Malta in the European Union after Brexit

Abstract

This study focuses on the process Malta followed to become part of the European Union (EU) and how things changed throughout the 16 years it has been a member state of the Union. People are asked about their point of view of how the perspective of Maltese on the Union changed throughout this period of time and whether it is best for Malta to be part of the EU. As the United Kingdom (UK) is one of the greatest contributors when it comes to finance, the EU would automatically go through hard times with the country being out of the picture. Hence, this study also focuses on Brexit and the possible repercussions both Malta and the EU could suffer once the negotiations are concluded. Other countries leaving the Union are also taken into consideration to see their effect on the member states. Another area that this study tackles is one of the biggest issues that Malta has to go through, that is illegal immigration. It asks both citizens and others close to the subject, such as political figures, to get their point of view on the area. It starts by getting the facts on the issue and eventually asks what could be done and whether the Union should and could do more to help countries like Malta who face hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants every year. All of this will add up to the positive and negative sides of the EU that Malta benefits from and concludes whether it is best for the country to be part of the EU at all. The findings of this study show that even though Malta suffers from negative aspects as a member state of the Union, the majority of the citizens, experts and others who work at the EU all agree that Malta is better being part of the EU rather than following the UK’s footsteps.