COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT 2026 Rule of Law Report Country Chapter on the rule of law situation in Malta Accompanying the document Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions 2026 Rule of Law Report The rule of law situation in the European Union
Date: 2026-07-17
Institutions: European Commission, Secretariat-General
Subjects: Malta, administrative transparency, corruption, democracy, freedom of the press, human rights, independence of the judiciary, pluralism in the media, rule of law, whistleblowing

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 17.7.2026  SWD(2026) 918 final  COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT 2026 Rule of Law Report                           Country Chapter on the rule of law situation in Malta Accompanying the document Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions 2026 Rule of Law Report                            The rule of law situation in the European Union {COM(2026) 900 final} - {SWD(2026) 901 final} - {SWD(2026) 902 final} - {SWD(2026) 903 final} - {SWD(2026) 904 final} - {SWD(2026) 905 final} - {SWD(2026) 906 final} - {SWD(2026) 907 final} - {SWD(2026) 908 final} - {SWD(2026) 909 final} - {SWD(2026) 910 final} - {SWD(2026) 911 final} - {SWD(2026) 912 final} - {SWD(2026) 913 final} - {SWD(2026) 914 final} - {SWD(2026) 915 final} - {SWD(2026) 916 final} - {SWD(2026) 917 final} - {SWD(2026) 919 final} - {SWD(2026) 920 final} - {SWD(2026) 921 final} - {SWD(2026) 922 final} - {SWD(2026) 923 final} - {SWD(2026) 924 final} - {SWD(2026) 925 final} - {SWD(2026) 926 final} - {SWD(2026) 927 final} - {SWD(2026) 928 final} - {SWD(2026) 929 final} - {SWD(2026) 930 final} - {SWD(2026) 931 final}  
 
 
ABSTRACT  

In Malta, a new Commissioner for Standards of the Judiciary has taken office. While political 
debate continued on the appointment of the Chief Justice, reforms to involve the judiciary in 
the process are still pending. Reforms to strengthen the independence of specialised tribunals 
are  advancing.  Notwithstanding  the  ongoing  recruitment  of  staff  and  expansion  of  court 
premises,  the  need  for  an  increase  in  resources  for  the  judiciary  remains.  Recruitment  of 
prosecutors continued, with the number of prosecutions increasing. A reform of the Lawyers’ 
Act remains pending. The framework for judicial training could be improved. Investments in 
the digitalisation of justice are advancing at a limited pace, and a number of systems are still 
to  be  implemented.  Reforms  have  been  adopted  to  improve  the  specialisation  of  courts, 
including  the  establishment  of  a  Commercial  Court  and  a  reform  of  the  Family  Court. 
Initiatives  to  expedite  court  procedures  are  pending.  The  length  of  proceedings  remains  a 
concern. 

Most  actions  under  the  National  Anti-Fraud  and  Corruption  Strategy  have  been  completed, 
and  the  authorities  are  preparing  a  new  strategy.  The  Police  and  the  Attorney  General 
continued to increase their resources and launched new investigations and prosecutions into 
corruption cases, while a robust track record of final judgments remains to be achieved. The 
capacity  of  the  Permanent  Commission  against  Corruption  to  effectively  contribute  to  the 
investigation  and  prosecution  of  corruption  cases  remains  limited.  Integrity  training  for  the 
public service continued to  be delivered and the police adopted a corporate strategy for the 
years 2025 to 2030. Action remains to be taken to improve the overall ethics framework of 
the  public  administration.  A  reform  of  asset  and  interest  declarations  for  Members  of 
Parliament  and  Ministers  remains  outstanding.  A  digital  portal  to  process  whistleblowing 
reports has become operational. Malta has adopted legislative amendments on the granting of 
citizenship,  following  the  judgment  of  the  Court  of  Justice  of  the  EU.  Resources  for  audit 
institutions  further  increased  and  officials  in  charge  of  tenders  are  now  required  to  declare 
any conflict of interest, while action remains to be taken to effectively mitigate corruption in 
high-risk sectors such as public procurement.  

integrated  e-management  system,  designed 

Legislation was adopted providing the media regulator with new competences and enhancing 
certain  aspects  of  the  independent  governance  of  public  service  media,  while  challenges 
the  processing, 
persist.  An 
accessibility  and  transparency  of  access  to  documents  requests,  became  operational.  While 
certain safeguards have been introduced in relation to protection of sources and confidential 
communications, protection against surveillance and a ban on intrusive surveillance software, 
legislative  reforms  remain  pending  to  improve  the  protection  of  media  freedom  and  the 
working environment of journalists.  

to  enhance 

Limited steps were taken towards establishing a formal framework for public participation in 
the  legislative  process.  A  National  Human  Rights  Institution,  as  well  as  a  regulatory 
framework  for  civil  society,  remain  to  be  established;  the  Government  announced  both 
reforms would be treated as a policy priority in the new Legislature. 

1 

 
 
 
RECOMMENDATIONS 

Overall, based on the recommendations in  the 2025 Rule of Law Report, considering other 
developments  that  took  place  in  the  period  of  reference  and  in  addition  to  recalling  the 
relevant  commitments  made  under  the  Recovery  and  Resilience  Plan,  and  the  country-
specific  recommendation  under  the  European  Semester  on  the  efficiency  of  the  justice 
system, the Commission concludes the following:  

•  There  has  been  no  further  progress  on  the  tabled  reform  to  involve  the  judiciary  in  the 
procedure for the appointment of the Chief Justice, as the political debate continued. As 
the  reform  is  still  pending,  it  is  recommended  to  Malta  to  take  forward  reforms  with  a 
view  to  involve  the  judiciary  in  the  procedure  for  the  appointment  of  the  Chief  Justice, 
taking into account European standards on judicial appointments.  

•  No  further  progress  has  been  made  on  stepping  up  efforts  to  improve  the  efficiency  of 
justice,  particularly  to  reduce  the  length  of  proceedings,  which  remains  a  concern.  
Therefore, it is recommended to Malta to take forward initiatives to increase resources, 
reform court procedures, and advance digitalisation with a view to improve the efficiency 
of justice.   

•  Limited  progress  has  been  made  to  address  challenges  related  to  the  length  of 
investigations  of  high-level  corruption  cases,  as  the  Police  and  the  Attorney  General 
continued to  increase their resources and launched new investigations and prosecutions. 
No progress has been made on establishing a robust track record of final judgments given 
the high backlog of pending court cases, judges’ workload and the limited team of four 
magistrates handling preliminary inquiries. Therefore, it is recommended to Malta to step 
up  efforts  to  address  challenges  related  to  the  length  of  investigations  of  high-level 
corruption cases, and to establish a robust track record of final judgments.  

•  Limited  progress  has  been  made  on  adopting  further  legislative  and  other  safeguards  to 
improve  the  working  environment  of  journalists,  including  on  access  to  official 
documents, in light of a public consultation having been carried out and an e-management 
system having become operational. Since challenges persist, it is recommended to Malta 
to  adopt  legislative  safeguards  to  improve  the  working  environment  of  journalists  and 
access  to  documents,  taking  into  account  European  standards  on  the  protection  of 
journalists and on access to official documents. 

•  Limited  progress  has  been  made  on  introducing  a  formal  framework  for  public 
participation  in  the  legislative  process,  as  the  Government  established  a  Department  of 
Public  Consultation.  Since  legislative  reforms  remain  pending,  it  is  recommended  to 
Malta to introduce a formal framework for public participation in the legislative process. 
•  No  progress  has  been  made  on  taking  forward  measures  to  establish  a National  Human 
Rights  Institution  taking  into  account  the  UN  Paris  Principles,  as  a  bill  remains  under 
preparation. Therefore, it is recommended to Malta to establish a National Human Rights 
Institution taking into account the UN Paris Principles. 

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As regards the other 2025 recommendations, the Commission concludes that: 

•  Some progress has been made on strengthening the rules and mechanisms to enhance the 
independent  governance  and  editorial  independence  of  public  service  media  taking  into 
account  European  standards  on  public  service  media,  in  light  of  the  enactment  of 
legislation  addressing  certain  aspects  of  this  issue.  Given  that  the  topics  of  this 
recommendation  are  covered  by  the  provisions  of  the  European  Media  Freedom  Act 
(EMFA), while the Rule of Law Report will continue to monitor significant developments 
and report on their impact, further follow-up will be ensured as part of the Commission’s 
support to Member States and enforcement of the EMFA. 

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I. 

JUSTICE SYSTEM1 

Independence  

The level of perceived judicial independence in Malta is now average among the general 
public and continues to be high among companies. Overall, 47% of the general population 
and 65% of companies perceive the level of independence of courts and judges to be ‘fairly 
or  very  good’  in  20262.  The  perceived  judicial  independence  among  the  general  public  has 
significantly decreased in comparison with 2025 (69%), as well as in comparison with 2022 
(67%).  The  perceived  judicial  independence  among  companies  has  slightly  increased  in 
comparison with 2025 (63%) and it has slightly decreased in comparison with 2022 (68%). 

While political debate continued on the appointment of the Chief Justice, there was no 
further progress yet on the recommendation to involve the judiciary in the process3 due 
to a lack of political consensus. In June 2025, Parliament discussed a constitutional reform 
providing, among others, for the Prime Minister to consult the outgoing Chief Justice and the 
President on the appointment of a Chief Justice, and to inform the opposition leader4. As the 
proposed nomination by the Prime Minister did not gather the required two-thirds majority in 
Parliament  in  March  2026,  the  outgoing  Chief  Justice  has  remained  in  office  past  the 
statutory retirement date. Stakeholders raised concerns about the appointment process of the 
Chief  Justice  and  its  impact  on  the  perception  of  independence5.  In  a  survey  conducted 
between April and May 2026, the level of perceived independence among the general public 
significantly decreased.6 The Government has announced a constitutional reform to introduce 
a  mechanism  to  prevent  deadlock  in  the  appointment  process  of  the  Chief  Justice7.  As 
reforms to involve the judiciary in the appointment of the Chief Justice are still pending there 
has been no further progress on the recommendation made in the 2025 Rule of Law Report. 

A new Commissioner for Standards of the Judiciary has taken office.  In June 2025, the 
Parliament established this post with the power to investigate complaints about members of 
the  judiciary  and  report  to  the  Chief  Justice  and  the  Minister  of  Justice  who  may,  on  that 
basis, initiate disciplinary action8. The Commissioner was appointed in December 2025 for a 

1   An overview of the institutional framework for all four pillars can be found here. 
2   Figures 48 and 50, 2026 EU Justice Scoreboard and Figures 51 and 53, 2024 EU Justice Scoreboard. The 
level  of  perceived  judicial  independence  is  categorised  as  follows:  very  low  (below  30%  of  respondents 
perceive judicial independence as fairly good and very good); low (between 30-39%), average (between 40-
59%), high (between 60-75%), very high (above 75%). 

