Public Consultation Feedback: Ship recycling – European list of ship recycling facilities (16th edition)

The Malta Sociological Association (MSA) notes the proposed update to the European List of Ship Recycling Facilities and recognises its importance in promoting environmentally sound and safe ship recycling across the European Union. The MSA recommends that the implementation and future evaluation of the Ship Recycling Regulation explicitly incorporate Social Impact Assessment (SIA) alongside environmental and technical criteria. Ship recycling has significant social implications for workers, local communities, public health, and regional economies, and these should be systematically considered in decision-making.

The MSA also encourages the European Commission to continue promoting high standards of workers' rights, occupational health and safety, and decent working conditions within approved ship recycling facilities. Sustainable ship recycling should not rely on lower labour standards, weaker environmental enforcement, or precarious working conditions, whether within or outside the European Union.

The MSA further recommends that future evaluations consider the wider social impacts of ship recycling, including employment quality, community wellbeing, environmental justice, and the protection of vulnerable workers. Embedding SIA within the implementation of the Ship Recycling Regulation would strengthen evidence-informed policymaking and contribute to a socially just and environmentally sustainable circular economy.

Reimagine Our Spaces - MSA at the Science in the City 26 September 2026

Reimagine Our Spaces

As part of Science in the City 2026, MSA and the Department of Sociology at UM will present Reimagine Our Spaces, an interactive activity inviting the public to reflect on how planning and development decisions shape their everyday lives.

Grounded in the principles of Social Impact Assessments (SIAs), the activity encourages participants to consider who benefits, who may be excluded, and how our shared spaces could be made more inclusive and equitable.

Through a simple Keep – Change – Remove activity, participants will explore familiar Maltese locations, including Triton Square, St Anne Street in Floriana, and Għadira Bay. They will share their experiences, reflect on how these spaces have changed, and imagine how they could be improved in the future.

The activity connects with the Research, Resist, Reimagine theme:

 Research: Sharing experiences and observations of how spaces work for different people.

 Resist: Questioning decisions, identifying challenges, and giving voice to concerns.

 Reimagine: Proposing ideas for more inclusive, accessible and community-oriented spaces.

Facilitated by sociologists, the activity will also introduce participants to the role of Social Impact Assessments in understanding the social consequences of development. Feedback collected throughout the day will be documented and may contribute to wider public discussions and consultations concerning these sites.

We’d love to have you join us and help make sociology part of the conversation! 

 Saturday, 26 September 2026 | 6 pm
 Science in the City Street Festival, near Triton Fountain

PRESS RELEASE: Malta Sociological Association Calls for Social Impact Assessment in EU Emissions Trading System Measures

 

PRESS RELEASE

Malta Sociological Association Calls for Social Impact Assessment in EU Emissions Trading System Measures

​24 August 2026

The Malta Sociological Association (MSA) has submitted its views on proposed developments concerning the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) and the implementation of financial compensation measures under ETS2, highlighting the need to ensure that Europe’s transition towards climate neutrality is environmentally effective, economically viable, and socially just.

Safeguarding fair competition in maritime transport

The MSA notes the proposed update to the list of neighbouring container transhipment ports under the EU Emissions Trading System and supports measures that safeguard the environmental integrity of the ETS while ensuring fair competition across the maritime sector.

The Association recommends that the implementation of the Regulation should not create incentives for shipping operators to relocate activities to neighbouring non-EU ports primarily because of lower labour costs, weaker social protections, or less stringent environmental and regulatory standards. Such practices could undermine the objectives of EU climate policy, social rights, and the principles of a just transition.

The MSA stresses that particular consideration should be given to small island states and peripheral EU regions, whose ports play an essential role in territorial cohesion, connectivity, employment, and economic resilience. These regions should not be placed at a competitive disadvantage through regulatory asymmetries that encourage the diversion of maritime activities towards jurisdictions operating under substantially lower labour, social, or environmental standards.

The ​M​SA therefore recommends that the implementation and future evaluation of the ETS incorporate Social Impact Assessment (SIA) alongside environmental and economic considerations. SIA can strengthen evidence-informed policymaking by identifying and assessing impacts on workers, port communities, regional development, and maritime employment.

