The Minister for European Funds, Social Dialogue and Consumer Protection, Keith Azzopardi Tanti, in the presence of the Director-General of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, launched Malta's Social Climate Fund Plan, through which €60.6 million will be invested between 2026 and 2032 to address the social and economic challenges linked to the transition towards a greener economy.
The Plan, which was approved by the European Commission earlier this year, will focus on concrete interventions for vulnerable families and individuals, as well as micro-enterprises that may be more directly affected by changes related to the green transition.
Through this Fund, a series of measures will be supported to improve energy efficiency in public social housing and increase the use of renewable energy sources. At the same time, community transport services for vulnerable users will be strengthened, while vulnerable micro-enterprises will be supported in their transition towards electric mobility.
Minister Keith Azzopardi Tanti said that this Plan is about people and about ensuring that the transition towards a greener economy is also a fair one. “With an investment of around €60.6 million, we will be supporting families, vulnerable individuals and micro-enterprises so that they can be part of a greener transition without anyone being left behind. Our aim is for these funds not to remain simply figures on paper, but to become investments that are felt in our homes, our communities and our businesses," continued Minister Keith Azzopardi Tanti.
Director General for Employment, Social Affairs, and Inclusion at the European Commission Mario Nava spoke about the sectors benefitting from the scheme, “one is the sector of housing, where we are doing renovation for over 230 apartments, linked to the climate effect, such as heating, cooling, solar panels, insulations, double and glazing. The second area is the area of transport, where we are doing two types of investment. One investment will help vulnerable micro-enterprises switch to electric vehicles, while the other will support more accessible local transport for older persons and people with disabilities.
Permanent Secretary within the Ministry for European Funds, Social Dialogue and Consumer Protection Jonathan Vassallo said that the next step is to ensure the effective and coordinated implementation of the Plan. “We will be working to ensure clear processes, compliance with the Fund's requirements and continuous monitoring of the investments, so that the resources available are translated into concrete and measurable results," said Vassallo.
The Plan will be implemented through coordinated work between the Maltese authorities and the European Commission, with the aim of ensuring that the measures reach those who need them most and that the green transition is both fair and inclusive.