3   The 2025 Rule of Law Report recommended to Malta to “[t]ake forward the ongoing reform to involve the 
judiciary in the procedure for appointment of the Chief Justice, taking into account European standards on 
judicial appointments”. Some progress was previously assessed on this recommendation in 2025 and 2024, 
and no progress in 2023. 

4   House of Representatives (2025), Bill 134 - An Act to amend the Constitution of Malta, available here. In 

absence of cross-party support, the reform was not put to a vote. 

5   Stakeholders expressed concerns at what they considered a politicisation of the process risking in their view 
to undermine the perception of impartiality of the judiciary. Country visit Malta, Repubblika. Chamber of 
Advocates (2026a; 2026b); Repubblika (2026b; 2026c); Aditus and Daphne Foundation (2026a).  

6   See the first paragraph above. 
7   The Chief Justice is the head of the judiciary, presides over the superior courts including the Constitutional 
Court,  is  the  deputy  chair  of the  Commission  for  the  Administration  of  Justice  (Malta’s  judicial  council) 
and  plays  a key role  in  safeguarding  judicial  independence  and  ensuring  the  proper  administration  of  the 
courts. The Venice Commission had suggested that the Chief Justice is elected by judges themselves, or by 
the judges of the supreme courts in case of prolonged stalemate in Parliament. Venice Commission (2018) 
paras. 41, 44; (2020b), para. 41 onwards; and (2020a), para. 41 onwards. 

8   Act XVI of 2025. 

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renewable  three-year  term  by  the  Commission  for  the  Administration  of  Justice9.  While 
broadly welcoming  a structured avenue for such complaints10, stakeholders called to ensure 
clear  procedures  and  guarantees  for  the  independence  and  impartiality  of  investigations11. 
The  Commission  for  the  Administration  of  Justice  (Malta’s  judicial  council)  and  its 
Committee for Judges and Magistrates continued to exercise its responsibility for disciplinary 
procedures  against  judges  and  magistrates12.  Disciplinary  procedures  are  confidential,  and 
stakeholders  called  for  more  transparency  about  the  composition  and  activities  of  the 
Commission13.  Following  retirements  and  promotions,  the  Commission  had  become 
inoperative in early 2026; elections of new members have taken place in April14. 

Stakeholders raised concerns regarding certain critical statements by politicians about 
judges. Stakeholders considered that certain critical remarks towards individual members of 
the  judiciary  by  top  Government  officials  risked  undermining  public  confidence  in  the 
integrity  of  decisions  on  judicial  appointments15.  According  to  European  standards,  while 
criticising  judicial  decisions  is  a  normal  aspect  of  democratic  discourse,  the  executive  and 
legislative  powers  should  avoid  criticism  that  undermines  the  independence  of  or  public 
confidence  in  the  judiciary16.  The  OSCE’s  Office  for  Democratic  Institutions  and  Human 
Rights  (ODIHR)  also  documented  recurring  critical  remarks  by  political  figures  against 
lawyers17. 

Reforms  to  strengthen  the  independence  of  specialised  tribunals  are  advancing.  In  the 
context of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) of October 2021, Malta committed to a 
review of the independence of specialised tribunals, including as regards the involvement of 
the  executive  in  the  appointment  of  their  members18.  The  Venice  Commission  had  raised 
concerns regarding the operation of specialised tribunals, considering that they do not enjoy 
the same level of independence as ordinary courts19. The European Court of Human Rights 
has  also  called  on  the  Maltese  Government  to  ensure  proper  appointment  procedures  and 
merit-based  selection  criteria  for  one  of  Malta’s  specialised  tribunals,  guaranteeing  the 
required standards of independence and impartiality20. The Government is  yet to table draft 

9   President of the Republic (2025). 
10    Repubblika (2026), written input, p. 12. 
11   Aditus and Daphne Foundation (2026), written input, p. 7-8. Repubblika (2026), written input, pp. 10, 12. 
12   In 2025, a magistrate was suspended from duty for one month following administrative breaches. 
13   The names of the elected members of the Commission are not published and no regular activity reports are 

made public. Country visit Malta, Chamber of Advocates, Aditus Foundation, Repubblika. 
14   Country visit Malta, Chief Justice. Maltese Government (2026a), additional written input. 
15   These  remarks  referred  to  the  suitability  of  certain  identifiable  candidates  during  a  procedure  for  judicial 
appointments. Stakeholders considered that these remarks risked exerting pressure on the Commission for 
the Administration of Justice, tasked with evaluating the candidates. Aditus and Daphne Foundation (2026), 
written input, p. 6. Repubblika (2026), written input, pp. 10-13, 20. 

16   Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (2010), Recommendation CM/Rec(2010)12, para. 18. 
17   OSCE/ODIHR (2025). Chamber of Advocates (2026), written input via CCBE, p. 177. 
18   See  the  2025,  2024  and  2023  Rule  of  Law  reports.  According  to  RRP  milestone  6.4,  ‘A  review  of  the 
independence of specialised tribunals shall be carried out by the Maltese authorities, which shall include at 
least (i) an assessment of the guarantees of independence for appointments of members to said specialised 
tribunals, (ii) an assessment of the guarantees which provide for the tribunals' decisions to be reviewed by 
the ordinary courts of appeal, and (iii) measures to address the independence of specialised tribunals. The 
legal act(s) shall enter into force, taking into account the recommendations included in the opinion of the 
Council  of  Europe’s  Venice  Commission  on  both  the  draft  legal  act(s)  and  the  review  carried  out  by  the 
Maltese authorities’. The assessment related to the topic of Milestone 6.4 in the Rule of Law report does not 
prejudge the assessment of the fulfilment of the measures in the framework of the Malta’s RRP. 
19   Venice Commission (2020a), paras. 97-98; see also (2020b), paras. 97-98; and (2018), paras. 80-83. 
20   European Court of Human Rights, judgment of 22 October 2024,  J.B. and Others v. Malta, case 1766/23 

related to the Immigration Appeals Board. 

5 

 
 
legislation announced in early 202521. In May 2026, the Government submitted a draft bill to 
the  Venice  Commission22.  In  line  with  RRP  commitments,  the  adoption  of  legislative 
amendments would be expected by August 2026, after consulting and taking into account the 
recommendations  of  the  Venice  Commission  on  the  mentioned  internal  review  and  on  the 
draft amendments. 

Quality 

Notwithstanding the ongoing recruitment of staff and expansion of court premises, the 
need  for  an  increase  in  resources  for  the  judiciary  remains.  The  Government  increased 
the  justice  sector  budget  by  11%  in  2026  to  finance  infrastructural  upgrades,  recruitments, 
training, and digital transformation23. While the number of court employees has increased24, 
shortages  of  judicial  staff  remain.  Stakeholders  acknowledged  staff  shortages  as  a  factor  of 
delays in courts25, potentially affecting also businesses and economic activities26. Additional 
judicial  appointments  covered  for  retirements  and  resignations27,  but  the  number  of  judges 
per  inhabitant  remains  among  the  lowest  in  the  EU28.  The  Chief  Justice  called  for  judicial 
appointments to be carried out on a regular basis, beyond the timely replacement of outgoing 
judges, in order to ensure the required human resources to tackle the backlog and the length 
of proceedings29. The increased number of prosecutions also put pressure on the courts30. The 
Government  invested  in  new  premises  in  Valletta  for  the  inquiring  magistrates,  the 
Commercial Court and the Family Court, to mitigate the lack of space in the Law Courts. A 
new  court  hall  allowed  holding  two  jury  trials  in  parallel31,  helping  address  the  backlog  of 
over 100 criminal trials by jury32.  

Recruitment of prosecutors continued, with the number of prosecutions increasing. The 
number of prosecutions reached 578 in 2025 (up from 492 in 2024), including 74 indictments 
for  trial  by  jury  (72  in  2024)33.  Recruitment  of  prosecutors  continued34,  and  a  retention 
strategy  mitigated  staff  turnover  to  allow  the  build-up  of  specialised  expertise  and  case 
ownership35. A new code  of ethics  for prosecutors is  in  place since September 202536. The 
transfer  of  responsibility  for  the  prosecution  of  non-summary  cases  from  the  Police  to  the 

21   Country visit Malta, Maltese Government. 
22   Venice Commission (2026). 
23   Ministry for Justice (2025). 
24   598  employees,  including  41  court  attorneys  and  51  judicial  assistants.  Chamber  of  Advocates  (2026), 

written input via CCBE, p. 182. 

25   Chief Justice (2025). Repubblika (2026), written input, p. 15. IMF (2026), pp. 19-20. 
26   Country visit Malta, Malta Business Bureau and Malta Chamber of Commerce. IMF (2026), p. 19-20. 
27   From  July  2025  till  April  2026,  two  judges  retired  and  one  magistrate  resigned,  while  six  new  members 
joined the judiciary. A call was issued in April 2026, and two more magistrates were appointed in June. 
28   In 2024, Malta had 9.4 judges per 100 000 inhabitants, the third lowest rate in the EU. By comparison, in 
2024 Malta had 328.8 lawyers per 100 000 inhabitants, one of the highest rates in the EU. Figures 36 and 
38,  2026  EU  Justice  Scoreboard.  By  May  2026,  Malta  had  61  judges  and  magistrates,  i.e.  some  11  per 
100 000. 

In 2025, 18 jury trials were held, compared to 8 on average in previous years. Ministry for Justice (2025). 

29   Chief Justice (2025). 
30   Country visit Malta, Attorney General, Maltese Government. 
31  
32   Chief Justice (2025). 
33   Country visit Malta, Attorney General.  
34   The Attorney General employed 77 prosecutors by March 2026. Country visit Malta, Attorney General. 
35   Country visit Malta, Attorney General. 
36   Country visit Malta, Attorney General. 

6 

 
 
Attorney General  continues. The transfer of summary cases37 would require additional time 
and resources38. 

A  reform  of  the  legal  profession  remains  pending.  The  Chamber  of  Advocates  regretted 
the delay in tabling in Parliament a reform of the Lawyer’s Act and called for more resources 
and  self-regulatory  powers,  as  well  as  mandatory  training  for  lawyers39.  The  Attorney 
General and the State Advocate institutionalised continuous professional development in late 
202540.  The  framework  for  judicial  training  could  be  improved.  The  resources  for  training 
courses provided by the Government to the Judicial Studies Committee (a committee of the 
Commission for the Administration of Justice) have increased but remain limited41.  

