Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1500345
2 NEWS maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 31 MAY 2023 2 MALTA'S economy grew by 3.1% in the first three months when compared to the same period in 2022, according to the National Statistics Office. Provisional data released on Tuesday shows that the Gross Do- mestic Product (GDP) amount- ed to €4.3 billion, an increase of €358.8 million when compared to last year's first quarter. The NSO reported that pri- vate consumption grew by 3.2%, while government expenditure increased by 1.1%. However, ex- ports decreased by 3% and im- ports dropped by 6.6%. Growth was driven by higher value added contributions by in- dustry and the services sector. Prime Minister Robert Abela tweeted that Malta's economy grew at "two and a half times the EU average". "Shielded from energy price shocks our industry and services continued to grow strongly," Ab- ela said. Malta records 3.1% GDP growth in first three months on the back of growing contributions by industry and services Malta's economy grew by 3.1% in first quarter Maltese top EU chart for highest communication with people in other EU states JAMES DEBONO MALTESE people are the most active users of electronic com- munication when it comes to interacting with citizens of other EU states, a Eurobarometer sur- vey shows. The survey assessed various forms of communication, in- cluding international calls, SMSs, and internet messaging. Results indicate that a signifi- cant 42% of Maltese respondents engage in daily communication with individuals in EU countries. However, it is worth noting that 36% of Maltese respondents reported never communicat- ing with anyone in another EU member state. Comparing the statistics across the EU, the survey highlights the substantial variation in dai- ly communication with EU citi- zens. Malta leads the pack with 42% of respondents engaging in daily communication, followed by Luxembourg with 34%. In contrast, Greece reports the lowest percentage, with a mere 4% of respondents communi- cating with citizens from other member states daily. The survey also tracks chang- es in communication patterns since 2020. Notably, Malta ex- perienced a significant increase of 26 percentage points in the proportion of individuals using international communication within the EU daily. Other coun- tries that saw notable increases include Romania (+16pp) and Slovenia (+13pp). Converse- ly, Ireland (-16pp) and Greece (-12pp) witnessed a substantial decrease in daily international communication. The survey reveals that Maltese respondents are the most fre- quent users of instant internet messaging services. The high- est proportions of daily users of this method are found in Mal- ta (40%), Luxembourg (22%), and Belgium (21%). Conversely, France and Greece report the lowest scores, with only 2% of respondents using instant inter- net messaging daily. Similarly low scores were seen in Romania and Hungary (both 3%), as well as Finland, Portugal, Italy, and Czechia (all 4%). Regarding communication methods, Malta stands out as the only EU member state where over one in three respondents (38%) reported making daily video calls (VoIP) within the EU. Luxembourg (15%) and Cyprus (13%) follow closely be- hind, while 13 member states re- ported less than 5% daily usage. Portugal had the lowest score, with only 1% of respondents using video calls within the EU. France, Spain, Greece, and Ger- many all reported a score of 2%. When it comes to internation- al SMS usage within the EU, six countries reported that over 10% of respondents send these mes- sages daily. Malta led the pack with 38%, followed by Luxem- bourg (18%) and Cyprus (17%). Conversely, 16 countries report- ed less than 5% daily usage, with Czechia, Germany, Spain, Fin- land, Portugal, and Sweden all reporting a mere 1%. The survey also sheds light on fixed telephone line usage across EU member states. Notably, eight countries reported that over half of their population still has access to a fixed telephone line. Malta ranked highest in this aspect, with 91% of respond- ents having access, followed by Greece with 86%. On the other hand, the lowest adoption rates were observed in Latvia (5%), Poland (7%), and Romania and Czechia (both 8%). Between 2020 and 2022, fixed telephone ownership decreased in all countries except Malta, which experienced a 4-percent- age-point increase. The steep- est drops were observed in the Netherlands (-52pp), Belgium (-32pp), and Ireland (-30pp). Finally, the survey highlights the increased call frequency and duration among Maltese respondents following the elim- ination of roaming charges in June 2017. A significant 81% of Maltese respondents reported making longer and more calls to other EU countries on their mo- bile phones since the introduc- tion of the price cap. Top 10 countries with highest percentage of respondents who engage in communication with someone in another EU country