Malta’s industrial production has decreased by 1.6 per cent for June 2016, when compared with the previous month. In addition to this, when comparing industrial production for June 2016 with the previous year, June 2015, this went down by a total of 8.5 per cent – the sharpest drop out of all EU member states for which data is available.

The figures were published via a press release issued by Eurostat.

Overall, industrial production across all EU member states increased by 0.6 per cent when compared with the previous month, and increased by 0.4 per cent when compared with the same period in 2015.

In a separate press release, the EU’s statistical office revealed that GDP is up by 0.3% in the euro area and by 0.4% in the EU28. When looking at the breakdown of figures, Malta registered a 4.2 per cent GDP increase for the first quarter of 2016, when compared with the first quarter of 2015.

Government reacts

This is the second time throughout this current legislature where Malta registered the largest economic growth among EU member states, a government press release issued today said. In the second quarter of 2013 national wealth grew by five per cent.

“This news comes amidst Malta’s first ever ranking of having the lowest rate of unemployment within the EU. This is another stamp of approval for Malta and in the coming months the government will continue its work in order to strengthen the economy and bring more wealth to the population.”