Investments in the digitalisation of justice are advancing at a limited pace and a number 
of  digital  systems  are  still  to  be  implemented.  Tenders  for  case  management  systems 
(CMS)  advanced  slowly42,  as  a  follow-up  to  the  digital  justice  strategy  2022-202743  which 
faces delays. The tender for a court information management system, launched in September 
2024,  was  awarded  in  February  2026  and  is  pending  appeals.  Online  communication  and 
filing  cover  only  certain  procedures,  and  core  judicial  functions  remain  paper-based.  The 
Chamber of Advocates regretted the lack of consultation on the conception of online judicial 
platforms44. Digitalisation of justice thus has exerted only a modest impact so far and has not 
substantially reduced delays, according to court users45.  

Reforms have been adopted to improve the specialisation of courts and support for legal 
aid  has  been  increased.  Reforms  to  set  up  a  Commercial  Court  and  to  reform  the  Family 
Court  were  adopted  in  March  2026,  following  public  consultations46.  The  Chamber  of 
Advocates welcomed the preliminary results of this institutional specialisation47. The online 
legal  aid  platform  is  operational,  and  the  budget  and  staff  of  the  legal  aid  agency  was 
increased48. The budget of the Mediation Centre was increased, while a legislative reform of 
mediation and arbitration is pending49. 

37   An  independent  study  pursuant  to  RRP  milestone  6.5  recommended  to  prioritise  the  transfer  of  non-
summary offences to the Attorney General’s office, which should be absorbed by October 2027. Before the 
transfer of summary cases, the Attorney General’s office should take measures to prepare for the increase in 
workload. Fieldfisher (2025). The assessment related to the topic of Milestone 6.5 in the Rule of Law report 
does not prejudge the assessment of the fulfilment of the measures in the framework of the Malta’s RRP. 

38   Country visit Malta, Attorney General, Maltese Government. 
39   Chamber  of  Advocates  (2026),  written  input  via  CCBE,  pp.178,  182.  Repubblika  (2026),  written  input, 

p.13. 

40   Council of Europe (2025). Chamber of Advocates (2026), written input via CCBE, p. 182. 
41   EUR 70 000 in the 2026 budget. Ministry for Finance (2026). Repubblika (2026), written input, p. 16. 
42   Country  visit  Malta,  Maltese  Government.  The  CMS  tender  for  the  State  Advocate  was  awarded  in 
February 2026. The CMS tender for the Office of the Attorney General was republished in May 2026. 

43   The digital justice strategy is partly financed by the RRF. 
44   Chamber of Advocates (2025a). Chamber of Advocates (2026), written input via CCBE, p. 183. 
45   Repubblika (2026), written input, p.16. 
46   Bill 133, adopted as Act IV of 2026 on 11 March; and Bill 165, adopted as Act VII of 2026 on 25 March. 
47   Chamber of Advocates (2026), written input via CCBE, p. 184. 
48   Chamber of Advocates (2026), written input via CCBE, p. 181. With the reform of the Family Court, Legal 
Aid Malta carries new responsibilities as  Children’s Advocate. Country visit Malta, Maltese Government. 
Stakeholders continued to call to widen access to and quality of legal aid.  Aditus and Daphne Foundation 
(2026), written input, pp. 10-11. Repubblika (2026), written input, p.14. 

49   Country visit Malta, Maltese Government. 

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Efficiency 

There has been no further progress on the recommendation to improve the efficiency of 
the  justice  system,  particularly  to  reduce  the  length  of  proceedings50.  Disposition  time 
and  clearance  rate  indicators  for  2024  remained  a  concern  and  often  showed  further 
deterioration, although preliminary data for 2025 suggest some improvement. The disposition 
time for first instance civil and commercial cases remains the fourth lengthiest in the EU, and 
is  worsening,  with  491  days  in  2024,  after  four  years  of  improvement51.  In  2024,  the 
disposition  time  for  first  instance  criminal  cases  reached  862  days,  showing  a  significant 
degradation  for  the  second  year52.  For  severe  criminal  cases,  the  disposition  time  almost 
doubled to 3 977 days (almost 11 years), the lengthiest in the EU53. The disposition time of 
first-instance administrative cases declined for the third year in a row in 2024, reaching 1 681 
days (over 4.5 years), the lengthiest in the EU54. The backlog of pending cases also continued 
to increase. The clearance rate in first-instance litigious civil and commercial cases was 94% 
in  202455,  remaining  below  100%  since  2016.  Administrative  cases  saw  a  particularly  low, 
and  decreasing,  clearance  rate  of  60%.  In  first-instance  criminal  cases,  the  clearance  rate 
worsened  to  66%  in  202456.  First-instance  severe  criminal  cases  are  of  particular  concern, 
with  a  mere  22.4%  clearance  rate57.  On  appeal,  the  clearance  rate  was  of  87.4%  in  202458. 
The  Government’s  data  from  2025  show  improvements,  with  a  marked  reduction  of 
disposition time (335, 729 and 864 days for civil, criminal, and first-instance administrative 
cases respectively), and an increase of clearance rates (106%, 150% and 81% respectively), 
including for first-instance severe criminal cases (up to 46%)59. The number of constitutional 
cases has increased in recent years, with over 300 cases pending by October 202560. Delays 
and  inadequate  efficiency  of  courts  are  also  a  concern  for  business  confidence61.  Overall, 
there  has  been  no  further  progress  on  the  recommendation  made  in  the  2025  Rule  of  Law 
Report. 

The  reform  of  the  compilation  of  evidence,  intended  to  expedite  criminal  court 
procedures,  is  still  pending.  The  Government  announced  it  would  table  in  Parliament  a 
reform  of  the  compilation  of  evidence,  on  the  basis  of  a  public  consultation  held  in  2023, 
increasing  reliance  on  written  evidence  with  the  aim  to  shorten  pre-trial  proceedings62. 
Separately, in July 2025, the Government tabled in Parliament bills on development planning 

50   The  2025  Rule  of  Law  Report  recommended  to  Malta  to  ‘[s]tep  up  efforts  to  improve  the  efficiency  of 
justice,  particularly  to  reduce  the  length  of  proceedings’.  Some  progress  was  previously  assessed  on  this 
recommendation in  2025, 2024, and 2023. In the context of the European Semester, the  Commission has 
proposed that the Council recommend Malta to “improve the efficiency of the justice system by addressing 
the case backlog and reducing the length of proceedings”. European Commission (2026) 218 final, CSR 3. 

51   Figure 5, 2026 EU Justice Scoreboard. Previous figures (in days): 454 (2023), 491 (2022), 529 (2021). 
52   CEPEJ (2026), Table 3.13.4, p. 461. Previous figures (in days): 713 (2023), 527 (2022), 566 (2021). 
53   CEPEJ  (2026),  Table  3.13.6, p.  461.  Previous  figures  (in days):  2 160  (2023), 2 506  (2022). In homicide 

trials, the accused persons may have to wait on average 3 years for a trial date. Daphne Foundation (2025). 

54   Figure 7, 2026 EU Justice Scoreboard. Previous figures: 1 350 (2023), 1 081 (2022), 1 356 (2021). 
55   Figure 10, 2026 EU Justice Scoreboard. Previous figures: 95% (2023), 87% (2022)... 107.3% (2016). 
56   CEPEJ (2026), Table 3.13.7, p. 460. Previous figures: 74.1% (2023), 92.8% (2022), 87.7% (2021). 
57   CEPEJ (2026), Table 3.13.5, p. 460. Previous figures: 38.1% (2023), 38.5% (2022). 
58   CEPEJ (2026), Table 3.17.3, p. 503. Previous figures: 145.8% (2023), 90.6% (2022), 94.6% (2021). 
59   Country visit Malta, Maltese Government. 
60   The lack of erga omnes effect of constitutional rulings leads to repetitive litigation. The Chief Justice called 
again for reforms to allow constitutional cases to be heard by different sections of the Civil and Commercial 
Court of Appeal. A constitutional reform in that sense was discussed but not adopted by Parliament in June 
2025. Chief Justice (2025). ConstitutionNet (2025). Chamber of Advocates (2026), written input, p. 180. 

61   Country visit Malta, Malta Business Bureau and Malta Chamber of Commerce. IMF (2026), pp. 19-20. 
62   Maltese Government (2026), written input, p. 5. 

8 

 
 
and appeals with the stated aim to improve efficiency and reduce delays63, which prompted 
significant  public  debate  and  criticism  from  civil  society  and  professional  bodies  for  their 
potential impact on access to justice and public participation64. These bills expired upon the 
dissolution of Parliament in view of early elections in May 2026. 

II. 

ANTI-CORRUPTION FRAMEWORK  

The  perception  among  experts,  citizens  and  business  executives  is  that  the  level  of 
corruption in the public sector remains high. In the 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index by 
Transparency  International,  Malta scores  49/100 and ranks 22nd in  the European Union and 
60th globally65. This perception has deteriorated over the past five years66. The 2026 Special 
Eurobarometer on Corruption shows that 87% of respondents consider corruption widespread 
in  their  country  (EU  average  71%)  and  48%  of  respondents  feel  personally  affected  by 
corruption in their daily lives (EU average 30%). As regards businesses, 69% of companies 
consider that corruption is widespread (EU average 65%) and 41% consider that corruption is 
a  problem  when  doing  business  (EU  average  37%).  Furthermore,  25%  of  respondents  find 
that  there  are  enough  successful  prosecutions  to  deter  people  from  corrupt  practices  (EU 
average 38%), while 38% of companies believe that people and businesses caught for bribing 
a senior official are appropriately punished (EU average 31%)67. 

Most  actions  under  the  National  Anti-Fraud  and  Corruption  Strategy  are  reported  to 
be completed, and the authorities are preparing a new strategy. Preparations have started 
to update the National Anti-Fraud and Corruption Strategy (NAFCS), as most of its actions 
have  been  completed68.  The  Internal  Audit  and  Investigations  Department  (IAID),  which 
leads the implementation of the strategy, highlights as key achievements the high number of 
training courses provided and attended, the creation of a central documentary repository, as 
well as the substantial number of financial investigations and internal audits closed69. At the 
same  time,  stakeholders  continue  to  criticise  the  lack  of  publicly  available  implementation 
reports, making it difficult to  assess the  strategy’s results  and impact70. GRECO also  noted 

63   Bills  143  and  144.  In  the  Government’s  view,  the  proposed  reform  strengthened  access  to  the  courts  in 
planning matters, preserved the right to challenge decisions, and harmonised procedural requirements, with 
the overall aim to improve efficiency and reduce delays. Country visit Malta, Maltese Government. 

