of the project’s hefty cost.
Prepared with the support of the European Parliament’s research services, the report outlines how Malta could use two major EU funding streams—the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) and the ETS Innovation Fund. Both are highly competitive and require detailed, technically mature project proposals.
A key warning is that Malta risks missing out as negotiations over the next EU budget continue. The island’s rising wealth, now around 105% of the EU average, will see it classified as a “more-developed region” from 2028, reducing access to generous traditional funds such as the Cohesion Fund, which currently covers up to 85% of major transport projects. Future funding would drop to roughly 40–50%, leaving taxpayers with a far larger bill.
Competitive funding is the only alternative, but Malta performs poorly in this area due to limited administrative capacity and fewer large research institutions capable of drafting winning bids.
Agius said Malta should lobby urgently in Brussels and seek alliances with other islands, including Cyprus and Ireland, to secure recognition of the specific mobility challenges faced by island regions.
For CEF eligibility, Malta must show that its mass transport system forms part of Europe’s wider network, not merely a local upgrade. For the ETS Innovation Fund, the project must present itself as a cutting-edge, net-zero mobility solution with substantial decarbonisation impact.
In a joint reply, the Finance, Transport and EU Funds ministries said no applications have been submitted because the proposal is still being developed with Arup. Once route selection, engineering designs and environmental studies are complete, they said, Malta will be in a better position to pursue EU opportunities.
The government also noted recent successes in securing CEF funds for maritime decarbonisation and dismissed concerns about post-2027 classifications, insisting current funding windows remain open.
– photo IPA Agency –
(ITALPRESS).
