Some time ago, it was announced that Malta would be applying/had applied to join the OECD, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. Malta's membership of the OECD had been problematic almost since the days of Independence. At first we seemed to consider that the Organisation was no place for the island to be in, as its members were among the most economically powerful on the planet. But more and more European and other countries were joining.
The OECD serves as a forum for the development of economic policy the world over and gathers data about an extensive range of economic and social sectors. So, it can compare the performance of different countries and suggest new policy directions. We have been almost completely isolated from this activitiy, which doesn't seem to me to be such a good idea. We have an interest to be present in fora where the best ideas and comments about the economic and social situation of Europe and the Mediterranean are developed.
It would be interesting to learn the current status of Malta's application to join the OECD.
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IN OPPOSITION
The Leader of the Opposition Alex Borg has set the first hundred days of his being in charge as a marker for the progress he has achieved. I doubt whether this is an appropriate measure.
The strongest performance indicator for the leader of an Opposition party is the extent to which he succeeds in changing the party he leads (if that is the aim), or strengthening it as it proceeds along directions set previously. Or it could be a mix of the two approaches. I doubt whether this matter can be settled in just three months. Whatever option is chosen, it will require an engagement that will take long hours and days of commitment with all the layers of activity that make up a political party.
Too much hurry or too much delay in how this process is run will hurt any Opposition when it tries to establish a distinction between it and the government of the day.
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A SINGLE CAPITAL MARKET
The Maltese financial services authorities have made clear their complete disagreement with proposals for the regulation of cryptocurriencies to be centrally administered by the European Securities and Markets Authority - ESMA. This would end up assuming all policy oversight on crypto services issues, instead of national authorities
As in other countries, the Maltese regulators consider that such an approach would undermine their autonomy (indeed annul it) by centralising all controls in Paris from where ESMA operates.
However if at any time the EU is going to acquire a single capital market, that is the change that will have to be carried out (for crypto issues and all other financial sectors). Often the point gets repeatedly stressed that it is vital for the EU to achieve a unified capital market.
From personal experience, I know how, when it comes to moving forward, national financial aurthorities do their best not to let this happen, even in relatively minor sectors of the financial system (which crytpo markets are not). It is therefore unsurprising that the emergence of a European capital market has been kept hanging.