64   Aditus and Daphne Foundation (2026), written input, p. 9. Repubblika (2026), written input, pp. 10-11, 13. 
The  Chamber  of  Advocates  and  a  coalition of  over 70  NGOs  (under  the  Ġustizzja  għal Artna  campaign) 
protested against the planning reform bills in August and October 2025 and in April 2026. Civicus Monitor 
(2025). Birdlife Malta (2025). Din l-Art Ħelwa (2025). Kevin Aquilina (2025a, 2025b). Moviment Graffitti 
(2026).  For  the  Chamber  of  Architects  (2025a),  while  a  reform  of  the  planning  appeal  process  is  long 
overdue,  a  number  of  provisions  in  the  bills  are  objectionable.  Lawyers  and  architects  also  criticised  the 
proposal  of  heavy  non-reviewable  fines  for  appeals  deemed  frivolous.  Chamber  of  Advocates  (2026), 
written input via CCBE, pp. 178, 180-181. Chamber of Advocates (2025). Chamber of Architects (2025b). 

65   The level of perceived corruption is categorised as follows: low (above 79); relatively low (between 79-60), 

relatively high (between 59-50), high (below 50). 

66   In 2021, the score was 54, while, in 2025, the score is 49. The score significantly increases/decreases when 
it changes more than five points; improves/deteriorates (changes between 4-5 points) and is relatively stable 
(changes from 1-3 points) in the last five years. 

67   Data from Special Eurobarometer 573 (2026) and Flash Eurobarometer 582 (2026). 
68   Country visit Malta, IAID, Ministry of Justice. 18 out of 23 actions of the NAFCS have been completed. 

IAID (2026), written input, pp. 3-5. 

69   Country visit Malta, IAID. In 2025, IAID conducted 31 financial investigations and  14 internal audits, of 
which 19 and 10, respectively, were concluded. Maltese Government (2026a), additional written input. 
70   Repubblika (2026), written input, p. 23. Civil society also argues that all but one of the eight anti-corruption 
recommendations  made  by  the  public  inquiry  into  the  assassination  of  Daphne  Caruana  Galizia  in  2021 
(available here) remain unimplemented. Aditus and Daphne Foundation (2026), written input, p. 17. 

9 

 
 
that Malta has not yet adopted a specific integrity strategy to address the corruption risks of 
persons with top executive functions, as previously recommended71. 

While efforts continue to increase investigative capacity, there has been limited further 
progress  on  addressing  challenges  related  to  the  length  of  investigations  of  high-level 
corruption cases, and no progress as regards establishing a robust track record of final 
judgments72.  The  Financial  Crimes  Investigation  Department  (FCID)  of  the  Police  and  the 
Attorney  General  have  further  increased  their  human  resources73.  In  2025,  the  Police 
launched  11  new  investigations  in  corruption  cases,  the  Attorney  General  initiated  12 
prosecutions,  and  the  Courts  delivered  2  judgments74,  while  four  magistrates  conduct 
magisterial inquiries in criminal matters. The average length of corruption investigations has 
started  to  decrease  in  2025,  while  the  backlog  of  pending  court  cases  initiated  before  2025 
remains high75. According to the Government, improving the track record remains difficult in 
the short term; challenges include the high workload of relevant experts and the complexity 
of  some  cases76.  The  private  sector  and  civil  society  organisations  continue  to  criticise  the 
length of court proceedings for corruption cases, pointing to the lack of specialised courts for 
corruption  and  financial  crime  and  to  limited  prioritisation  of  such  cases77  and  to  training 
gaps in the prosecution service78. At the same time, the Government highlights measures to 
close  the  training  gap  as  prosecutors  benefit  from  continuous  specialised  training79. 
Stakeholders also maintained their views that the reform of magisterial inquiries80 introduced 
additional  procedural  hurdles  for  citizens  to  initiate  proceedings81.  According  to  the 
Government, the reform is expected to increase the efficiency of the court system, as the new 
framework  introduced  dedicated  magistrates  for  inquiries,  a  clearer  procedural  structure, 
statutory deadlines,  strengthened disclosure obligations and more structured rules on expert 

71   GRECO (2025), p. 4. 
72   The 2025 Rule of Law Report recommended to Malta to ‘[c]ontinue efforts to address challenges related to 
the  length  of  investigations  of  high-level  corruption  cases  and  step  up  efforts  to  establish  a  robust  track 
record of final judgments’. Some progress was previously assessed on the length of investigations of high-
level corruption cases in 2025, 2024 and 2023; and no progress on establishing a robust track record of final 
judgments in 2025, 2024 and 2023. 

73   FCID  reached  a  total  of  110  officers  in  2026  (96  in  2024).  Country  visit  Malta,  FCID.  While  human 
resources  increased,  the  Maltese  Police  Force  still  cannot  make  use  of  special  investigative  tools  such  as 
wiretaps  which,  according  to  GRECO,  weakens  the  ability  to  investigate  complex  corruption  cases. 
GRECO (2025), p. 15. The Office of the Attorney General hired 5 prosecutors bringing the total number of 
prosecutors to 77, out of which 24 are specialised in financial crime. While there is no team dedicated to 
corruption, 4 prosecutors have expertise in corruption offences. Country visit Malta, Attorney General. 
74   Attorney General (2026), written input, p. 6.  In 2024, there were 20 investigations, 18 prosecutions and 3 

judgments for the broader category of financial crimes (not for corruption specifically). 

75   36  corruption  cases  are  pending  in  court,  out  of  which  28 have  been  initiated  before  2025.  Country  visit 

Malta, Maltese Government. 

76   Country  visit  Malta,  Maltese  Government.  Maltese  Government  (2026a),  additional  written  input.  The 
Government also flagged the impact on timelines of magisterial inquiries initiated by private individuals. 
77   Aditus  and  Daphne  Foundation  (2026),  written  input,  p.  26.  Repubblika  (2026),  written  input,  p.  22. 

Country visit Malta, Chamber of Commerce. 

78   According  to  stakeholders,  such  training  gaps  also  hinder  the  development  of  the  specialised  expertise 
required  to  prosecute  corruption,  fraud  and  financial  crime,  including  cross-border  cases.  Repubblika 
(2026), written input, pp. 16, 18. 

79   The  prosecutors  specialising  in  corruption  receive  specialised  training  on  corruption  organized  by  the 
Chartered  Institute  of  Public  Finance  and  Accounting  (CIPFA).  Maltese  Government  (2026a),  additional 
written input. 

80   Act VIII of 2025, amendments to the Criminal Code. 2025 Rule of Law Report, Malta, p. 7. 
81   In  particular,  stakeholders  expect  that  the  reform  will  result  in  fewer  new  investigations  into  corruption 

cases. Aditus and Daphne Foundation (2026), written input, p. 14. Repubblika (2026), written input, p. 21. 

10 

 
 
appointment  and  oversight82.  As  a  result  of  the  new  statutory  deadlines,  the  Attorney 
General’s  office  faced  an  increased  workload,  which  it  considers  having  an  impact  on  its 
prosecutorial capacities83. In view of the above, there has been limited progress in addressing 
challenges  related  to  the  length  of  investigations  of  high-level  corruption  cases  and  no 
progress in establishing a robust track record of final judgments. 

The  capacity  of  the  Permanent  Commission  against  Corruption  (PCAC)  to  effectively 
contribute to the investigation and prosecution of corruption cases remains limited. The 
PCAC  continues  to  operate  with  three  part-time  members84.  The  institutional  setup  of  the 
PCAC,  holding  investigative  powers  alongside  the  police,  leads  to  situations  in  which  both 
institutions investigate the same case in parallel while not being able to exchange information 
due to the PCAC’s legal requirement of secrecy85. As in previous years86, the PCAC did not 
receive any reports on corruption, nor did it  establish that there had been a corrupt practice 
and hence did not transmit any findings to the Attorney General for prosecution87. 

Integrity training for the public service continued to be delivered and the police adopted 
a corporate strategy for the years 2025 to 2030. In 2025, integrity and awareness learning 
courses  were  delivered  to  public  officials  in  senior  management  positions88.  Malta  has 
implemented six out of seven GRECO recommendations on the prevention of corruption in 
law enforcement agencies, including with regard to the management of conflicts of interest, 
and merit-based promotions89. The Malta Police Force adopted a corporate strategy for 2025-
2030. While the strategy does not identify the fight against corruption as a strategic objective, 
it aims to enhance technological capabilities in the area of financial crime and fraud90. 

Action  remains  to  be  taken  to  improve  the  overall  ethics  framework  of  the  public 
administration91. A detailed framework is in place to detect and manage conflicts of interest 
among  public  employees,  including  for  senior  officials  and  with  regard  to  side  activities, 
revolving doors as well as financial and non-financial interests92. At the same time, it remains 
unclear which parts of the framework also apply to persons of trust93. Stakeholders regret that 

82   Maltese government (2026), written input, p. 18. Country visit Malta, Maltese Government. 
83   In October 2025, the Attorney General received a large number of incomplete inquiries (due to the newly 
introduced  time-limit  of  two  years),  which  were  analysed  and  returned  to  magistrates  and  the  Police  for 
further investigation. Country visit Malta, Attorney General. 

84   Two  administrative officers (tasked to support the  digitalisation and transcription of testimonies)  and one 

manager have been hired, with RRP support. PCAC (2026), written input, p. 2. 

85   This is due to the fact that the police cannot use the evidence collected by the PCAC due to very strict non-
disclosure obligations of the PCAC, vis-à-vis the police, the Attorney-General and in Court. PCAC (2026), 
written input, p. 8. Country visit Malta, PCAC, Attorney General. 

86   2025 Rule of Law Report, Malta, p. 8. 
87   PCAC (2026), written input, pp. 6-7. 
88   Maltese Government (2026), written input, p. 37. 
89   According to GRECO, a risk assessment-based anti-corruption strategy is still missing, and the operational 

independence of the police remains insufficient. GRECO (2025), p. 23. 

90   Malta Police Force (2025), p. 56. 
91   2025 Rule of Law Report, Malta, pp. 8-9. 
92   The key legal documents are the Public Administration Act, the Code of Ethics for public employees and 
board  members,  Directive  No.  16  of  2023,  and  the  Framework  for  preventing  and  managing  conflicts  of 
interest in the public sector, effective from February 2024. GRECO (2025), p. 10-12. 

93   A person of trust is a politically appointed adviser or staff member directly appointed by the government.. 
While  the  authorities  state  that  the  framework  fully  applies  to  persons  of  trust,  the  Commissioner  for 
Standards in Public Life (2026a, p. 4) argues that Directive 16, which includes more detailed provisions on 
conflicts of interest and additional enforcement possibilities, cannot be applied to persons of trust, as they 
are not public employees. Also see GRECO (2025), p. 11. 

11 

 
 
the system  is  only  based on self-reporting by  public  officials  without sufficient verification 
mechanisms94. Rules remain to be introduced on post-employment restrictions for Ministers, 
the receipt of gifts and lobbying transparency95. The enforcement of rules on political party 
financing remains weak, and civil society continues to call to strengthen transparency96.  

