A report, simply entitled ‘Report on the strengthening of cooperatives’, will be the starting point of a wider discussion for the interested parties.

Azzopardi said the public consultation would open doors to various suggestions and comments from cooperatives as well as the public. These would then be gathered and analysed for consideration by government. The consultation period will close on 1 September, 2010.

“The cooperative movement is formally recognised by Malta’s Constitution, so government has the duty to give the necessary attention,” Azzopardi said.

Cooperatives in Malta employ around 5,100 members and in 2008 had a turnover of around €77 million.

Azzopardi said government was committing itself to “listening, understanding and taking action” and did not exclude that legal changes for cooperatives would take place if necessary, to reflect their present-day realities.

Azzopardi also stated that a small number of cooperatives were not fulfilling their obligations. “It therefore seems necessary to instigate this reform in order to address the reasons and difficulties behind such lack of commitment.”