Joseph Borg, Vice President of the Gozo Business Chamber and Vice President of INSULEUR, represented INSULEUR President Giannis Roussos during Eurochambres’ visit to Malta on 4 and 5 June 2026, which included the 137th Eurochambres General Assembly.
The event brought together representatives of chambers of commerce and industry from across Europe to discuss Eurochambres’ current and forthcoming priorities, its financial and organisational programme, and preparations for the 2026 Eurochambres Congress.
In his opening remarks on 4 June, William Spiteri Bailey, President of The Malta Chamber, underlined the importance of islands within the economy of the European Union. He stressed that the particular realities and needs of island nations and regions must be properly recognised and reflected in European policymaking.
Building on this message, Joseph Borg highlighted the strategic contribution that islands can make to both national and European economies. He emphasised that islands must be provided with the right conditions, infrastructure and policy support to fulfil their economic potential.
“Islands must not be perceived merely as holiday destinations. They are territories with communities, businesses, skills and resources that can contribute significantly to national economies and to the European Union as a whole,” Borg stated.
He stressed that addressing the structural disadvantages associated with insularity requires targeted and proportionate measures, particularly in relation to accessibility, connectivity, transport, energy, digital infrastructure and access to the Single Market.
Borg’s intervention reflected the long-standing position of both the Gozo Business Chamber and INSULEUR that islands should not be viewed solely through the lens of their geographical limitations. With the right enabling conditions, islands can become important centres of entrepreneurship, innovation, sustainable development and economic diversification, while contributing meaningfully to Europe’s competitiveness and resilience.
Joseph Borg’s participation also reaffirmed the Gozo Business Chamber’s commitment to working with INSULEUR and the wider European chamber network to ensure that the voice of island businesses is heard and that the economic potential of islands is fully recognised within national and European policy discussions.