A reform of the asset and interest declaration  system for Members of Parliament and 
Ministers remains outstanding. The asset declarations of Ministers have not been published 
online since 2024, given the intention of the government to create a single asset declaration 
system for Members of Parliament and Ministers97. In March 2026, the government proposed 
to reform the asset and interest declaration system and the Code of Ethics for Members of the 
House  of  Representatives  by  introducing  definitions  of  key  integrity  principles,  creating  a 
separate register of interests for Members of Parliament (MPs) and harmonising the rules on 
asset  declarations  for  MPs  and  Ministers98.  Under  the  proposal,  MPs,  including  Ministers, 
would additionally  be obliged to  declare their income and intangible  assets,  while spouses’ 
properties  and  financial  interests  would  no  longer  need  to  be  declared.  The  latter  has  been 
criticised by stakeholders99. The draft motion expired following the dissolution of Parliament 
in  April;  the Government  stated its intention  to  pursue the reform in  the  new legislature100. 
The overall integrity framework, in particular for persons with top executive functions such 
as  Ministers,  shows  gaps  that  remain  to  be  addressed,  notably  on  enforcement101,  as  also 
recommended by the OECD and GRECO102.  

A  digital  portal  to  process  whistleblowing  reports  has  become  operational.  The  new 
digital portal allows Whistleblower Reporting Officers to access internal reports submitted by 
whistleblowers  within  the  public  service  and  to  provide  feedback  to  them103.  The  overall 
number of whistleblowing reports received, both via internal and external reporting channels, 
remains very low104. Both authorities and stakeholders explain this with a fear of retaliation 
in professional contexts and the general lack of anonymity in a small country like Malta105. 
While the authorities highlight that relevant information about potential ‘improper practices’ 

94   Civil Liberties (2026), p. 566. Repubblika (2026), written input, p. 29. 
95   GRECO (2025), p. 9. Country visit Malta, Maltese Government. 
96   OSCE (2022), pp. 9, 13. Repubblika (2025). 
97   Commissioner for Standards in Public Life (2026), written input, p. 14. Ministers have continued to submit 
declarations of assets in their capacity as Members of Parliament, which are however less detailed than the 
current rules for Ministers. Maltese Government (2026a), additional written input. 

98   Draft amendments to the Code of Ethics for Members of the House of Representatives, and to the Code of 
Ethics  for  Ministers  and  Parliamentary  Secretaries.  Standards  in  Public  Life  Act  (Second  Schedule) 
(Amendment)  Order,  2026.  The  Government  underlined  that  the  changes  to  the  Code  of  Ethics  for  MPs 
would  also  set  higher  ethical  standards  and  extend  to  all  parliamentary  duties,  including  parliamentary 
questions  and  committees,  the  obligations  related  to  the  disclosure  of  conflicts  of  interest.  Maltese 
Government (2026a), additional written input. 

99   Commissioner for Standards in Public Life (2026), written input, p. 14. Country visit Malta, Chamber of 

Commerce, Repubblika, Commissioner for Standards in Public Life. 

100   Maltese Government (2026a), additional written input. 
101   The  Parliament’s Committee for Standards has so far not  managed to establish a track record to sanction 

integrity breaches. OECD (2022), pp. 31-41. 2025 Rule of Law Report, Malta, p. 9. 

102   OECD (2023) and GRECO (2025) recommended in particular to strengthen the oversight and enforcement 
role of the Commissioner for Standards, regulate lobbying, and fully apply existing rules to persons of trust. 
103   Maltese Government (2026), written input, p. 38. The assessment related to the topic of Milestone 6.14 in 
the Rule of Law report does not prejudge the assessment of the fulfilment of the measures in the framework 
of Malta’s Recovery and Resilience Plan. 

104   In 2025, two reports were submitted via internal channels and 18 via external channels (for all cases, not 

only corruption-related ones). Country visit Malta, Maltese Government. 

105   Country visit Malta, Maltese Government, PCAC. OSCE (2025), p. 17. Repubblika (2026), written  input, 

p. 31. 

12 

 
 
reaches them anyway via other channels106, stakeholders point to a lack of confidence in the 
system, also due to insufficient protection from retaliation for whistleblowers107. The Malta 
Police Force has improved internal reporting mechanisms and strengthened the protection of 
whistleblowers108.  No  further  initiative  was  taken  to  improve,  in  law  and  in  practice,  the 
regime for the protection of whistleblowers beyond the 2021 Whistleblowers Protection Act, 
as recommended by UN Human Rights Committee in 2024109.  

Malta has adopted legislative amendments on the granting of citizenship, following the 
judgment of the Court of Justice of the EU. Following the findings of the Court of Justice 
that  the  Maltese  investor  citizenship  scheme  was  incompatible  with  EU  law  on  citizenship 
and the principle of sincere cooperation110, Malta adopted several legislative amendments on 
the granting of citizenship111. 

Resources for audit institutions further increased and officials in charge of tenders are 
now  required  to  declare  any  conflict  of  interest,  while  action  remains  to  be  taken  to 
effectively  mitigate  corruption  in  high-risk  sectors  such  as  public  procurement. 
Businesses’  attitudes  towards  corruption  in  the  EU  shows  that  49%  of  companies  in  Malta 
(EU average 30%) think that corruption has prevented them from winning a public tender or 
a  public  procurement  contract  in  practice  in  the  last  three  years112.  41%  of  businesses 
perceive  the  level  of  independence  of  the  public  procurement  review  body  (the  Public 
Contracts Review Board) as very or fairly good113. The Single Market and Competitiveness 
Scoreboard  on  access  to  public  procurement  in  Malta  reports  19%  of  single  bids  for  2025 
(EU  average  27%).  Public  procurement,  in  particular  in  the  construction  sector,  remains  at 
high risk of corruption. Since 2025, officials drafting procurement documents are required to 
declare  any  conflict  of  interest114.  The  resources  of  the  National  Audit  Office  and  the 
Government’s Internal Audit and Investigations Department continued to increase115. While 
the Government does not envisage to take any targeted measures116, stakeholders continue to 
ask for structural changes, in particular more transparency of procurement data, independent 
contract review, standard operating procedures as well as effective oversight mechanisms117. 
Another sector at high risk of corruption is urban and spatial planning118. According to some 

106   PCAC (2026), written input, p. 6. Country visit Malta, Maltese Government. 
107   Repubblika (2026), written input, pp. 31-32. OSCE (2025), p. 17. 
108   GRECO (2025), p. 22. 
109   2025 Rule of Law Report, Malta, p. 9. 
110   Court of Justice of the European Union,  judgment of 29 April 2025, Commission v Malta (Citizenship by 

investment), case C-181/23. 

111   Maltese  Citizenship  (Amendment)  Act  (Act  XXI  of  2025)  amending  the  Maltese  Citizenship  Act,  and 
Granting of Citizenship for Exceptional Services (Amendment) Regulations, 2025 as well as Legal Notices 
159 and 276 of 2025 and Legal Notices 58, 59 and 60 of 2026.  

112   Flash  Eurobarometer  582  on  Businesses’  attitudes  towards  corruption  in  the  EU  (2026).  This  is  19 

percentage points above the EU average. 
113   Figure 59, 2026 EU Justice Scoreboard. 
114   Maltese  Government  (2026),  written  input,  p.  38.  The  Government  underlined  that  members  of  tender 
evaluation  committees  remain  bound  by  a  declaration  of  impartiality  and  confidentiality.  Maltese 
Government (2026a), additional written input.  

115   NAO’s budget increased from EUR 4 000 000 in 2024 to EUR 5 950 000 in 2025; IAID’s budget increased 

from EUR 2 559 700 to EUR 3 215 900 in 2025. Maltese Government (2026), written input, p. 35. 

116   Country visit Malta, Maltese Government. 
117   Chamber of Commerce (2026), written input, p. 19. Repubblika (2026), written input, p. 33. The 2025 Rule 

of Law Report, Malta, p. 10, noted instances of public procurement regulations being bypassed. 

118   Chamber of Commerce (2026), written input,  p. 7. Repubblika (2026), written input, p. 33. Country visit 

Malta, National Audit Office. 

13 

 
 
stakeholders, corruption risks in this sector might be exacerbated by the proposed reforms of 
development planning119. 

III.  MEDIA PLURALISM AND MEDIA FREEDOM 

Legislation  was  adopted  providing  the  media  regulator  with  new  competences.  With  a 
view to alignment with the European Media Freedom Act, in August 2025, the Government 
adopted  Legal  Notice  175120.  The  legislation  bestows  new  responsibilities  on  the 
Broadcasting Authority, Malta’s media regulator, including scrutiny of mergers in the media 
market  and  an  enhanced  monitoring  role  over  public  service  media.  The  legislation  also 
establishes  a  separate  Office  for  Advertising  and  Media  which  will,  among  other  tasks, 
ensure that the relevant public authorities or entities make available to it information on state 
advertising  expenditure  on  an  annual  basis.  It  also  tasks  the  Media  Registrar,  an  entity 
established  under  the  Media  and  Defamation  Act,  with  developing  a  national  media 
ownership database. While awaiting implementation of the above-mentioned provisions, the 
Media  Pluralism  Monitor  (MPM)  2026  concludes  medium-low  risk  in  relation  to  the 
independence  of  the  media  regulator121,  medium-high  risk  in  relation  to  the  transparent 
allocation  of  state  advertising122  and  very  high  risk  in  the  area  of  media  ownership 
transparency123. 

Legislation has been enacted to enhance certain aspects of the independent governance 
of  public  service  media,  while  various  challenges  persist124.  The  final  report  of  the 
Committee of Media Experts had recommended setting up an ad hoc committee to propose 
measures  to  ensure  the  objectivity,  independence,  impartiality,  and  accountability  of  public 
broadcasting125.  The  Government  has  introduced  provisions  to  directly  regulate  the  matter 
through  Legal  Notice  175126  with  a  view  to  aligning  with  EMFA,  including  safeguards 
relating  to  the  appointment  and  dismissal  procedures  of  the  chief  executive  officer  of  the 
public  service  media  provider  and  the  dismissal  of  the  members  of  the  management  board. 
The procedures for the appointment of members of the management board and the financing 
of  public  service  media  remain  unregulated.  Furthermore,  safeguards  to  ensure  editorial 
independence  have  not  been  put  in  place127.  The  MPM  continues  to  consider  the 
independence of public service media to be an area presenting very high risk in Malta - which 
it confirms again, highlighting political appointments, financing and spending issues and the 

119   Bills  143  and  144,  see pp. 6-7.  House  of  Representatives  (2025a,  2025b).  According  to stakeholders,  the 
reforms would further expand administrative discretion and reduce judicial oversight, increasing the risk of 
undue influence on planning decisions. Repubblika (2026), written input, p. 33. Moviment Graffitti (2026). 
Bills 143 and 144 expired following the dissolution of Parliament in April 2026. 

