As far as I can see, the report has been given scant attention but it deserves to be read closely. Written in an objective and factual manner, it evaluates intelligently the island's economic success and gives a keen look at where weaknesses have developed (or could emerge) in today's economic structures.

This latest report about Malta was prepared by the European Commission for the spring semester, as it is called - an exercise in which the Commission prepares its analysis of all EU economies and publishes recommendations about them. So, the report is presented in two sections, a model that follows the practice of the International Monetary Fund when they report about the economies of Fund members. The first section contains the conclusions and recommendations to governments; it is the section which tends to be most widely read and discussed. The second part is featured as a "Working document" by the Commission's staff and carries a wide discussion of where and how successes have happened and how problems could arise.

It's a pity that the second section of the report has been barely reviewed. It raises issues about economic development here that could easily trigger crisis concerns.

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CLIMATE

The endeavour against climate change is no longer a top priority for Europe. Those who are committed to sermonizing in favour of the EU at all costs will no doubt contest such a conclusion as untrue. Others who are more cautious and realistic  are not so sure. After all, they know that the funds at the disposal of the EU are limited and many states do not at all like the idea of transfering more resources to the Brussels treasury.

In the last couple of years, two priorities have acquired increasing salience: for the EU to invest/spend more on defence and security as a Union; and for it to run new programmes that will enhance the competitivity of the European economy, which has lagged. Both areas need to be financed practically from scratch. The new funds that must be identified  will surely have to come from the curtailment of monies originally intended for other projects, among which the fight against climate change. Which will unfailingly imply a decline in the priority attached to initiatives that target climate change.

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DEATHS, TRAFFIC, CONSTRUCTION

The more things change, the more they remain the same: it's a complaint we've heard quite often echoed in the words of a "proverb" invented in France more than a century ago. What's unacceptable about it is when fatal incidents are involved, especially when we see it confirmed again and again over issues such as those concerning traffic and construction.

This year the number of fatal traffic accidents (mainly of motor cyclists) has been increasing on a monthly basis. At the same time, more accidents, some fatal, have happened on building sites. Is it true that all possible precautions are being taken? It is difficult to tell for the general practice still prevails to agree with the often mistaken belief, whether official or not - that all that could have been done, surely was...