Malta has bucked the trend of its EU Mediterranean neighbours in many ways. This smallest of EU states barely dipped into recession during the global financial crisis and remains a stable member of the Eurozone whilst also having one of the lowest infringement rates and highest transposition of EU law records amongst the 28 member states. Providing the first comprehensive study of Malta's complex road to EU membership this book looks at the impact of membership on the country's political structures and processes and explains the principal factors that have conditioned the country's Europeanization experience. Reflecting Malta's unique and often contentious road to membership, the book explores the historical context and outlines how Maltese processes and policies have changed since membership and whether a causative link exists between these changes and Malta's membership of the EU. A wide range of primary and secondary sources facilitate the study complemented by a series of interviews with a broad range of Malta's political and social actors as well as individuals from EU institutions. This depth of analysis enables a holistic view of Malta's first decade of EU membership and helps establish the fundamental characteristics of Malta's unique Europeanization experience.
Biography
Dr Mark Harwood is a Senior Lecturer in European Studies at the University of Malta. Previously he was employed with the European Commission as well as the Maltese Public Service. Dr Harwood teaches courses at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, focusing on European comparative politics, EU politics, Malta-EU relations and the EU and lobbying.
’Mark Harwood has made a valid contribution to the broader literature on small states which remains a scantily researched field. He has rigorously analysed Malta's meandering road to EU membership which, despite the island's smallness, was not lacking in complexities, at times undermining widely-held notions and assumptions about small states’ behaviour. Written from the angle of the small state, Malta, the book's narrative provides the other side of the coin to works covering small states in the EU institutions since it demonstrates what could be the domestic political links of their European level politics.’ Roderick Pace, University of Malta, Malta ’Malta is the European Union’s smallest member state. It is also one of the most successful, not least in that membership is viewed by Malta’s leaders and population as having been economically and politically beneficial and in that also relations between the EU and Malta have been generally very good. This book examines Malta’s road to EU membership and its experience of having been a member state. Particular attention is paid to how Malta’s political and administrative arrangements for dealing with membership have been developed. The book is thoroughly researched, highly informative and will be of interest not only to those who want to know more about Malta and the EU, but also to those who wish to further their understanding of the government and politics of small states.’ Neill Nugent, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK ’This book is an important addition to studies about small states governance and EU membership. The author’s ability to compare Malta’s performance with that of much larger states, however, helps to demonstrate that the challenges faced cannot be ascribed wholly to country size but have wider roots. This study also provides valuable lessons for applicant states as they are forced to reform their governance structures on their torturous path to EU membership.’ G