120   The  European  Media  Freedom  Act  (Measures  for  Implementation)  Order  (Legal  Notice  175  of  2025), 
which  among  others  amends  the  Broadcasting  Act  (Cap.  350),  and  the  Media  and  Defamation  Act 
(Cap. 579). The legal nature of legal notices is explained at footnote 150. 

121   Media Pluralism Monitor (2026), pp. 21-24. 
122   Media Pluralism Monitor (2026), pp. 41-42. 
123   Media Pluralism Monitor (2026), pp. 26-27. 
124   The 2025 Rule of Law Report recommended to Malta to ‘[s]trengthen the rules and mechanisms to enhance 
the  independent  governance  and  editorial  independence  of  public  service  media  taking  into  account 
European standards on public service media’. No progress was previously assessed on this recommendation 
in 2025, 2024 and 2023. 

125   The Committee of Experts on Media set up by the government delivered its  final report on 24 July 2023. 

The final report contains a specific recommendation in relation to public service broadcasting. 

126   Articles 11-13 of Legal Notice 175 of 2025. 
127   Stakeholders  have pointed out  that  a  key  role  in  this  respect  is  played  by  the head  of  news  at  the  Public 

Broadcasting Services. Country visit Malta, Repubblika. 

14 

 
 
broadcaster’s  failure  to  cover  various  issues  of  wide  public  interest128.Therefore,  given  that 
legislation has addressed some aspects but various challenges persist, some progress has been 
made  on  the  recommendation  to  enhance  the  independent  governance  and  editorial 
independence of public service media.  

There  has  been  limited  progress  with  regard  to  the  recommendation  to  adopt 
safeguards  to  improve  access  to  official  documents  in  the  light  of  the  coming  into 
operation  of  an  online  management  system129.  An  integrated  e-management  system, 
designed  to  enhance  the  processing,  accessibility  and  transparency  of  access  to  documents 
requests,  became  operational  in  August  2025130.  The  Information  and  Data  Protection 
Commissioner confirmed that, following the resolution of initial technical interface problems 
also  highlighted  by  stakeholders131,  the  system  presents  advantages  for  users  in  terms  of 
clearer follow-up to requests as well as for monitoring purposes132. However, there are still 
no plans to adopt safeguards to further improve access to documents either via a review of the 
Freedom of Information Act or by means of a review of its implementation in practice. Civil 
society  and  journalists  continue  to  report  that  they  face  numerous  obstacles  in  accessing 
public  information133.  In  the  light  of  these  remaining  challenges  and  the  persistent  lack  of 
transparency and ongoing attempts to further diminish transparency, MPM has raised its risk 
score for this area from high risk to very high risk134. Overall, limited progress has been made 
on this part of the recommendation. 

While  certain  safeguards  have  been  introduced,  there  has  been  limited  progress  on 
adopting  legislative  and  other  safeguards  to  improve  the  working  environment  of 
journalists,  as broader  legislative  reforms  remain  pending135.  No  new  strategic  lawsuits 
against  public  participation  (SLAPP)  cases  have  been  reported  in  2025136,  although 
stakeholders  continue  to  flag  the  threat  of  SLAPPs  for  journalists137.  Malta  has  previously 
adopted  legislation  aiming  to  transpose  the  anti-SLAPP  Directive,  covering  cross-border 
cases138.  The  Government  had  announced  it  would  examine  the  possibility  of  extending 
protection against SLAPPs also  to  domestic cases139, but  this was not  taken forward by the 
end of the legislature140. After lengthy delays141, a public consultation on media reform was 

128   Media Pluralism Monitor (2026), pp. 42-44. 
129   The  2025  Rule  of  Law  Report  recommended  to  Malta  to  ‘[a]dopt  legislative  and  other  safeguards  to 
improve  […]  access  to  official  documents,  taking  into  account  European  standards  on  access  to  official 
documents’. Limited progress was previously assessed on this in 2025, and no progress in 2024 and 2023. 

130   https://foi.gov.mt/en/. Maltese Government (2026), written contribution, p. 47. 
131   Country visit Malta, Daphne Foundation. 
132   Country visit Malta, Information and Data Protection Commissioner. 
133   Aditus and Daphne Foundation (2026), Repubblika (2026), written input, pp. 42-44 and p. 42 respectively. 
134   Media Pluralism Monitor (2026), pp. 17-18. 
135   The 2025 Rule of Law Report recommended to Malta to ‘adopt legislative and other safeguards to improve 
the  working  environment  of  journalists  […],  taking  into  account European  standards  on the  protection  of 
journalists’. No progress was previously assessed on this in 2025, and some progress in 2024 and 2023. 

136   Country visit Malta, Court Services Agency. 
137   Civil Society Europe (2026), written input, p. 8. Civil Liberties (2026), pp. 533, 568, 570-571. 
138   Strategic  Lawsuits  Against  Public  Participation  Order  (Subsidiary  Legislation  460.40) which  entered  into 

force on 31 July 2024 by virtue of Legal Notice 177 of 2024. 

139   The Ministry for Justice (2023) had stated that the Government “is examining the possibility of extending 

protection to cases that are exclusively domestic in nature,” with the aim to strengthen safeguards. 

140   Civil Liberties (2026), pp. 56-57, 570, 574. 
141   2025, 2024 and 2023 Rule of Law Reports on Malta. 

15 

 
 
conducted  between  August  and  October  2025142.  On  that  basis,  in  March  2026,  the 
Government brought back on the Parliament’s agenda a number of bills, which however were 
not discussed by the end of the legislature143. In the meantime, Legal Notice 175 introduced 
certain  safeguards  for  journalists  in  relation  to  protection  of  sources  and  confidential 
communications,  protection  against  surveillance  and  a  ban  on  intrusive  surveillance 
software144. MPM 2026 considers this to be an area still presenting medium-high risk in the 
light  of,  among  others,  the  Government’s  failure  to  implement  the  recommendations 
proposed  by  the  Caruana  Galizia  public  inquiry  report  and  the  continued  vilification  of  the 
journalist  after  her  death  145.  There  has  been  no  conviction  to  date  for  the  presumed 
mastermind  in  the  case  of  the  assassination  of  Daphne  Caruana  Galizia146.  The  Council  of 
Europe Platform to promote the protection of journalism and the safety of journalists reported 
no new alert147. The Media Freedom Rapid Response mechanism registered five new alerts, 
including  a  defamation  lawsuit,  hostile  rhetoric  against  a  journalist  by  public  officials,  and 
threats  against  a  journalist148.  Overall  limited  progress  has  been  made  on  this  part  of  the 
recommendation. 

IV.  OTHER INSTITUTIONAL ISSUES RELATED TO CHECKS AND BALANCES 

There  has  been  limited  progress  on  the  recommendation  to  introduce  a  formal 
framework  for  public  participation  in  the  legislative  process149.  Most  legislation  is 
adopted by Government through legal notices150. No legal notice was amended by Parliament 
during  the  2022-2026  legislature151.  Frequent  legislative  changes  and  ad  hoc  executive 
measures  continue  to  challenge  legal  stability  and  predictability,  which  can  affect  the 
business  environment152.  The  OECD  has  invited  Malta  to  systematically  seek  public  input 
before rules are drafted and to make use of ex post evaluations153. Several bills were tabled by 
Government and rapidly brought to a vote in Parliament without public input154; some were 
reconsidered  due  to  public  criticism  after  being  tabled  in  Parliament  without  prior 

142   Stakeholders  were  invited  to  present  their  written  contributions,  but  no  process  permitting  discussion  or 
feedback has been possible. The government confirmed that deliberations based on stakeholder input will 
not be made public. Country visit Malta, Repubblika, Daphne Foundation, and Maltese Government. 

143   Bills  17,  18  and  19,  originally  tabled  in  2022,  were  brought  back  on  the  Parliament’s  agenda  in  March 

2026. They expired upon the dissolution of Parliament in view of early elections in late May 2026. 

144   Articles 7-10 of Legal Notice 175 of 2025. 
145   Media Pluralism Monitor (2026), pp. 19-21. 
146  The jury trial of the person accused of ordering the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia commenced in July 

2026. In 2021, 2022 and 2025 five individuals were convicted for carrying out the murder. 

147   Council  of  Europe,  Platform  to  promote  the  protection  of  journalism  and  safety  of  journalists,  available 

here. 

148   European Centre for Press and Media Freedom, Media Freedom Rapid Response – Malta, available here. 
149   The  2025  Rule  of  Law  Report  recommended  to  Malta  to  ‘[i]ntroduce  a  formal  framework  for  public 
participation in the legislative process’. Limited progress was previously assessed on this recommendation 
in 2025, and some progress in 2024. 

150   Legal  notices  are  subsidiary  legislation  with  force  of  law,  issued  by  Government,  to  operationalise  an 
existing  Act  of  Parliament.  They  may  be  amended  by  Parliament  within  28  days.  Parliament  adopted  42 
acts in 2025 (41 in 2025) while Government tabled 307 legal notices in the House (379 in 2024). Parliament 
of Malta (2026); Legislation.mt (2026).  
151   Country visit Malta, Parliament secretariat. 
152   Chamber of Commerce (2026), written input, p. 26. 
153   OECD Indicators of Regulatory Policy and Governance (iREG), 2024 data. OECD (2025), pp. 166-167. 
154   These included the reform of magisterial inquiries and the 2025 constitutional reform package. Aditus and 
Daphne  Foundation  (2026),  written  input,  p.  48.  Aditus  Foundation  (2025);  Aditus  Foundation,  Daphne 
Caruana Galizia Foundation, Repubblika (2025); Chamber of Commerce (2025). 

16 

 
 
there  were  no 

legislative  developments 

consultation155.  While 
to  formalise  public 
participation  in  the  legislative  process,  in  October  2025  the  Government  established  a 
Department  of  Public  Consultation,  with  the  aim  to  ensure  that  public  perspectives  are 
incorporated  early  on,  and  to  monitor  institutional  compliance  with  the  procedures  and 
standards  for  consultations156.  Stakeholders  noted  that  the  new  Department  is  yet  to 
concretely  improve  the  procedures  for  public  participation  in  the  legislative  process157. 
Overall, limited progress has been made on the recommendation.  

There has been no progress yet on the recommendation to establish a National Human 
Rights  Institution  (NHRI)  taking  into  account  the  UN  Paris  Principles158.  The 
Government  is  preparing  a  Human  Rights  and  Equality  Commission  Bill,  with  the  aim  to 
establish a dual-mandate body taking into account the UN Paris Principles159. The bill has not 
yet been published for consultation or tabled in Parliament. Based on the above, no progress 
has yet been made to implement the recommendation. 

