On Thursday 4 March 2026, the Gozo Business Chamber, in collaboration with The Malta Chamber, organised a workshop entitled “The Green Transition” at Hotel Ta’ Ċenc and Spa. The event brought together business representatives, policymakers, and advisors to discuss the evolving sustainability landscape and the practical opportunities available to enterprises.

The workshop focused on how businesses can adapt to the ongoing green transition while strengthening their competitiveness, improving resource efficiency, and accessing available support schemes.

Opening Remarks

The event opened with addresses by William Spiteri Bailey, President of The Malta Chamber; Michael Galea, President of the Gozo Business Chamber; and Ivan Falzon, Chief Executive Officer of the Gozo Regional Development Authority.

In his intervention, Michael Galea emphasised that sustainability should not be viewed solely as a regulatory obligation but also as an opportunity for enterprises to enhance their competitiveness and resilience. He highlighted the importance of ensuring that the green transition remains practical, phased, and business-oriented, particularly for SMEs.

Energy and Water Sustainability for Enterprises

A technical session was delivered by representatives of the Energy and Water Agency, who outlined the evolving legislative framework governing energy efficiency and the implications for enterprises.

The presentation explained that recent EU developments are shifting the focus from enterprise size to energy consumption levels when determining the obligation to conduct energy audits. Enterprises exceeding specific consumption thresholds will be required to undertake audits aimed at identifying efficiency improvements and reducing energy use.

Participants were also informed about the new Energy Audit Scheme being developed by the Agency and the Micro-SME Awareness Campaign, which provides advisory support and site visits to help smaller enterprises identify opportunities to reduce energy and water consumption.

The session also highlighted practical interventions that can generate measurable savings for enterprises, including renewable energy installations, improved heating and cooling systems, energy monitoring tools, and behavioural efficiency measures.

Available EU and National Support Schemes

The second technical session was delivered by Alison Mizzi, Director at EMCS Advisory, who presented an overview of the EU and national funding schemes available to support business investments in sustainability, digitalisation, and competitiveness.

Participants were informed that businesses can access financial support through EU funds administered locally as well as national schemes delivered primarily through Malta Enterprise. These typically provide cash grants or tax credits on a reimbursement basis following approval and implementation of the investment.

Among the schemes highlighted were the SME Enhance programme, which supports investments in equipment and productivity improvements; Digitise Your SME, which facilitates digital transformation projects; and Business Reports for SMEs, which supports expert reviews aimed at identifying operational improvements and sustainability opportunities.

National support measures were also discussed, including the Business Development Scheme, the Smart and Sustainability Scheme, and the Green Mobility Scheme, all of which provide financial support for investments that improve environmental performance and competitiveness.

Strengthening Competitiveness through Sustainability

The workshop highlighted the growing link between sustainability and business performance. As regulatory frameworks evolve and financial institutions increasingly incorporate environmental criteria into their decision-making, enterprises are encouraged to proactively adopt energy-efficient technologies, optimise resource use, and leverage available support schemes.

By bringing together policymakers, technical experts, and businesses, the event provided participants with practical guidance on how to navigate the green transition and identify opportunities that can strengthen both operational efficiency and long-term competitiveness.

Documents

The following documents presented during the event may be accessed below: