Joseph Borg, Vice President of INSULEUR and Vice President of the Gozo Business Chamber, represented INSULEUR President Giannis Roussos during Eurochambres’ visit to Malta on 4 and 5 June 2026, which included the 137th Eurochambres General Assembly at the historic Manoel Theatre in Valletta.
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 specific realities and needs of island nations and regions must be properly recognised and taken into account in European policymaking.
Building on this message in his intervention, Joseph Borg highlighted the strategic contribution that islands can make to both national and European economies. He emphasised, however, 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 INSULEUR’s long-standing position that islands should not be viewed solely through the lens of their geographical limitations. With the appropriate support and 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 reaffirmed INSULEUR’s continued commitment to ensuring that the voice of European island chambers is heard within the wider European chamber network. It also reinforced the importance of closer cooperation between Eurochambres and island chambers in promoting a more competitive, cohesive and territorially balanced European economy.
