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, visited Poland in September 2019 and in January 2020. The President of Poland, Andrzej Duda, paid a visit to Malta in September 2017 and then in October 2022. Malta opened its Embassy in Warsaw in 2009. The Polish Embassy in Valletta was established in 2019. Its official inauguration took 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.
Links
Economic cooperation
Malta is one of the smallest trade partners of Poland in Europe. Polish exports to Malta and imports from Malta account for 0.02% of Poland's total exports and imports. Since Poland’s accession to the EU in 2004, mutual trade with Malta has increased significantly. In 2005, trade between our countries amounted to only EUR 13.6 million, while in 2018 and 2019 it reached a level of EUR 110.6 milion and EUR 99.5 million respectively. Polish exports to Malta in 2018 and 2019 achieved a value of EUR 62.8 milion and EUR 46.1 milion respectively, and Polish imports from Malta EUR 47.8 and 53.4 million. The structure of trade in goods between Poland and Malta has been similar for many years. The Polish export is dominated by products of the electromechanical industry (almost half of its value), mainly mobile telephones, monitors and computer equipment, boats, yachts and parts thereof. Agri-food products also have an important share in Polish exports, mainly meat and meat preparations, tobacco and tobacco products, cocoa and cocoa products, as well as chemical industry products: oils, greases, fuels, plastic products, cosmetics and medicines. Poland also exports to Malta furniture and furniture accessories, window frames and wooden panels. Chemicals products, especially pharmaceutical products, have the largest share in Polish imports from Malta. Poland also imports from Malta electromechanical industry products, mainly electronic integrated circuits, as well as rubber and rubber products, and toys. The exchange of services between Poland and Malta is relatively high and it has been increasing constantly. In 2010, turnover in services amounted to EUR 48.2 million, while in 2018 it reached the level of EUR 211.1 million. At the end of 2018, the value of Maltese direct investments in Poland amounted to EUR 1,788.1 million, while Polish direct investments in Malta reached a level of EUR 611.7 million.
Links
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.