The Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry has issued its Pre-Budget Document 2026, warning that unless Malta addresses systemic flaws, future economic growth and quality of life will be at risk.

Chamber President William Spiteri Bailey said the organisation has put forward more than 200 proposals over the past year in discussions with government, opposition, and stakeholders, but much more needs to be done. This year’s document narrows the focus to 47 priority measures aligned with the four pillars of Malta Envision 2050. “The road ahead will be challenging, but the necessity is undeniable. The future of our nation depends on the decisions we make today,” he said.

CEO Dr Marthese Portelli explained that businesses need a responsive administration and warned that without reforms, Malta risks deteriorating competitiveness, lower productivity, and economic slowdown. “The consequences of continued inaction, or half-hearted measures, will be severe,” she cautioned.

The proposals cover several fronts. On sustainable economic growth, the Chamber is urging government to focus on quality over quantity in sectors like manufacturing and services, while strengthening trade links, ensuring fiscal discipline and offering targeted tax incentives to attract high-value investment. Another strand highlights the need for more accessible citizen-centred services, from fully digitalised law courts to more efficient public sector systems that eliminate clientelism and ensure stronger enforcement.

Resilience and modern education also feature prominently. The Chamber calls for better management of energy, water, and waste, new investments in research and innovation, and measures to reverse Malta’s persistent brain drain. Finally, the Chamber is pressing for smarter land and sea usage, including a full review of the Strategic Plan for the Environment and Development (SPED), measures to tackle unfinished developments, and incentives for heritage restoration, alongside reforms to mitigate traffic congestion and upgrade port operations.

Underlying all this, the Chamber stressed, must be a more responsible use of taxpayer money, with capital investment prioritised over recurrent spending, and public services streamlined through digitalisation and real-time application tracking.

Dr Portelli added that ethical businesses must be supported with reforms that cut bureaucracy, strengthen enforcement, and modernise infrastructure. Only then, she argued, can Malta attract high-value investment and secure long-term prosperity.

“The road ahead is not simple, nor is it without difficulty,” the Chamber said, calling on government to act decisively. “Now is the time for action, not hesitation.”