Ensuring a socially just transition under ETS2

The MSA also notes the European Commission’s initiative on financial compensation under ETS2, covering buildings, road transport, and additional sectors, and recognises its importance in supporting a fair and socially just transition towards climate neutrality.

The Association recommends that the design, implementation, and evaluation of compensation measures explicitly incorporate Social Impact Assessment alongside environmental and economic considerations.

Carbon pricing and related measures may affect social groups unevenly, particularly lower-income households, older persons, persons with disabilities, and communities with limited access to affordable and sustainable transport or energy alternatives.

The MSA encourages a stronger social rights approach, recognising access to affordable energy, mobility, and a healthy environment as important components of social wellbeing and inclusion. Financial compensation should therefore prioritise those most affected by the transition, while also supporting long-term investments that reduce social vulnerabilities and strengthen resilience.

Future evaluations of ETS2 compensation measures should assess their wider social impacts, including effects on inequality, energy poverty, transport accessibility, employment, and territorial cohesion.

Recognising the needs of island and peripheral regions

The MSA further emphasises that ETS2 should adequately account for the specific circumstances of small-island, insular, and peripheral regions within the European Union, as well as the particular challenges faced by small island states more broadly.

Geographical isolation, dependence on maritime and road transport, limited economies of scale, and restricted access to alternative energy and transport systems can create additional social and economic pressures during the transition to a low-carbon economy.

The MSA therefore calls for appropriate mitigating and compensatory measures to address these impacts and ensure that climate policies do not disproportionately burden communities that already face structural geographical and economic disadvantages.

Putting social impact at the centre of climate policy

For the MSA, the transition to low-carbon transport, energy, and other sectors must extend beyond environmental and economic indicators. The social consequences of climate policy must also be systematically assessed.

Embedding Social Impact Assessment within the implementation and evaluation of the ETS and ETS2 would contribute to more comprehensive and evidence-informed policymaking. It would enable policymakers to identify unintended social consequences, anticipate distributional impacts, and develop measures that support workers, households, communities, and regions affected by decarbonisation.

The Malta Sociological Association believes that climate action should reinforce rather than undermine decent work, fair competition, social inclusion, and the long-term resilience of European coastal, island, and peripheral communities.

A successful transition to climate neutrality must therefore be not only environmentally effective and economically viable, but also socially sustainable and equitable.

Public Consultation Feedback: Financial Compensation EU emissions trading system (ETS2)

 The Malta Sociological Association (MSA) notes the European Commission's initiative on financial compensation under the EU Emissions Trading System for buildings, road transport and additional sectors (ETS2), recognising its importance in supporting a fair and socially just transition to climate neutrality.

The MSA recommends that the design, implementation and evaluation of compensation measures explicitly incorporate Social Impact Assessment (SIA) alongside environmental and economic considerations. Carbon pricing may affect different social groups unevenly, particularly lower-income households, older persons, persons with disabilities, and communities with limited access to affordable and sustainable transport or energy alternatives.

The MSA also encourages a stronger social rights approach, recognising access to affordable energy, mobility and a healthy environment as essential components of social wellbeing and inclusion. Financial compensation should therefore prioritise those most affected by the transition while promoting long-term investments that reduce social vulnerabilities and improve resilience.

The MSA further recommends that future evaluations of ETS2 compensation measures assess their wider social impacts, including effects on inequality, energy poverty, transport accessibility, employment, and territorial cohesion. Embedding SIA within the implementation of ETS2 would strengthen evidence-informed policymaking and contribute to a transition that is not only environmentally effective but also socially equitable and inclusive across the European Union.

The Malta Sociological Association also emphasizes that the ETS2 should factor in the impacts on small-island (including small island states), insular and peripheral regions within the EU, and hence include mitigating and compensatory measures in relation to such impacts.  

