Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book provides the impact of membership on the European Union (EU's) smallest member state while also trying to understand why Malta's experience differs significantly from that of other Mediterranean states in the EU. It analyses the context of Malta's political development, its political system and the question of Europe'. The chapter outlines the road to EU membership and documents the changes in Malta's politics, polity and policy pre-membership with the aim of establishing the degree of change seen pre-membership to better understand the extent of change post-membership. It also outlines the principal impact of membership on Malta's politics, polity and policy post-membership, centred primarily on the changes experienced within Malta's public administration. The chapter deals with the Europeanization of Malta's agricultural sector.