Malta lies at the southern tip of the European continent, between the European and the African continent. A small island, it is easy to forget that Malta too, is applying for accession to the EU, alongside more eastern countries such as Poland, Romania, Lithuania and Latvia.

Despite its size, Malta plays an important role as both a link between the Northern EU member states, and the southern Mediterranean countries, as well as between the north and south banks of the Mediterranean.

According to Malta’s foreign minister "we feel that Malta as part of the Union has an even more important role to play in the Mediterranean. Our complementary European and Mediterranean identities equip us well for this undertaking."

Historical roots

Ever since they were first colonised one thousand years ago, the Maltese islands have played a crucial role in the making of history.

Malta, the largest island, and her sister islands Gozo, Comino, Filfla, are strategically placed in the narrow channel joining the eastern and the western basins of the Mediterranean.

Located at the crossroads in the Mediterranean, between Southern Europe and North Africa, between Western Europe and the Middle East, Malta was always an essential key to sea control for former naval powers, and proved an irresistible attraction to military powers in successive epoches.

The list of Malta's colonizers is long, and includes the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, Castilians, the Knights of St. John, the French, and the British.

In Valetta, the huge harbour fortification still reminds visitors of the days of the Knights of St. John's Order, who changed from nurses to Christian pilgrims, to fearless "Soldiers of Christ".

Today, English is the second official language in Malta - a legacy of 160 years British colonisation.

Britain formally acquired possession of Malta in 1814. Since then, Maltese-British ties have been close: The island staunchly supported the UK through both World Wars and remained in the Commonwealth despite independence in 1964.

Well integrated

Despite its location just north of the African coast, Malta is well integrated in Europe. In 2000, EU trade accounted for around 33 per cent of Malta’s exports and 60 per cent of its imports.

Malta’s ride into the EU should be smoother than some of its other candidate counterparts. It has not had to overhaul its democratic and economic structures to such an extent as other states.

Despite € 38 million ($ 34.5 million) pre-accession aid available to Malta for the period 2000-2004, Malta’s progress in passing European legislation has been patchy. And Malta has been particularly slow in adopting directives on farming and the environment.

The Maltese are generally unenthusiastic about EU membership. Malta has been part of a free trade zone with the EU since 1971. Only 39 per cent of the population say they want their country to join - some say it would be best just to stay the way it is.