Public Consultation Feedback: EU Fuel Maritime Regulation – updating the list of “neighbouring container transhipment ports"

 The Malta Sociological Association (MSA) notes the proposed update to the list of neighbouring container transhipment ports under the FuelEU Maritime Regulation and supports measures that safeguard the environmental integrity of the Regulation while ensuring fair competition across the maritime sector.

The MSA recommends that the implementation of the Regulation should not create incentives for shipping operators to shift activities to neighbouring non-EU ports, primarily because of lower labour costs, weaker social protections, less stringent environmental standards, or more precarious regulatory frameworks. Such practices risk undermining both the objectives of the European Green Deal and the EU's commitment to a socially just transition.

Particular consideration should be given to small island states and peripheral EU regions, whose ports play a vital role in territorial cohesion, economic resilience, employment, and connectivity. These regions should not be placed at a competitive disadvantage through regulatory asymmetries that encourage the relocation of maritime activities to jurisdictions operating under substantially lower labour, social, or environmental standards.

The MSA further recommends that the implementation and future evaluation of the Regulation explicitly incorporate Social Impact Assessment (SIA) alongside environmental and economic considerations. This would enable policymakers to assess impacts on workers, port communities, regional development, and employment, while promoting socially sustainable and equitable maritime governance across the European Union.

Public Consultation Feedback: EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) – update to list of neighbouring container transhipment ports

The Malta Sociological Association (MSA) notes the proposed update to the list of neighbouring container transhipment ports under the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) and supports measures that safeguard the environmental integrity of the ETS while ensuring fair competition across the maritime sector.

The MSA recommends that the implementation of the Regulation should not create incentives for shipping operators to relocate activities to neighbouring non-EU ports primarily because of lower labour costs, weaker social protections, or less stringent environmental and regulatory standards. Such practices risk undermining the objectives of the EU's climate policies, social rights, and the principles of a just transition.

Particular consideration should be given to small island states and peripheral EU regions, whose ports are essential for territorial cohesion, connectivity, employment, and economic resilience. These regions should not be placed at a competitive disadvantage through regulatory asymmetries that encourage the diversion of maritime activities to jurisdictions operating under substantially lower labour, social, or environmental standards.

The MSA also recommends that the implementation and future evaluation of the ETS incorporate Social Impact Assessment (SIA) alongside environmental and economic considerations. This would strengthen evidence-informed policymaking by assessing impacts on workers, port communities, regional development, and maritime employment, while promoting socially sustainable and equitable decarbonisation across the European Union.

The transition to low-carbon maritime transport should be environmentally effective, economically viable, and socially just, ensuring that climate action reinforces rather than undermines decent work, fair competition, and the long-term resilience of European coastal and island communities.

Public Consultation Feedback: EU Birds and Habitats Directives – stress test

The Malta Sociological Association (MSA) notes the stress test of the Birds and Habitats Directives and recommends that any review strengthen implementation while maintaining the Directives' high level of environmental protection. The MSA recommends mainstreaming Social Impact Assessment (SIA) alongside ecological and economic considerations, recognising that biodiversity conservation has important implications for communities, livelihoods, health, cultural heritage and quality of life. The review should strengthen stakeholder participation, policy coherence and evidence-informed decision-making, while giving particular attention to small island states and coastal communities, where environmental and social systems are closely interconnected. Simplification should improve implementation without weakening environmental safeguards or social sustainability.

Public Consultation Feedback: European Ocean Research and Innovation Strategy

 The Malta Sociological Association (MSA) notes the European Commission's initiative to develop a European Ocean Research and Innovation Strategy and recognises its importance in supporting sustainable, resilient and evidence-informed ocean governance.

The MSA recommends that the Strategy explicitly strengthen the contribution of the social sciences, including sociology, alongside the natural sciences, engineering and technological innovation. Many ocean challenges—including climate adaptation, the blue economy, fisheries, coastal development, maritime transport, marine conservation and ocean governance—have important social dimensions that require interdisciplinary research.

The MSA also recommends mainstreaming Social Impact Assessment (SIA) within European ocean research and innovation. Research and innovation should not only advance scientific and technological knowledge but also improve understanding of how ocean policies and innovations affect coastal communities, workers, social inequalities, cultural heritage, wellbeing and public participation.

Particular attention should be given to the experiences of small island states, peripheral regions and coastal communities, where environmental, economic and social challenges are often closely interconnected.

The MSA further encourages the Strategy to promote participatory and transdisciplinary research, bringing together researchers, policymakers, civil society, industry and local communities in the co-production of knowledge. Such an approach would contribute to more socially just, inclusive and effective ocean research and innovation across the European Union.

Public Consultation Feedback: Review of EU rules on alternative fuels infrastructure

The Malta Sociological Association (MSA) notes the review of the EU rules on alternative fuels infrastructure and recommends that their implementation explicitly incorporate Social Impact Assessment (SIA) alongside environmental, economic and technical considerations. The deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure has important implications for accessibility, affordability, employment, territorial cohesion and social inclusion. The MSA also encourages the mainstreaming of social rights, ensuring equitable access to sustainable transport infrastructure, particularly for small island states, peripheral regions and vulnerable communities. Infrastructure planning should be informed by meaningful stakeholder participation and evidence-based assessment of social impacts to support a transition that is environmentally sustainable, economically viable and socially just.

 

Public Consultation Feedback: Targeted consultation on the draft guidelines for the classification of high-risk artificial intelligence systems

The Malta Sociological Association notes the European Commission's draft guidelines on the classification of high-risk Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems and recognises their importance in promoting trustworthy, human-centred AI across the European Union.

The MSA recommends that Social Impact Assessment (SIA) be incorporated into the classification and assessment of high-risk AI systems. While technical performance, safety, and legal compliance are essential, AI systems may also generate significant social risks, including impacts on employment, inequality, education, healthcare, public services, privacy, social inclusion, democratic participation, and public trust. A systematic assessment of these social impacts would strengthen evidence-informed, transparent, and socially responsible  governance.

The MSA also recommends that the European Commission complement regulatory measures with comprehensive public education and outreach initiatives to improve AI literacy among citizens, organisations, businesses, educators, and public authorities. Greater awareness of both the opportunities and the risks associated with AI is essential for informed participation, responsible use, and public confidence in these technologies.

Embedding SIA alongside technical and legal assessments, while investing in public education and engagement, would contribute to a more accountable, inclusive, and socially sustainable framework for the development and deployment of AI across the EU.

Public Consultation Feedback: AI Technical Update of Passenger Ship Safety Standards

The Malta Sociological Association notes the EU AI Technical update of passenger ship safety standards proposal. The proposal is welcome insofar as it updates and clarifies passenger ship safety standards. However, passenger ship safety should not be understood only as a technical matter. It is also a question of social infrastructure, island connectivity, labour conditions, accessibility, public trust and blue economy governance. The Commission should therefore accompany the technical update with a concise Social Impact Assessment, paying particular attention to island and peripheral regions, vulnerable passengers, crew working conditions, small operators, accessibility, emergency communication and the continuity of essential passenger services. This would strengthen the proposal’s legitimacy, proportionality and practical effectiveness.

Public Consultation Feedback: European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF)

 The Malta Sociological Association (MSA) notes the European Commission's initiative to simplify the implementation of the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) and to transpose the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies into EU law.

While reducing unnecessary administrative burdens is important, regulatory simplification should not overlook the social dimensions of fisheries and maritime policy. The Commission itself identifies challenges relating to employment, labour conditions, support for small-scale fisheries, and generational renewal. These are fundamentally social issues, which reinforce the need to integrate Social Impact Assessment (SIA) principles into the policy process, even where a full impact assessment is not undertaken.

The MSA recommends that particular consideration be given to the realities of small island states such as Malta, where coastal communities face unique structural challenges, including limited territorial space, climate change, competing coastal uses, tourism pressures, and dependence on marine resources. In such contexts, seemingly technical regulatory changes may have significant social consequences.

The Association also welcomes the EU Strategy for Coastal Communities, which recognises the importance of locally led solutions, resilient coastal economies, and vibrant coastal communities. EMFAF implementation should be fully aligned with this vision by recognising fisheries not only as an economic sector but also as a source of cultural heritage, social cohesion, community resilience, and sustainable local development.

