The European Commission will not involve itself in accusations of dereliction of duty on the part of the police force when it comes to allegations involving the Panama Papers and the more recent Egrant allegations that arose just before the last general election.

At the end of last April, Nationalist MEP David Casa had asked the Commission whether it would intervene and "exert any powers at its disposal to ensure the protection of the rule of law in Malta".

Casa had asked the Commission: "With regard to unfolding events in Malta, there are a number of undisputed facts arising from the Panama Papers and subsequent events involving the Prime Minister, a minister and the Prime Minister's chief of staff.

"It is my belief that because of the severely compromised nature of the Police Commissioner in the ongoing investigation, it is clear that the police cannot impartially investigate the allegations. As such the rule of law in Malta is under threat."

The Commission, however, was quite clear in its answer, filed on Wednesday, that it would take no such action.

Frans Timmermans, European Commissioner for Better Regulation, Inter-institutional Relations, the Rule of Law and the Charter of Fundamental Rights, insisted that while the Commission is aware of the accusations, it had a hands-off policy in such instances.

Timmermans replied: "The Commission is aware that several of the allegations to which the Honourable Member refers are the subject of ongoing judicial inquiries. It is Commission policy not to comment on ongoing inquiries and investigations in individual cases."