Economic situation of Malta
- Author(s):
- Parliamentary Assembly
- Origin
- Assembly debate on 31 January 1969 (27th Sitting) (see Doc. 2494, report of the Committee on Economic Affairs and Development). Text adopted by the Assembly on 31 January 1969 (27th Sitting).
The Assembly,
1. Having in the framework of its studies on the economic situation of the Mediterranean Members of the Council of Europe, examined the report of the Committee on Economic Affairs and Development on the economic situation of Malta ;
2. Noting that Malta is faced with difficult problems of readjustment resulting from the rundown of the British defence establishment which constituted the backbone of the Maltese economy ;
3. Considering that the Maltese Government and people have, with the help of the British Government, undertaken a considerable effort of economic reconversion and development ;
4. Welcoming the negotiations envisaged between the European Community and Malta whose trade is normally oriented towards the nearest European markets while traditional trade links with the Commonwealth remain important ;
5. Viewing with sympathy the efforts made by Malta to reach economic autonomy by the implementation of the second five-year development plan 1964-1969,
6. Draws attention to the following considerations :
a that Malta might derive advantage from participating in certain activities of OECD, such as the European Monetary Agreement, and especially the technical assistance projects ;
b that similarly Malta might profit by becoming a member of the International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies, and that reasonable financial conditions might be offered to it by the Centre ;
c that the six Members of the European Community in their negotiations with Malta might try out a form of association advantageous to this small country whose impact on their markets is marginal ;
d that, in the context of Malta's efforts to develop tourism in the coming years by investment in hotels and other facilities, European countries should progressively expand possibilities for such tourism, inter alia through a development of air travel facilities to Malta especially by charter flight arrangements ;
