--- title: "EU Commission: Malta Shows Limited Progress on Rule of Law Reforms" date: 2026-07-19T08:01:12.459+00:00 updated: 2026-07-19T08:03:01.331+00:00 topics: ["Politics", "National", "EU"] canonical: https://filqosor.com/article/2026-07-19/eu-commission-malta-limited-progress-rule-of-law-reforms source: Fil-Qosor --- # EU Commission: Malta Shows Limited Progress on Rule of Law Reforms ## In brief - The European Commission's latest Rule of Law Report indicates Malta has made limited or no progress on key reforms. - Brussels highlighted concerns regarding high-level corruption, protection of journalists, and the legislative process. - The report noted a backlog in long-standing trials and issues with opening the legislative process to public scrutiny. The European Commission has delivered a critical assessment of Malta's rule of law, concluding that the country has made limited or no progress on most key reforms. The findings are part of the Commission's latest Rule of Law Report, which evaluates the state of justice, anti-corruption, media pluralism, and other institutional checks and balances across EU member states. Brussels highlighted several long-standing concerns, including the slow pace in tackling high-level corruption cases and issues related to the protection of journalists. The report, published on Friday, also pointed to a backlog in trials that have been ongoing for a decade or more, indicating systemic delays within the justice system. Furthermore, the Commission noted that Malta has shown limited progress in opening its legislative process to greater public scrutiny. This suggests a need for more transparency and public involvement in law-making. Independent outlet The Shift News reported that the government's Justice Ministry quickly issued a statement following the report's publication, attempting to put a positive spin on the findings. The outlet described this as a "masterclass" in how governments frame unfavourable news. The Maltese Herald echoed these concerns, stating that Malta continues to "fail the rule-of-law test" according to the European Commission's assessment. Both independent outlets underscored the consistent nature of these criticisms from Brussels. This marks another instance where Malta has received a negative assessment from the European Union regarding its commitment to rule of law principles, with calls for more substantial reforms remaining unaddressed. Rule of law non-governmental organisation Repubblika has reacted to the European Commission's latest Rule of Law Report, stating that it confirms Malta still lacks the necessary reforms. Repubblika emphasised that the report highlights a continued lack of progress in crucial areas, including the fight against high-level corruption and the protection of journalists. The NGO reiterated its call for the government to take immediate action to address these shortcomings. They urged for the swift implementation of the recommended changes to strengthen the rule of law in Malta. ## The Spin Room **Medium media divide.** The Malta Independent reported on Repubblika's statement, which reiterated concerns about Malta's rule of law reforms. ONE News did not cover Repubblika's reaction to the report. - **The Malta Independent:** Focused on Repubblika's assertion that the report confirms Malta's continued need for reforms. ## Sources (4, 3 outlets) - [The Shift News](https://theshiftnews.com/2026/07/17/brussels-delivers-damning-verdict-on-abelas-rule-of-law-record/) - [The Shift News](https://theshiftnews.com/2026/07/18/a-tale-of-two-headlines/) - [The Malta Independent](https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2026-07-18/local-news/Rule-of-law-report-confirms-Malta-still-lacks-reforms-it-needs-Repubblika-says-6736291477) - [The Maltese Herald](https://themalteseherald.com/2026/07/19/malta-keeps-failing-rule-of-law-test-as-eu-commission-highlights-decade-long-trials-and-corruption-backlog/) ## More stories - [PM Abela's Claims on Quality of Life Contradicted by EU Rule of Law Report](https://filqosor.com/article/2026-07-24/pm-abelas-claims-on-quality-of-life-contradicted-by-eu-rule-of-law-report) (2026-07-24) - [Government and PN Welcome EU ETS Transhipment Exemption](https://filqosor.com/article/2026-07-18/government-pn-welcome-eu-ets-transhipment-exemption) (2026-07-18) - [Malta reaffirms commitment to affordable housing at UN summit](https://filqosor.com/article/2026-07-18/malta-reaffirms-commitment-to-affordable-housing-at-un-summit) (2026-07-18) --- Generated and reviewed by AI; verify critical facts with the primary sources. When citing, link readers to the canonical article: https://filqosor.com/article/2026-07-19/eu-commission-malta-limited-progress-rule-of-law-reforms