The MSA further recommends that EMFAF continue to prioritise small-scale and artisanal fisheries, which make important contributions to local employment, food security, social and cultural cohesion, maritime heritage, and environmentally sustainable fishing practices. At the same time, public funding should avoid reinforcing forms of industrial fishing that contribute to environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, and unequal competition that undermines the livelihoods and long-term viability of small-scale fishers.

Future monitoring of EMFAF should extend beyond administrative efficiency and financial absorption to include social indicators relating to employment quality, generational renewal, community resilience, social inclusion, and the wellbeing of coastal communities. Such an approach would strengthen evidence-informed policymaking and contribute to environmentally sustainable, socially just, and resilient fisheries governance across the European Union.

Public Consultation Feedback: European Ocean Act

 The Malta Sociological Association (MSA) notes the European Commission's initiative to develop a European Ocean Act as an important opportunity to strengthen integrated, sustainable and resilient ocean governance across the European Union.

The MSA recommends that the European Ocean Act explicitly mainstream Social Impact Assessment (SIA) throughout the policy cycle. While environmental and economic assessments are well established within maritime governance, the social dimensions of ocean policies often receive comparatively limited attention. Yet marine policies can have significant implications for coastal communities, employment, social cohesion, cultural heritage, public health, livelihoods, and social equity.

A systematic SIA framework would strengthen evidence-informed policymaking by identifying both intended and unintended social consequences, supporting meaningful stakeholder participation, and improving policy coherence across maritime sectors. This is particularly relevant for small island states such as Malta, where coastal communities are closely interconnected with environmental, economic and cultural systems, and where relatively small policy changes may generate significant social impacts.

The MSA also encourages the European Commission to recognise the growing contribution of marine social sciences to ocean governance. Recent scholarship has highlighted the need to integrate social scientific knowledge alongside ecological and economic evidence in addressing complex marine challenges. Embedding SIA within the European Ocean Act would represent a practical and effective mechanism for achieving this objective while contributing to socially just, resilient and sustainable blue economy policies.

Reference: 

Penca, J., Ertör, I., Ballesteros, M. et al. Rethinking the Blue Economy: Integrating social science for sustainability and justice. npj Ocean Sustain 4, 40 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44183-025-00138-1 

Public Consultation Feedback: The First Update of Malta's National Air Pollution Control Programme (NAPCP)

The Malta Sociological Association (MSA) notes the First Update of Malta's National Air Pollution Control Programme (NAPCP) as an important contribution towards improving environmental quality and public health.

The MSA recommends that the implementation and future revisions of the Programme explicitly mainstream Social Impact Assessment (SIA) alongside environmental and economic considerations. Air pollution is not only an environmental issue but also a social one, with unequal impacts across different population groups, particularly children, older persons, people with chronic health conditions, lower-income households, and communities exposed to higher levels of pollution.

The MSA also encourages the Programme to adopt a stronger social rights perspective, recognising clean air as an essential component of health, well-being, and quality of life. Policies aimed at reducing emissions should be designed to maximise social benefits while ensuring that the costs and benefits of the transition are distributed fairly across society.

Embedding SIA within the NAPCP would strengthen evidence-informed policymaking by identifying potential social impacts, supporting meaningful stakeholder participation, and promoting more equitable and socially sustainable environmental policies. Such an approach would contribute to a healthier, more resilient, and more inclusive Malta.

Summer Social Event - Friday 21 August 2026

  📅 Date: Friday 21st August 2026

🕢 Time: 7:30 PM
📍 Location: Balzunetta Restaurant, Floriana

This event is open to all MSA members, and you're more than welcome to bring along your family and friends.

Enjoy a delicious meal as we unwind and catch up before the summer ends! 

The menu can be accessed through this link: https://balzunetta.mt/food-menu/

📝 RSVP by Monday 17th August

Secure your spot by filling in the RSVP form: https://forms.gle/RiQKEsGSJfBkJwV46

The Malta Sociology Conference 2026 - Register Now!

