News

A total of 132 projects were approved by the Malta Enterprise Board of Directors in 2013.

The Government of Malta is investing heavily to create an ideal environment for companies operating within the life sciences sector to build up on the healthcare industry, the success of which is deeply rooted in the country's history.The Life Sciences Park is one of the latest developments within this industry and is intended to enable the creation of a research, development and innovation cluster on the islands. The project is being developed by Malta Enterprise in collaboration with the University of Malta and the national hospital, Mater Dei.

Malta’s award-winning international airport has regular and direct flights to major cities in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. The airport is located just 6km from the Freeport and only 15 minutes from the main industrial and commercial centres.In addition, the country has invested €17 million in the Safi Aviation Park, a new aviation park of 200,000 square metres with direct access to the airport’s runways and housing an aircraft servicing cluster.Want to learn more about the aviation industry in Malta?

Malta’s strategic location has meant that it has fast become one of the most important logistics centres within the region. An excellent infrastructure and port facilities for cargo and passenger transport have also contributed to the recognition of Malta as a leading logistics hub on the international level.In fact, the islands are connected to over 165 ports on all continents and can boast the largest ship registry within the European Union, as well as one of the largest worldwide.

Malta’s ICT industry went through a period of consolidation that resulted in an impressive expansion of the sector in recent years.

The education system in Malta is based on the British model and comprises a large number of public, private and international institutions. The University of Malta and the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology also work in close collaboration with the industry in order to tailor-make courses structured to ensure a highly-skilled workforce is always available.In recent years, Malta has also established itself as a major centre for teaching English as a foreign language.

As an island with no natural resources to speak of with the exception of its workforce, Malta has moved from low-end manufacturing to high value-added operations over the last twenty years. Today, the industry is focused on high-end manufacturing such as precision engineering and electronics, pharmaceuticals and medical devices.Close to 3,000 manufacturing and distribution companies operate in Malta, employing around 15 per cent of the labour force.

Malta Enterprise and the Malta College of Arts Science and Technology (MCAST) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding intended to provide students with easier access to the entrepreneurial world and provide an eco-safe framework for innovative ideas to thrive. This framework will help students with innovative ideas to start and develop a successful business.As part of the agreement, Malta Enterprise intends to assign a number of units at the Kordin Business Incubation Centre (KBIC) to MCAST.

Malta’s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows for the first half of 2013 turned positive, statistics published by the National Statistics Office show.The positive increase in FDI inflows was mainly the result of an increase in foreign owned equity capital, which increased by €79 million in the first half of 2013. Furthermore, when looking at the classifications of FDI by economic activity, one notes that the manufacturing sector was the highest contributor towards the turnaround in FDI inflows in 2013.

Malta Enterprise invites expressions of interest from enterprises to join a business delegation to the Middle East led by the Minister for the Economy, Investment and Small Business, Hon. Dr Christian Cardona.  This mission is being organised in collaboration with the Middle East Business Council within The Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise & Industry.