The European Commission has set out the EU’s economic and social priorities for the year ahead, giving policy recommendations for the euro area, and studying the draft budgetary plans for Member States. 

As the EU is currently experiencing robust economic activity and high employment rates, the priority now is to make sure that this lasts and brings benefits to all members of our societies. There is a need to keep the momentum going, and ensure that structural reforms throughout the EU focus on creating the conditions to boost investment further and to increase real wage growth to support domestic demand. 

As part of this process, the European Commission has completed its assessment of the 2016 Draft Budgetary Plans for Member States in the euro area. Malta has been found to be broadly compliant with the requirement set out under the Stability and Growth Pact for 2018. Only five Member States have been found to be at risk of non-compliance with these requirements, namely Belgium, Italy, Austria, Portugal and Slovenia. 

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