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Research - Malta

Updated 09/2011

Legal requirements

The EU would like to see spending on Research and Development (R&D) reach 3% of GDP by 2020, as set out in the EU2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. With this in mind, Malta is encouraging businesses to invest in research and innovation.

The Malta Council for Science and Technology (MCST) has charted the way forward in Research and innovation (R&I) through the formulation of a strategic plan, presenting a vision for R&I in Malta. The vision for the R&I strategy proposed for 2007-2010 is "Research and Innovation at the heart of the Maltese economy to support value-added growth and wealth."

Malta's Strategic Plan for Research and Innovation 2007-2010 provides the national framework for research and resulting innovation in Malta.

The Strategic Plan makes provisions for the increase of human resources in science and technology, increasing both business and public research, increasing collaboration between academia and industry, the importance of intellectual property protection, amongst others.

With the coming to an end of the period covered by the present R&I strategic plan, there is a need to reflect on achievements, challenges and changes which have taken place over the past three years and design a new R&I plan which builds on progress made and lessons learnt from the 2007-2010 R&I strategic plan. MCST will be embarking on this work with a view to having a new R&I plan in 2011.

Malta's policy also includes the launch of a Research and Development Grant Scheme and Tax incentives aiming to promote R&D further with the Maltese enterprise community. The importance of improved links between human resources in Science and Technology (S&T) and increased research is also outlined in Malta's Higher and Further Education Strategy.

R&D bodies

The main national actors in relation to these issues and R&D in general include:

Alongside R&D, innovation is essential for businesses to develop and stay competitive.

Intellectual property must be protected to encourage research.

Programmes

Malta Enterprise is currently developing a set of new incentives to support organisations involved in, or planning to undertake, industrial research and experimental development. These are likely to include grants or tax incentives for R&D projects; skills transfers where highly trained experts from research organisations or larger enterprises advise SMEs, and support for enterprises carrying out technical feasibility studies which may lead to research projects.

Businesses involved in industrial research and experimental development may be eligible for Investment Aid tax credits.

The National R&I Programme provides financial support for applied research, development and innovation in the priority research areas identified in the national R&I strategic plan. The programme focuses on technology transfer and collaboration between academia and industry or public entities and is based on a bottom-up approach.

The programme, administered by the MCST, had an annual budget of €700,000 in 2010 and has been allocated a budget of €1,100,000.  Calls under this programme are published once per year. 

MCST is also the national contact organization for the EU’s Framework Programme for Research, Development and Technological Development, and, as such, aims to help Maltese companies wishing to try for EU funding under the Seventh Framework Programme for Research (FP7).

EUREKA, a European initiative aimed at stimulating research efforts and innovation, helps companies unify their resources and collaborate with research institutes for the development of advanced technologies and market oriented products.

Check also the legislation on this topic in:

  • References

    Key documents

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