Nearly 4 in 5 Foreign Investors See Malta as a Prime Investment Destination

Foreign investor confidence in Malta has experienced a remarkable surge, with an impressive 79% of international companies now viewing the Mediterranean island as an attractive destination for foreign direct investment (FDI), according to the latest Ernst & Young (E&Y) Attractiveness Survey. This represents a substantial 25 percentage point increase from the 54% recorded just one year earlier. 

The Malta investment climate continues to demonstrate its competitive edge, with two-thirds of investors (67%) affirming that Malta is as, or more attractive, than other European locations. Malta’s appeal is founded on several established strengths, with 70% of respondents highlighting the stability of the social climate as a key driver of their investment decisions. Furthermore, confidence in the stability and transparency of the political, legal, and regulatory framework increased sharply.

Near-term commitment remains exceptionally strong, with 90% of companies planning to either maintain or expand their investment plans over the next twelve months. Additionally, 70% of foreign companies express confidence that they will remain in Malta over the next decade, demonstrating long-term faith in the nation's business environment.

Malta's EU market access provides investors with a strategic gateway to European markets. On top of this, there is a strong culture of innovation and the country benefits from the presence of a talented professional cohort and use of English as an official language. The positive findings from the E&Y survey follow a trend of positive findings for Malta’s business environment with Greenfield FDI Performance Index rating Malta as the highest climber, Fitch issuing an A+ rating, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) predictingthat the country will continue having the strongest growth in the EU for the next five years.