Malta: 2019 Article IV Consultation-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Malta

IMF Staff Country Reports, February 27, 2019

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Canonical URL: Malta: 2019 Article IV Consultation-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Malta

Malta has been one of the fastest growing countries in the European Union after the crisis.
Growth driven by a rapid structural rebalancing towards export-oriented services—mainly remote gaming and tourism.
Authorities expect domestic demand to continue to be the main driver of growth.

Authorities are exploring new development areas around the blockchain technology.
The report notes that Malta’s new development areas related to the distributed ledger technology present both opportunities and risks.

Persistent labor market tightness might eventually put some pressure on wages and prices.
Authorities consider global protectionism as a key external risk.
Ongoing domestic risks related to money laundering are emphasized.

Policies should focus on enhancing the economy’s resilience.
Ensure financial stability and integrity.
Make growth more inclusive.
Promote strong and inclusive growth by encouraging further labor market participation of women and elderly workers.

Subjects: Anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT), Banking, Crime, Expenditure, Fiscal policy, Fiscal stance, Income, National accounts, Public debt, Public investment and public-private partnerships (PPP).
Keywords: Anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT), benchmark revision, CR, Europe, Fiscal stance, GDP, Global, government, government contribution, IMF staff calculation, Income, ISCR, Public investment and public-private partnerships (PPP), staff complement, staffs assessment.

Source: Malta: 2019 Article IV Consultation-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Malta