MDB Unlocks A Major Gateway To EU Investment Funding

The Malta Development Bank (MDB) has been approved as an eligible implementing partner under the European Union’s InvestEU programme.

This accreditation enables MDB to begin direct discussions with the European Commission to access EU financial guarantees that will help support Maltese businesses.

To be recognised as an InvestEU partner, national promotional banks must pass a strict independent audit which is conducted over a number of years, called Pillar Assessment. This audit examines the bank’s internal systems in areas such as financial controls and reporting, purchasing procedures, fraud prevention, data protection, policies, and good governance practices. It also includes an independent audit of the Bank’s legal, operational and financial capacity.

After completing this thorough evaluation process by the European Commission, MDB has been recognised as qualified to work directly with the EU’s InvestEU programme and is now among a select group of institutions authorised to operate with InvestEU guarantees.

This milestone will enable the Bank to:

• Access direct EU-backed guarantees to support projects in Malta

• Focus on key EU priorities including environmental sustainability, digital innovation, and support for small and medium-sized businesses

• Increase the amount of financing available to Maltese enterprises

Malta Development Bank can now move forward with negotiating its first guarantee agreement with the Commission, and it will achieve full implementing partner status once this agreement is signed.

Ms. Alison Micallef, Chief Executive Officer of the MDB, commented: “Becoming a direct implementing partner under InvestEU will allow us to directly channel EU resources and guarantees into projects that deliver tangible benefits for Maltese enterprises and the wider economy. We are working to complete negotiations for our first direct guarantee agreement under InvestEU, so that the MDB’s financial instruments can continue to strongly support Maltese businesses.”

Mr. Leo Brincat, Chair of the MDB, added: “This recognition firmly anchors MDB as a key national institution within Europe’s financial ecosystem. Being approved as an implementing partner under InvestEU significantly strengthens our ability to unlock investment for Malta’s sustainable and innovation-driven priorities. Most importantly, it enhances our role as a catalyst for long-term growth, resilience, and shared prosperity for our country.”

MDB JIKSEB AĊĊESS DIRETT GĦAL FONDI EWLENIN TAL-UE

Il-Malta Development Bank (MDB) ġie approvat bħala msieħeb eliġibbli biex jimplementa l-programm InvestEU tal-Unjoni Ewropea.

Din l-akkreditazzjoni tfisser li l-MDB jista’ jibda diskussjonijiet direttament mal-Kummissjoni Ewropea biex jaċċessa garanziji finanzjarji tal-UE, liema garanziji se jappoġġjaw lin-negozji Maltin.

Biex jiġu rikonoxxuti bħala msieħba tal-InvestEU, banek nazzjonali tal-iżvilupp jgħaddu minn awditjar indipendenti strett li jieħu numru ta’ snin, imsejjaħ Pillar Assessment. Dan jivverifika li l-Bank għandu sistemi b’saħħithom fis-seħħ, f’oqsma bħal kontrolli finanzjarji u rappurtaġġ, proċeduri ta’ xiri, prevenzjoni tal-frodi, protezzjoni tad-dejta, policies, u prattiċi ta’ governanza tajba. Jinkludi wkoll awditjar indipendenti tal-kapaċitajiet legali, operattivi u finanzjarji tal-Bank.

Wara li l-Kummissjoni Ewropea lestiet dan il-proċess ta’ evalwazzjoni bir-reqqa, MDB ġie rikonoxxut bħala kwalifikat biex jaħdem direttament mal-programm InvestEU. B’hekk il-Bank issa huwa fost grupp magħżul ta’ istituzzjonijiet awtorizzati biex joperaw b’garanziji InvestEU.

Dan se jippermetti lill-Bank li:

• Jaċċessa garanziji diretti appoġġjati mill-UE biex jitwettqu proġetti f’Malta

• Jiffoka fuq prijoritajiet ewlenin tal-UE, inklużi s-sostenibbiltà ambjentali, l-innovazzjoni diġitali, u l-appoġġ għal negozji żgħar u ta’ daqs medju

• Iżid l-ammont ta’ finanzjament disponibbli għall-intrapriżi Maltin

Malta Development Bank issa jista’ jimxi ’l quddiem bin-negozjati tal-ewwel ftehim ta’ garanzija mal-Kummissjoni, u ladarba dan jiġi ffirmat, il-Bank jikseb status sħiħ ta’ ‘implementing partner’.

Alison Micallef, Kap Eżekuttiv tal-MDB, qalet: “Dan il-pass jippermettilna nidderieġu direttament ir-riżorsi u l-garanziji tal-UE fi proġetti li jsarrfu f’benefiċċji tanġibbli għall-intrapriżi Maltin u l-ekonomija usa’. Qed naħdmu biex nikkonkludu n-negozjati għall-ewwel ftehim ta’ garanzija diretta tagħna taħt InvestEU. B’hekk, l-istrumenti finanzjarji tal-MDB jkomplu jappoġġjaw lin-negozji Maltin.”

Leo Brincat, Chairman tal-MDB, żied jgħid: “Dan ir-rikonoxximent jankra sew lill-MDB bħala istituzzjoni nazzjonali ewlenija fl-ekosistema finanzjarja tal-Ewropa. Il-fatt li ġejna approvati bħala sieħeb implimentattiv taħt InvestEU jsaħħaħ b’mod sinifikanti l-abbiltà tagħna li nisfruttaw l-investiment fi proġetti sostenibbli u innovattivi. Dan huwa pass li jsaħħaħ ir-rwol tagħna bħala katalist għal tkabbir li huwa fit-tul, reżiljeti, u li jħares il-prosperità kollettiva ta’ pajjiżna.”