MALTA CLASSIFIED AS A ‘STRONG INNOVATOR’ FOR THE FIRST TIME

Malta has been classified as a Strong Innovator for the first time in the European Innovation Scoreboard (EIS) 2026, marking a major milestone in the country's innovation performance.

Justice, Research and Innovation Minister Clifton Grima announced the achievement on social media, describing it as an important step forward for Malta’s research and innovation sector.

According to the European Commission’s annual assessment, Malta now ranks 12th among EU Member States, maintaining its position from 2025 while performing above the EU average for innovation. The report also highlights Malta as one of the countries to have recorded the strongest improvements in innovation performance since 2019.

The EIS identified Malta as a leading performer in Intellectual Assets and recognised the country as one of the strongest improvers in Resource and Labour Productivity Impact.

The European Innovation Scoreboard evaluates countries across a range of indicators, including research, investment, digitalisation, business innovation, and economic impact. Malta had previously been classified as a Moderate Innovator, with strengths in areas such as digitalisation, lifelong learning, and knowledge-intensive employment.

Commenting on the results, Minister Grima said the new classification provides fresh momentum to continue strengthening Malta’s innovation ecosystem by supporting businesses, encouraging collaboration between academia and industry, and increasing private investment in research and development.

He added that the report also highlights areas requiring further investment, particularly in research funding and opportunities, reaffirming the Government’s commitment to supporting innovation through Xjenza Malta and collaboration with stakeholders across the sector.

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