Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2019, published 109th ILC session (2021)

Social Policy (Basic Aims and Standards) Convention, 1962 (No. 117) - Malta (Ratification: 1988)

Part II of the Convention. Improvement of standards of living. In its previous comments, the Committee requested the Government to provide information on the impact of the National Strategic Policy for Poverty Reduction and for Social Inclusion, 2014–24, particularly its impact on children, the elderly, the unemployed and those in precarious employment. In its “Implementation and Evaluation Report 2014-2016” (the Report), the Government indicates that, during the 2014–16 period, it has implemented a number of measures to combat poverty and promote social inclusion through 94 strategic policy actions across six policy fields. It adds that the percentage of people at risk of poverty and social exclusion declined from 23.8 per cent in 2014 to 19.3 per cent in 2017. In this context, the Government reports on a variety of measures implemented to promote financial literacy, inclusive further and higher education in formal, informal and non-formal settings, and youth employment, including through a National Apprenticeship Scheme which benefited over 1000 apprentices for the year 2016–17; as well as measures aimed to enhance investment and job creation for disadvantaged groups. With regard to the income and social benefits elements of the Policy, the Committee notes that, to promote a good standard of living for all, tapering of benefits was extended to single parents with children under the age of 23. In 2016, 2,485 persons benefited from this scheme. The Government has also extended the in-work benefit to families and married couples with children under 23, where only one person in a married couple is in gainful employment and where a couple has an income that falls below a specific amount. In this respect, the Committee notes that, in 2016, 1,147 persons accessed this benefit. Moreover, work–life balance in Malta is facilitated by measures which include parental leave, flexi-time, teleworking and reduced working hours. Additional measures implemented to encourage female participation in the labour force include free childcare centres. As of December 2016, a total of 9,734 children had benefited from the free childcare scheme, breakfast clubs and after-school care services. The Committee notes that, to improve standards of living for the elderly, the Government has consolidated the pension system through introducing initiatives such as a full pension entitlement to persons who continue working beyond the statutory retirement age, and a senior citizen’s grant pursuant to which, since 2015, an annual allowance is paid to persons aged 75 and over who live in the community. In 2016, the senior citizens’ grant benefited 29,623 persons whereas 12,763 persons benefited from a bonus intended for persons aged 62–74 who are not entitled to a pension. With regard to measures aimed at addressing precarious employment, the Government reports on the enactment of the Public Procurement (Amendment) Regulations in 2015, which ensure that contractors awarded contracts through the public procurement process comply with national employment law and align the salaries of persons employed by private contractors with the salaries of government employees performing similar duties. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that, given that the Government collective agreement remains in force until 2024, the salaries of persons employed by private contractors in this context will be reviewed annually to reflect changes in hourly rate. The Government further indicates that, in order to promote activation and create more employment opportunities, it has implemented a set of measures placing a particular focus on women and disadvantaged groups, including the Access to Employment Scheme, which promotes the recruitment of members of disadvantaged groups. In addition, the Committee notes that the Work Programme Unit seeks to up-skill long-term unemployed persons, reintegrate them into the labour market, and ensure their work retention. By the end of 2016, 1,168 persons benefited from this scheme. Additionally, the Committee notes that, according to the Report, the percentage of long term unemployed persons in Malta declined from 2.7 per cent in 2014 to 1.9 per cent in 2016 whereas, between 2014 and 2016, 14,000 people were lifted out of poverty. It also notes that the National Strategic Policy for Poverty Reduction and for Social Inclusion, the main policy document for combating poverty and social exclusion, is complemented by a number of additional measures aimed at promoting wellbeing of the population, such as the National Strategic Policy for Active Ageing 2014-2020. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the nature and impact of all measures taken to give effect to Part II of the Convention, particularly the measures implemented within the framework of the National Strategic Policy for Poverty Reduction and for Social Inclusion, 2014–24 which focus on children, the elderly, the unemployed and those in precarious employment. It further requests the Government to provide detailed information on the impact and practical application of the 2015 Public Procurement (Amendment) Regulations.

Part III. Migrant workers. Noting that the Government has provided no updated information in this regard, the Committee reiterates its request that the Government provide up-to-date information on policy measures taken or envisaged to give effect to the provisions of Part III of the Convention.