Updated 8.15pm - Finance Ministry statement 

Two top European Commission officials are in Malta today to ensure preparations for Malta's presidency of the EU in 2017 are going according to plan. 

Commission secretary-general Alexander Italianer and Martin Selmayr, who heads Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker's cabinet, are meeting with Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and other top government officials to coordinate preparatory work. 

Malta's presidency will coincide with the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Rome, which established the European common market which eventually developed into the modern-day EU. 

The Commission delegation noted that the anniversary would add a "symbolic dimension" to Malta's presidency. 

Deputy Prime Minister Louis Grech said that Malta was keen to focus on problems of poverty and social inequality, saying that the government would announce "major initiatives" in these sectors in the next two years. Mr Italianer agreed on the importance of a social dimension, noting that a public consultation on the pillar of social rights was taking place right now.

Mr Grech and the Commission also touched upon a number of other priorities for the Malta Presidency including the Multi Financial Framework, the launch of the discussion on the Union’s Own Resources, the Single Market, the Digital Single Market, and the Energy Union.

Finance Minister defends tax autonomy

Finance Minister Edward Scicluna gave the Commission delegation an overview of the current economic situation in Malta. He said that GDP growth and deficit reduction figures augured well. 

Prof. Scicluna however expressed "strong misgivings" about Commission proposals to limit Member States' flexibility in determining their own tax systems, and underlined "the sensitivity of taxation issues for Malta".

The minister was accompanied by Finance Ministry permanent secretary Alfred Camilleri, Malta's permanent representative to the EU Marlene Bonnici, chief of staff Tania Brown and other ministry officials.