A new holistic strategy for the use of EU funds for migration purposes should be developed if Malta want to reap better results than achieved to date, Parliamentary Secretary for European funds Ian Borg said this morning.

He was addressing a public consultation meeting with non governmental organisations on the next EU funding period 2014-2020.

Dr Borg said this new strategy should focus on the need of better communication between ministries and beneficiaries so as to avoid overlapping.

"Our efforts will be directed towards making maximum use of the funds available. It should also be emphasised, as this has already been made clear to Malta by the Commission, that unless there is a national strategy in place on asylum and migration, Malta will not be able to make use of the available funds," he said.

Dr Borg said Malta was the first country to start bilateral discussions with the Commission on the implementation of the future programme on asylum, migration and internal security.

The new financial framework which will replace the current one, although not finalised yet, will see four funds being amalgamated into two - the Asylum and Migration Fund and the Internal Security Fund.

Discussions on the amount of funds Malta will receive are still under way but indications are that the country will receive around €15 million under the Asylum and Migration Fund. It is more than Malta received over the last seven-year period.

However separate funds will be granted to Malta for other specific programmes and projects.