 The Malta Sociological Association will be organising the Malta Sociology Conference 2026 on Saturday 7 November morning at the Salina Visitor Centre. 

The theme of this year's conference, which is sponsored by APS Bank, is Sustainability and Society. The Early Bird Registration is Now Open!

To register:

Early Bird fees: Free for members; 30 Euro for non-members Valid until: 31st August 2026.  

Conference fees after 31st August: 15 Euro for members; 35 Euro for non-members

To join or renew your membership with the MSA click here

To register for the conference click here 

MSA Newsletter vol. 4 no 2

 

MSA Public Consultation Feedback: Citizens Omnibus Initiative – reducing administrative burdens

 The Malta Sociological Association (MSA) notes the European Commission's initiative to identify opportunities for simplification, better implementation, and the reduction of unnecessary administrative burdens affecting citizens.

The MSA emphasizes that efforts to streamline legislation and public administration should be informed by robust Social Impact Assessment (SIA). Administrative simplification can have significant social consequences, both intended and unintended, particularly for vulnerable groups, social inclusion, access to services, participation, and social cohesion.

We therefore recommend the mainstreaming of Social Impact Assessment across relevant EU policy-making processes, in line with internationally recognised guidance such as the International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA) principles and guidelines. Where the Commission identifies the need for further impact assessment in relation to this initiative, such assessment should explicitly include a Social Impact Assessment component, ensuring that proposed measures are evaluated not only in terms of efficiency and administrative burden reduction, but also in terms of their effects on citizens, communities, social equity, and quality of life.

A stronger social dimension in impact assessment would contribute to evidence-based, citizen-centred policy making and help ensure that simplification measures deliver tangible benefits while safeguarding social wellbeing across the European Union.

Malta Sociological Association – Feedback on the National Agricultural Policy 2027–2037

The Malta Sociological Association welcomes the development of a long-term National Agricultural Policy for 2027–2037, particularly its focus on sustainability, resilience, food security, agricultural land protection, generational renewal, and governance. The policy rightly recognises that agriculture is not only an economic activity but also a social, cultural, and environmental asset.

The Association recommends the mainstreaming of Social Impact Assessment (SIA) throughout the policy cycle, including policy design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation. Agricultural policies have significant implications for rural communities, farmers' livelihoods, food security, social inclusion, intergenerational equity, community wellbeing, and quality of life. Systematic assessment of such impacts can help identify intended and unintended consequences, strengthen stakeholder participation, and support more evidence-based and sustainable decision-making.

The Association therefore proposes that social impacts be considered alongside economic and environmental considerations in future agricultural legislation, programmes, support schemes, and governance mechanisms arising from this policy. Such an approach would contribute to a more holistic and sustainable agricultural sector for Malta.

 The Malta Sociological Association welcomes the Gozo Climate Neutral Plan and its recognition of the importance of governance, coordination, accountability, and long-term planning in achieving climate neutrality.

The Association particularly notes the proposed Governance framework, including the establishment of a Carbon Control Committee tasked with monitoring emissions and assisting implementation. While these measures are important, the Malta Sociological Association believes that governance processes should also systematically integrate the analysis of social impacts arising from climate transition measures.

Climate neutrality policies have important social dimensions relating to quality of life, mobility, accessibility, affordability, employment, tourism, community well-being, social inequalities, and everyday practices. Measures concerning transport, land use, energy, waste, and tourism may generate both intended and unintended social consequences for different communities and social groups in Gozo.

The Malta Sociological Association therefore recommends that Social Impact Assessment (SIA) and ongoing social impact monitoring are mainstreamed within the governance structure of the Plan. This should include:

• the assessment of social impacts of proposed measures prior to implementation;

• ongoing monitoring of social outcomes during implementation;

• meaningful stakeholder and community participation;

• attention to social justice, inclusion, and equity in climate transition processes.

The Association believes that integrating social impact analysis into governance structures would strengthen evidence-based policymaking and contribute towards a more socially sustainable and inclusive climate transition for Gozo.