Malta - Strengthening of the institutional and administrative capacities

Short-term priorities:

• Presentation of a reform programme aimed at improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the public administration;
• Measures to complete the legislative framework for internal and external financial control;
• Establishment of a central organisation within the government for harmonising internal audit and control functions;
• Creation of an internal audit and control unit in spending centres;
• Introduction of functional independence for internal controllers and auditors and ex-ante financial control;
• Issue of an audit manual and development of an audit trial for control of European Union funds;
• Access to data on per capita GDP in accordance with EU methodology.

Assessment (November 2001)

The legislative framework for internal and external financial control has been completed. Certain measures aimed at improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the public administration have been adopted, but a general reform programme is still lacking. The data on per capita GDP has been produced in accordance with EU methodology.

Assessment (October 2002)

These priorities have not been assessed. The section on the Partnership for accession in the 2002 report focuses on issues which require more work in order to prepare Malta for accession.

Assessment (November 2003)

Please refer to the fact sheets on the adoption of the Community acquis.

Medium-term priorities:

• Reform of the public sector;
• Strengthening of public financial control functions through the provision of adequate staff, training and equipment;
• Adoption of EU-compatible statistical methodologies and practices, in particular as regards GDP estimation, harmonised consumer price indexes, short-term indicators, social statistics, business register and balance of payments.

Assessment (November 2001)

Public financial control functions have been strengthened. Measures have been adopted to improve the effectiveness of the public administration. EU-compatible statistical methodologies and practices have been adopted.

Assessment (October 2002)

These priorities have not been assessed.

Assessment (November 2003)

Please refer to the fact sheets on the adoption of the Community acquis.

Following the signing of the Accession Treaty on 16 April 2003, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia acceded to the European Union on 1 May 2004.

REFERENCES

Decision 2000/249/EC of 20.03.2000Official Journal L 78, 29.03.2000

Commission Report COM(2001) 700 final - SEC(2001) 1751Not published in the Official Journal

Commission Report COM(2002) 700 final - SEC(2002) 1407Not published in the Official Journal

Commission Report COM(2003) 675 final - SEC(2003) 1206Not published in the Official Journal

Treaty of Accession to the European Union [Official Journal L 236, 23.09.2003]

Last updated: 19.11.2004