On 1 January 2026, Malta had 15 leading judgments of the European Court of Human 
Rights  pending  implementation,  an  increase  of  1  compared  to  the previous  year160.  At 
that  time,  Malta’s  rate  of  leading  judgments  from  the  past  10  years  that  had  been 
implemented was at 45% (43% in 2025; 55% remained pending). In 2025 the average time 
that the judgments had been pending implementation was 7 years and 1 months (compared to 
6  years  and  6  months  in  2025)161.  The  oldest  leading  judgment  has  been  pending 
implementation for 19 years and concerns disproportionate restrictions on property rights162. 
As  regards  the  respect  of  payment  deadlines,  on  31  December  2025  there  were  2  cases 
awaiting  confirmation  of  payments  (compared  to  1  by  end  2024)163.  By  the  same  date,  the 
number of leading judgments pending implementation had decreased to 14164. 

More  than  two  thirds  of  companies  surveyed  in  Malta  express  confidence  in  the 
effectiveness of investment protection. 68% of companies are very or fairly confident that 
investments are protected by law and courts, a figure which has significantly decreased (77% 
in 2025)165. As regards authorities relevant for economic operators, 58% perceive the level of 

155   These included bills on planning reforms and on the protection of agricultural land. Chamber of Advocates 
(2025b; 2025c). Both bills expired upon dissolution of Parliament in view of early elections in May 2026. 
156   Maltese  Government  (2026),  written  input,  p.  9.  Country  visit  Malta,  Maltese  Government,  National 

Commission for the Promotion of Equality. 

157   The Government reported 65 online public consultations in 2025, of which 21 legislative ones. Stakeholders 
noted that public consultations by ministries on draft laws remain occasional and discretionary, limited in 
scope and with unclear impact of stakeholders’ contributions, while fast-track legislative procedures do not 
allow the chance to intervene in parliamentary debates. Country visit Malta, Maltese Government. Aditus 
and Daphne Foundation (2026), written input, p. 48. Repubblika (2026), written input, p. 58. 

158   The 2025 Rule of Law Report recommended to Malta to ‘[s]tep up measures to establish a National Human 
Rights Institution taking into account the UN Paris Principles’. No progress was previously assessed on this 
recommendation in 2025, 2024 and 2023. 

159   Maltese Government (2026), written input, p. 9. Country visit Malta, Maltese Government. 
160   Data  according  to  the  online  database  of  the  Council  of  Europe  (HUDOC).  For  an  explanation  of  the 

supervision process, see the website of the Council of Europe. 

161   All figures calculated by the European Implementation Network (EIN) and based on the number of cases 
that are considered pending at the annual cut-off date of 1 January 2026. EIN (2026), written input, pp. 6-7. 

162   ECtHR judgement in the case 31122/05, Ghigo v. Malta, pending implementation since December 2006. 
163   Council of Europe (2026), p. 157. 
164   Data according to the online database of the Council of Europe (HUDOC). 
165   Figures 52 and 53, 2026 EU Justice Scoreboard. Only  9% and  3% of the surveyed investors  respectively 
perceive (i) concerns about quality, efficiency or independence of justice and frequent changes in legislation 

17 

 
 
independence  of  the  Malta  Competition  and  Consumer  Affairs  Authority  as  very  or  fairly 
good, a figure which has significantly decreased (82% in 2025)166 . 

A  regulatory  framework  for  civil  society  remains  to  be  established.  The  civic  space  in 
Malta continues to be rated by Civicus as ‘narrowed’167. The Government has yet to table a 
draft  law  establishing  a  regulatory  framework  for  civil  society,  following  the  public 
consultation led by the Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations in 2024168. The envisaged 
Voluntary Organisations and the Non-Profit Organisations Act  would aim to  strengthen the 
legal  recognition  of  the  sector  and  reduce  administrative  and  bureaucratic  burdens169.  In 
December 2025, the Government adopted a volunteering strategy 2025-2030170, with the aim 
to highlight the resources needed while fostering participation, engagement and collaboration. 
Stakeholders consider that the new strategy is yet to lead to concrete improvements171. The 
2025  ODIHR  report  on  the  situation  of  human  rights  defenders  in  Malta  did  not  lead  to 
further  initiatives  by  the  Government  to  follow  up  on  its  recommendations172.  Some 
stakeholders raised concerns about statements by political actors which might have the effect 
of undermining public trust in civil society organisations173. 

or  (ii)  concerns  about  the  quality  of  the  law-making  process  as  a  reason  for  the  lack  of  confidence  in 
investment protection. 

166   Figure 60, 2026 EU Justice Scoreboard. 
167   Malta’s score is 78/100. See https://monitor.civicus.org/country/malta/. Ratings by Civicus (2025) are on a 

five-category scale defined as: open, narrowed, obstructed, repressed and closed. 

168   Country visit Malta, Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations. 2025 Rule of Law Report, Malta, p. 15. 
169   Country visit Malta, Maltese Government. 
170   Ministry for Inclusion and the Voluntary Sector (2025). 
171   Aditus and Daphne Foundation (2026), written input, p. 50. 
172   OSCE/ODIHR (2025). Aditus and Daphne Foundation, written input, p 53; Repubblika, written input, pp. 

28, 42, 77. 

173   Aditus and Daphne Foundation, written input, pp. 42-44. Repubblika, written input, pp. 50-53, 78. 

18 

 
 
 
Annex I: List of sources in alphabetical order* 

* The list of contributions received in the context of the consultation for the 2026 Rule of Law Report 
can 
https://commission.europa.eu/publications/2026-rule-law-report-targeted-
stakeholder-consultation_en. 

found 

be 

at 

Aditus and Daphne Foundation (2026), Written input for the 2026 Rule of Law Report. 

Aditus and Daphne Foundation (2026a), We call for a quick resolution in the appointment of the Chief 
Justice  and  caution  against  rushed  amendments!,  2  March  2026,  https://aditus.org.mt/chief-justice-
press-statement/. 

Aditus Foundation (2025), Bill 125 – In Genere Inquests, 24 February 2025, https://aditus.org.mt/bill-
125-in-genere-inquests/. 

Aditus  Foundation,  Daphne  Caruana  Galizia  Foundation,  Repubblika  (2025),  Bill  134:  Rushed 
Judicial  Constitutional  Amendments  without  Consultation,  22  May  2025,  https://aditus.org.mt/bill-
134-rushed-judicial-constitutional-amendments-without-consultation/. 

Birdlife  Malta  (2025),  Thousands  protest  in  Valletta  against  government’s  controversial  planning 
reform,  4  October  2025  https://birdlifemalta.org/2025/10/thousands-protest-in-valletta-against-
governments-controversial-planning-reform/. 

CEPEJ (2026), Study on the functioning of the judicial system in the EU Member States. 

CEPEJ  (2025),  Study  on  the  functioning  of  the  judicial  system  in  the  EU  Member  States, 
https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/8cdf178c-a54e-4c6f-ae3d-
8c05013e5366_en?filename=Part%201%20-
%20Data%20tables%20per%20indicator%20for%20all%20EU%20Member%20States.pdf. 

Chamber of Advocates (2026a), Stqarrija dwar il-Ħatra għall-Kariga ta’ Prim Imħallef tal-Qrati, 25 
https://avukati.org/news/stqarrija-dwar-il-hatra-ghall-kariga-ta-prim-imhallef-tal-
February 
qrati-2/. 

2026, 

Chamber of Advocates (2026b), Stqarrija dwar il-Ħatra għall-Kariga ta’ Prim Imħallef tal-Qrati, 30 
January  2026,  https://avukati.org/uncategorised/stqarrija-dwar-il-hatra-ghall-kariga-ta-prim-imhallef-
tal-qrati/. 

Chamber of Advocates (2026), Written input for the 2026 Rule of Law Report via CCBE. 

Chamber of Advocates (2025a), Speech of President Peter Fenech at the opening of the judicial year, 
1 October 2025. 

Chamber  of  Advocates  (2025b),  Public  Statement  on  the  Protection  of  Agricultural  Leases 
Regulations,  18  August  2025,  https://avukati.org/news/public-statement-on-the-protection-of-
agricultural-land-regulations/. 

Chamber of Advocates (2025c), PA Bills Statement from the Chamber of Advocates, 5 August 2025, 
https://avukati.org/news/pa-bills-statement-from-the-chamber-of-advocates/. 

Chamber  of  Commerce 
https://maltachamber.org.mt/quest-for-truth-and-justice/. 

(2025),  Quest 

for  Truth  and  Justice,  10  February  2025, 

Chief Justice (2025), Speech on the inauguration of the judicial year, 1st October 2025, available here. 

Civil Liberties Union for Europe (2026), Liberties Rule of Law Report, liberties.eu/f/wtaqoq. 

Civicus  Monitor  (2025),  Malta:  Large  mobilization  against  planning  bills,  16  October  2025, 
https://monitor.civicus.org/explore/malta-large-mobilisation-against-planning-bills/. 

Commissioner for Standards in Public Life (2026a), Additional written input, p. 4. 

19 

 
 
Commissioner for Standards in Public Life (2026b), Letter to Prime Minister – Declarations of assets 
by  ministers 
the  year  2024,  6  January  2026  https://standardscommissioner.mt/wp-
content/uploads/letter-to-pm-2026-01-06-en.pdf. 

for 

Commissioner for Standards in Public Life (2026), Written input for the 2026 Rule of Law Report. 

Committee  of  Ministers  of  the  Council  of  Europe  (2010),  Recommendation  to  member  states  on 
judges: independence, efficiency and responsibilities, CM/Rec(2010)12. 

Constitution of Malta, https://legislation.mt/eli/const/eng. 

ConstitutionNet (2025), Maltese Government Advances Narrow Reform While Broader Constitutional 
Package  Collapses,  17  July  2025,  https://constitutionnet.org/news/voices/maltese-government-
advances-narrow-reform-while-broader-constitutional-package-collapses. 

Council of Europe (2026), Supervision of the execution of judgments decisions of the European Court 
of Human Rights – 19th Annual Report of the Committee of Ministers – 2025, https://rm.coe.int/2025-
annual-report/48802b1633. 

Council of Europe (2025), Marking the successful completion of Malta’s Attorney General and State 
Advocate 
2025,  
re-organisation, 
https://www.coe.int/en/web/implementation/attorney-general-and-state-advocate-in-malta/-
/asset_publisher/viLgZXC0OZhs/content/marking-the-successful-completion-of-malta-s-attorney-
general-and-state-advocate-offices-re-organisation. 

October 

offices 

6 

Court of Justice of the European Union, judgment of 29 April 2025, Commission v Malta (Citizenship 
by investment), case C-181/23, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/C/2025/3238/oj/eng. 

Daphne  Foundation  (2025),  Justice  at  risk:  The  impact  of  delayed  legal  proceedings  in  wilful 
homicide cases in Malta, October 2025 https://www.daphne.foundation/documents/reports/ justice-at-
risk-delayed-court-proceedings-in-malta.pdf. 

