EU funding in Malta

Abstract

This dissertation will be divided into four chapters. The first chapter consists of a brief explanation of the main European Union funding. This aims to illustrate the different financial support Malta was offered prior to becoming a Member State and in the first years of accession. The second chapter analyses in detail the Funds Malta applied for and what was decided to be given to the Island. By looking into what was said and discussed at the December 2002 Summit of Copenhagen, together with other sources of information, I will thus come up with a comprehensive list of all the funds Malta applied for and was granted. To further help this investigation, the third chapter will compare Malta with another Mediterranean Island, Cyprus, which became a Member State at the same time as Malta. This will be used as a foundation for the evaluation made, using Cyprus as a corner stone for comparison. Having this information, together with interviews with prominent people, I will analyse what was received as compared to what was promised, together with an evaluation of how the funds received were used. From this I will analyse ways in which Malta could have been granted a better outcome.