In the past the allocation of factories, their construction, their rentals as well as the administration of industrial estates were all the responsibiity of one agency: the Malta Development Corporation (MDC) which later became Malta Enterprise. Then it was decided that the work at hand needed to be split. Once it had been decided that a project “deserved” being allocated a factory, the task of carrying this out was devolved to another agency.

I never understood why this change was considered to be necessary. After all, the facory operations that would ensue were an integral part of the project that had been approved. The unit that gave its go-ahead would in theory at least have a full commitment to ensure that the conditions attached to the project were being respected.

True, there was a time when the MDC with its involvement in the construction and oversight of factories was accused of having become like a public works department. But that situation was preferable to having fragmented functions and responsibilites.

Malta Enterprise should operate from the top down as a one-stop shop. It must have a real competence to determine where it should say no and when to insist with prospective investors that they must accept conditions governing the aids they receive. Then, it will need to ensure they are being truly observed.

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SAME SIZE SHOES

The complaint is not just Malta’s -- other member states make it. In the preparation and the implementation of European policies, the European Commission (plus some member states) seek to introduce measures that apply in the same manner to all. The method is usually referred to as one-size-fits-all: the same size shoes must be worn by all.

I always stood out against this approach. It creates huge problems for a tiny country like ours when it gets burdened with laws that have been designed to fit a country like, let’s say, Germany.

But now perhaps it also makes sense to indicate what could make the procedure appear to be sensible. For how can one dream of creating a continental European market without laying out the same rules for all? The reply that one could provide -- Just do not dream about this!! -- though easy to express, cannot carry much conviction.

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PRESIDENT OF THE COMMISSION

Ursula von der Leyen aspires to acquire a second mandate as European Commission President. She will this time be the spitzen kandidat of the European People’s Party. Five years ago at the prodding of French President Macron, the candidature of Manfred Weber was put aside; he was then the head of the EPP group in the European Parliament and that group’s spitzen kandidat.

The play that goes on in this game is quite tawdry. All main actors seem to be focussed on which office they can secure. Personally, I find that von der Leyen has displayed weakness and opportunism in much of what she did. Nothing in it justifies her securing a second mandate.

Still the chances of her doing so are quite good. In the past five years, she made sure she did not alienate anybody, or at least not too much. Germany will likely have to back  her.  One expects that Macron will continue to do the same, in line with what he did to secure her first mandate. And Prime Minister Orban of Hungary is probably satisfied with the way by which she guided his country out of the impasse it had been driven into with the rule of law storm clouds that had arisen.