Din l-Art Ħelwa (2025), Planning for ‘modern justice’: What does it even mean?,  Malta Today, 26 
August 
https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/comment/opinions/136664/ 
planning_for_modern_justice_what_does_it_even_mean. 

2025, 

European  Commission  (2026),  Recommendation  for  a  Council  Recommendation  on  the  economic, 
social, employment, structural and budgetary policies of Malta, COM(2026) 218 final. 

European  Court  of  Human  Rights,  judgment  of  22  October  2024,  J.B.  and  Others  v.  Malta,  case 
1766/23. 

European Court of Human Rights, judgment of 26 September 2006, Ghigo v. Malta, case 31122/05. 

European Implementation Network, (2026), Input from the European Implementation Network for the 
2026 Rule of Law Report.  

Fieldfisher  (2025),  Independent  review  on  the  transfer  of  summary  cases  from  the  Police  to  the 
Attorney  General's  Office,  Executive  summary,  December  2025,  https://justice.gov.mt/wp-
content/uploads/2025/12/Executive-Summary-1-for-M6.5-December-2025.pdf. 

GRECO  (2025),  Fifth  evaluation  round,  addendum  to  the  second  compliance  report,  Malta, 
https://rm.coe.int/fifth-evaluation-round-preventing-corruption-and-promoting-integrity-
i/4880297b95. 

House of Representatives (2026a), Bill 19 – Protection of the Media and Journalists (Various Laws) 
(Amendment)  Bill,  https://www.parlament.mt/en/14th-leg/bills/bill-019-protection-of-the-media-and-
journalists-various-laws-amendment-bill/. 

House  of  Representatives 
https://www.parlament.mt/en/14th-leg/bills/bill-018-constitution-of-malta-amendment-bill/. 

(2026b),  Bill  18  –  Constitution  of  Malta 

(Amendment) Bill, 

20 

 
House of Representatives (2026c), Bill 17 – Committee for the Recommendation of Measures for the 
Protection  of  Journalists,  other  Media  Actors  and  Persons  in  Public  Life  (Establishment)  Bill, 
https://www.parlament.mt/en/14th-leg/bills/bill-017-committee-for-the-recommendation-of-measures-
for-the-protection-of-journalistspdf/. 

House  of  Representatives  (2025a),  Bill  144  –  Environment  and  Planning  Review  Tribunal  Bill, 
https://parlament.mt/14th-leg/bills/bill-144-environment-and-planning-review-tribunal/. 

House  of  Representatives  (2025b),  Bill  143  –  Development  Planning  (Amendment)  Bill, 
https://www.parlament.mt/14th-leg/bills/bill-143-development-planning/. 

House  of  Representatives  (2025c),  Bill  134  –  An  Act  to  amend  the  Constitution  of  Malta, 
https://parlament.mt/media/134013/bill-134-constitution-of-malta-amendment-bill.pdf. 

IMF  (2026),  Malta  2025  Article  IV  consultation—press  release  and  staff  report,  February  2026, 
https://www.imf.org/-/media/files/publications/cr/2026/english/1mltea2026001-source-pdf.pdf. 

Kevin Aquilina (2025a), The rule of law and government’s planning bills, The Malta Independent on 
Sunday,  10  August  2025,  https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2025-08-10/blogs-opinions/The-
rule-of-law-and-government-s-planning-bills-6736272249. 

Kevin Aquilina (2025b) Government’s legalised rape of Malta’s environment, The Malta Independent 
on 
https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2025-08-03/blogs-
opinions/Government-s-legalised-rape-of-Malta-s-environment-6736272086. 

3  August 

Sunday, 

2025, 

Legislation.mt (2026), Legal Notices, https://legislation.mt/LegalNotices. 

Malta Chamber of Commerce (2026), Written input for the 2026 Rule of Law Report. 

Malta Police Force (2025), Safer Communities, Smarter Policing – Malta Police Corporate Strategy 
2025-2030, https://pulizija.gov.mt/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Corporate-Strategy-2025-2030.pdf. 

Maltese Government (2026), Written input for the 2026 Rule of Law Report. 

Media Pluralism Monitor (2026), forthcoming. 

Ministry 
Finance 
content/uploads/2026/01/Financial-Estimates-2026.pdf. 

(2026), 

for 

Budget 

2026, 

https://finance.gov.mt/wp-

Ministry  for  Justice  (2025),  Press  release:  Budget  2026  -  Unprecedented  investment  in  our  Court 
system, with more specialisation, modern infrastructure and accessible services, 17 November 2025, 
https://www.gov.mt/en/Government/DOI/Press%20Releases/Pages/2025/11/17/pr252041en.aspx. 

December 
Ministry 
https://www.gov.mt/en/Government/Press%20Releases/Pages/2023/12/20/pr231623.aspx. 

release, 

(2023), 

Justice 

Press 

for 

20 

2023,  

Ministry for Inclusion and the Voluntary Sector (2025),  National Volunteering Strategy 2025-2030, 
December  2025  https://maltacvs.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/FINAL-Strategy-book-EN-version-
3-SQUARE-1.pdf. 

Moviment Graffitti (2026), Ġustizzja għal Artna: organisations gather in front of Castille demanding 
genuine  planning  reform,  12  April  2026,  https://movimentgraffitti.org/2026/04/  12/gustizzja-ghal-
artna-organisations-gather-in-front-of-castille-demanding-genuine-planning-reform/. 

OECD, OECD Indicators of Regulatory Policy and Governance (iREG). 

OECD  (2025),  Better  Regulation  Practices  across  the  European  Union  2025,  29  September  2025, 
https://doi.org/10.1787/6f007516-en. 

OECD (2023),  Public Integrity in Malta. Improving the Integrity and Transparency Framework for 
Elected  and  Appointed  Officials,  https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/reports/ 
2023/10/public-integrity-in-malta_009f6d5a/0ecc469e-en.pdf.  

21 

 
OECD (2022), Review of the Standards of Public Life in Malta, recommendations for strengthening 
the 
officials, 
and 
https://one.oecd.org/document/GOV/PGC/INT(2022)9/FINAL/en/pdf. 

framework 

appointed 

integrity 

elected 

for 

OSCE  (2025),  The  Situation  of  Human  Rights  Defenders  in  Malta:  Good  Practices  and  Protection 
Gaps. https://odihr.osce.org/odihr/596929. 

OSCE  (2022),  Republic  of  Malta,  Early  Parliamentary  Elections  –  ODIHR  Election  Expert  Team. 
Final report. https://odihr.osce.org/sites/default/files/f/documents/8/7/522712.pdf. 

OSCE/ODIHR  (2025),  The  Situation  of  Human  Rights  Defenders  in  Malta:  Assessment  Report, 
https://odihr.osce.org/sites/default/files/f/documents/1/b/596929.pdf. 

Parliament  of  Malta  (2026),  Acts  of  Parliament Fourteenth  Legislature  (2022 
https://parlament.mt/en/14th-leg/acts/. 

-  2026), 

President of the Republic (2025), Retired Judge Anthony Abela took the oath of office as Malta’s first 
Commissioner  for  Judicial  Standards,  https://president.gov.mt/media/retired-judge-anthony-abela-
takes-the-oath-of-office-as-maltas-first-commissioner-for-judicial-standards/. 

Repubblika (2026), Written input for the 2026 Rule of Law Report. 

Repubblika  (2026a),  Ethics  reform  misses  the  real  problem  –  government  must  open  public 
consultation,  17  March  2026  https://repubblika.org/press-release/ethics-reform-misses-the-real-
problem-government-must-open-public-consultation/. 

Repubblika (2026b), The Appointment of the Chief Justice Cannot Continue to Depend on Political 
Calculations,  24  February  2026,  https://repubblika.org/press-release/the-appointment-of-the-chief-
justice-cannot-continue-to-depend-on-political-calculations/. 

Repubblika (2026c), Judicial involvement in the appointment of the Chief Justice, 3 February 2026, 
https://repubblika.org/press-release/judicial-involvement-in-the-appointment-of-the-chief-justice/. 

Repubblika 
https://repubblika.org/press-release/we-urgently-need-party-funding-reform/. 

(2025),  We  Urgently  Need  Party  Funding  Reform,  16  December  2025 

Venice  Commission  (2026),  Malta  -  Administrative  Justice  Act  (Consolidated  version),  CDL-
REF(2026)026-e, https://www.coe.int/en/web/venice-commission/-/cdl-ref-2026-026-e 

Venice  Commission  (2020a),  Malta  -  Opinion  on  ten  Acts  and  bills  implementing  legislative 
https://www.venice.coe.int/webforms/ 
proposals 
documents/?pdf=CDL-AD(2020)019-e. 

of  Opinion  CDL-AD(2020)006, 

subject 

Venice  Commission 
proposed 
https://www.venice.coe.int/webforms/documents/?pdf=CDL-AD(2020)006-e. 

(2020b),  Malta 

-  Opinion 

on 

legislative 

changes, 

Venice  Commission  (2018),  Malta  -  Opinion  on  Constitutional  arrangements  and  separation  of 
powers 
enforcement, 
and 
https://www.venice.coe.int/webforms/documents/?pdf=CDL-AD(2018)028-e. 

independence 

judiciary 

and 

law 

the 

the 

of 

22 

 
Annex II: Country visit to Malta 

The  Commission  services  held  physical  and  virtual  meetings  in  January  and  March  2026 
with: 

Internal Audit and Investigations Department 

•  Office of the Prime Minister 
•  Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade 
•  Ministry for Justice and Reforms for the Construction Sector 
•  Ministry for Culture, Lands and Local Government 
•  Ministry for Home Affairs, Security, Reforms and Equality 
•  Court Services Agency 
•  Chief Justice 
•  Attorney General 
•  State Advocate 
•  Malta Police Force: Financial Crimes Investigations Department 
• 
•  Permanent Commission Against Corruption 
•  Secretariat of Parliament (Office of the Clerk to the House of Representatives) 
•  Parliamentary Ombudsman 
•  Commissioner for Standards in Public Life 
•  National Audit Office 
•  Broadcasting Authority 
• 
•  Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations 
•  National Commission for the Promotion of Equality 
•  Chamber of Advocates 
• 
•  Aditus Foundation 
•  Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation 
•  Repubblika 
•  Malta Business Bureau  
•  Malta Chamber of Commerce 

Information and Data Protection Commissioner 

Institute of Maltese Journalists 

* The Commission also met the following organisations in a number of horizontal meetings: 

•  Civil Liberties Union for Europe 
•  Civil Society Europe 
•  End FGM EU 
•  European Civic Forum 
•  European Partnership for Democracy 
•  Human Rights Watch 
• 
ILGA-Europe 
• 
International Federation for Human Rights 
•  Philea - Philanthropy Europe Association 
•  Transparency International EU 

23