People Before Numbers: MCF Calls for Fairer Budget Measures Affecting TCNs
The Malta Co-operative Federation (MCF) has called on the Government to reconsider the measures introduced in Budget 2027 affecting third-country nationals who have been living in Malta for less than five years, warning that they risk placing an unfair burden on some of the country's most vulnerable workers. The Federation believes that these measures run counter to the principles of solidarity, fairness and human dignity, and could further deepen divisions within Maltese society. Protecting Social Cohesion and Fairness The MCF has expressed concern that the measures risk reinforcing an “us and them” mentality, where people who live and work [...]
Your Footsteps, Their Profits: Why It’s Time to Bring Community Assets Home
Recently, a local telecom provider began selling something most of us did not realise we were giving away: our own movement. Where we walk. When we pass through an area. How long we remain there. All of this is aggregated from ordinary subscribers going about their day, then packaged and sold to organisations that want to know where crowds gather. There is probably nothing illegal about it. Consent is probably buried somewhere in a terms-of-service update that nobody reads. And that is precisely the problem: once again, we are the product. A Pattern We Have Stopped Noticing [...]
Cooperatives for a Peaceful World: Building Bridges Through Cooperation
On Saturday, 4 July 2026, cooperatives around the world mark the International Day of Cooperatives under the theme “Cooperatives for a peaceful world.” At first glance, peace may seem like a subject reserved for governments, diplomats, and international institutions. Yet peace is not built only around negotiating tables. It is also built in communities, workplaces, villages, towns, and local economies. It is built wherever people choose dialogue over division, participation over exclusion, and solidarity over indifference. This is where cooperatives have always had an important role to play. The cooperative model is based on a simple but powerful idea: [...]
Beyond the Ballot: Why We Must Democratise Our Economy
We often take pride in our democratic government, a system where everyone supposedly has a say and policies are intended for the common good. However, political democracy is only half the battle. To truly thrive, we must extend these same principles to our financial systems. As Noam Chomsky famously argued, there can be no real political democracy without something approaching economic democracy, a principle that echoes ideas long present in earlier political thought, including that of Theodore Roosevelt. The Concentration of Wealth Our current economic model frequently treats the community as a passive consumer to be "bled dry" for the [...]
YECN Marks Its Official Formalisation in Portugal
The Voice of Youth in the Cooperative Movement It is a truth universally acknowledged that young people are the world’s future. Yet a crucial question remains: How can the next generation influence decisions that affect them today, when society expects them to “wait for experience”? Young people already have a voice—and the Young European Cooperators Network (YECN) exists to ensure that voice is heard. The YECN unites young cooperators across Europe, creating opportunities for learning, participation, and the promotion of cooperation as a democratic and sustainable economic model. A Historic Milestone: The Formalisation of the YECN This month, the [...]
MCF presents Budget Proposals for 2026
Unlocking the Potential The Malta Co-operative Federation (MCF) has submitted a forward-looking set of proposals for inclusion in Malta’s Budget for 2026, outlining pragmatic, low-cost measures to strengthen the co-operative sector as a key driver of inclusive growth, community resilience, and social innovation. The proposals, developed in consultation with the Local Councils’ Association and aligned with national priorities under Malta’s Vision 2050, focus on four core areas: Co-operative finance and regulation Public procurement and asset reuse Community services and housing Employment and social inclusion Together, these recommendations set out a practical roadmap for a more equitable, sustainable, and [...]