Malta
Diplomatic relations between Poland and Malta were established on October 23, 1971.
Political cooperation
Historical view
Malta has been an independent state since 1964. The first official contacts between our countries took place after the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1971 and they were sporadic in nature. In November 1971, Prime Minister of Malta Dominic Mintoff paid his first official visit to Poland. Poland and Malta began to maintain more regular contacts after the turn of 1989 which happened mostly on the occasion of other international events, including as part of the annual sessions of the UN General Assembly, during which foreign ministers of both countries met. In October 2002, for the first time in history of bilateral contacts the President of Malta, Guido de Marco, paid an official visit to Poland. Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski paid an official visit to Malta in March 2004. The intensity of contacts between Poland and Malta has increased significantly since the accession of our two countries to the European Union in 2004.
Current cooperation
The current cooperation between Poland and Malta is going very well. Political contacts are systematically undertaken at all levels. The President of Malta, George Vella(2019-2024), visited Poland in September 2019 and January 2020. The President of Poland, Andrzej Duda, visited Malta in September 2017 and again in October 2022. Malta opened its Embassy in Warsaw in 2009. The Polish Embassy in Valletta was established in 2019, with its official inauguration taking place in April 2023.
Poland and Malta present common views and cooperate closely on many issues, especially within the United Nations and the European Union. Poland and Malta are linked by a strong attachment to the process of European integration which is confirmed in our societies’ vast support for membership in the EU. We share a common vision of further development of the EU as a united and solidary community of states. We support the process of EU enlargement and developing EU cooperation with neighbouring countries in the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy. We also undertake joint initiatives to deepen the EU internal market.
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Economic cooperation
Malta is one of Poland’s smallest trade partners in Europe – it is ranked 89 in exports (with a share of 0.03% in total exports) and 88th place (by country of origin) in Polish imports (0,02% imports total). Since the accession to the European Union mutual trade has significantly increased. The value of Polish exports to Malta was EUR 6.8 million in 2005, while in 2022, it reached EUR 93.9 million. In 2023, Polish exports to Malta amounted to EUR 95.8 million. Imports have also increased significantly. In 2005, their value was EUR 7.8 million, and in 2022, EUR 60.7 million. Polish import from Malta amounted to EUR 59.9 in 2023. The total trade turnover increased from EUR 13.6 million in 2005 to EUR 154.6 million in 2022 (in the period January-November 2023, the turnover amounted to EUR 171.6 million).
Polish exports are dominated by ships, boats, and floating structures. Agricultural and food products, mainly meat and meat products, tobacco and tobacco products, cocoa and cocoa products, as well as chemical industry products: oils, lubricants, fuels, plastic products, cosmetics, and medicines, also have a significant share in our exports. Poland also exports furniture and furniture accessories, window joinery, and wooden panels to Malta. In Polish imports from Malta, the largest share is held by chemical industry products, especially pharmaceuticals, which account for more than half of the import value. The second position is held by electromechanical industry products, mainly electronic integrated circuits. We also import rubber and rubber products, as well as toys from Malta.
The exchange of services between the two countries is relatively high and continues to grow. In 2010, service turnover between Poland and Malta amounted to EUR 48.2 million, and in 2021, it reached EUR 506.3 million. In 2021, Poland provided services to Malta worth EUR 131.0 million, while purchasing services from Malta worth EUR 376.3 million. In 2023, the value of services exported from Poland to Malta amounted to EUR 145.0 million, representing an increase compared to 2021. During the same period, Poland purchased services from Malta worth EUR 392.0 million, which also indicates an increase compared to the data from 2021.
Maltese investments in Poland are primarily capital investments. Maltese investments in Poland are primarily capital investments. At the end of 2023, their value amounted to EUR 2,850.0 million. The value of Polish direct investments in Malta at the end of 2023 was EUR 785.0 million.
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Cultural and scientific cooperation
Poland and Malta signed an agreement on cultural and scientific cooperation on December 11, 1990. The agreement entered into force on December 23, 1992. It provides for supporting the development of cooperation in the field of education, science, culture, art, journalism, sport and youth contacts, e.g. through exchange visits of academic staff and students, granting scholarships and specialist training, studying the language, literature, culture and history of the other country, exchanging exhibitions and information on the history and contemporary achievements of culture of both countries, developing contacts between employees of museums, libraries, archives, and also between creators and artists. Some Polish universities, including the University of Warsaw and the Jagiellonian University, signed bilateral inter-university cooperation agreements with the University of Malta. Based on these agreements, students from both our countries receive scholarships which are mainly carried out under the Erasmus + program.
There are two universities in Malta where foreign students can study - the University of Malta and the Maltese College of Arts, Sciences and Technology.
The University of Malta (UM) has 14 faculties, 13 interdisciplinary centers and 18 institutes. Studies at UM take place at both bachelor's and master's level. One can also continue his/her doctoral studies there. Information on the fields of study can be found here. To start studying at UM, one must have a high school diploma equivalent to the Maltese Matriculation Certificate Examination (MATSEC). The language of instruction at UM is English. Candidates for UM studies must certify their English language proficiency by presenting the result of the Secure English Language Test (SELT). The university also accepts IELTS, TOEFL and Cambridge certificates. Maltese is not required for foreign students. Information on the documents necessary to apply at UM can be found here. Recruitment for a given academic year begins from November of the previous year, additional recruitment is carried out in February. All information on the costs of studying (registration fees, tuition fees, scholarships) can be found here.
The Malta College of Arts, Sciences and Technology (MCAST) is a vocational college with 11 institutes in Malta and a campus in Gozo. Its educational offer includes full-time and part-time studies and a large number of vocational courses. At MCAST one can take first-degree studies, after which certificates of completion of a given course are obtained, as well as second-degree studies - bachelor's and master's degrees. A list of available fields of study and courses is available here. Requirements for recruitment at MCAST can be found here.