Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1536333
3 gozotoday | FRIDAY • 13 JUNE 2025 NEWS GozoToday is a weekly newspaper focused primarily on Gozo. It hopes to serve as a source of information on business, culture, entertainment and of course current affairs. Gozo has a special charm about it but it is also a bustling Island with an identity of its own. GozoToday is published every Friday and is available to numerous outlets in Gozo and on the ferries that carry so many visitors to Gozo from Malta and beyond. GozoToday MediaToday Co. Ltd, Vjal ir-Rihan San Gwann SGN 9016 EDITOR: PAUL COCKS Tel: (356) 21 382741-3, 21 382745-6 Website: www.maltatoday.com.mt E-mail: dailynews@mediatoday.com.mt CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 In the month under review, 1,079 (or 90.0 per cent) of these final deeds of sale involved indi- vidual buyers (households), with companies accounting for virtu- ally all remaining deeds. The value of the deeds involving individual buyers (households) amounted to €269.5 million, equivalent to 83.8 per cent of the total value. Final deeds of sale by district and by locality 137 fnal deeds of sale were re- corded in Gozo in May. The highest numbers of final deeds of sale were recorded in the Northern Harbour and the Southern Harbour districts, with totals of 356 and 200 deeds, re- spectively. 146 deeds were recorded in the Western district. The highest numbers of final deeds of sale were recorded in the following localities: San Pawl Il-Baħar (70), Birkirkara (64) and Il-Mosta (55). The sum of agreements record- ed in these localities correspond- ed to 15.8 per cent of the total final deeds of sale registered dur- ing May 2025. During the month under re- view, the number of properties transacted in the final deeds of sale was equivalent to 1,306. Apartments (455) and Garages (285) accounted for the largest shares, at 34.8 per cent and 21.8 per cent, respectively. Promise of sale agreements In May 2025, 1,378 promise of sale agreements relating to resi- dential property were registered, equivalent to an increase of 9.7 per cent over the same period in 2024. Individual potential buyers (households) accounted for 1,225 (or 88.9 per cent) of these agree- ments, while the rest mainly in- volved companies. The largest numbers of promise of sale agreements related to resi- dential properties were registered in the Northern Harbour district with 413 agreements, followed by the Northern district with 254 agreements. On the other hand, the lowest figures of promise of sale agree- ments were noted in the Western and the South Eastern districts, at 112 and 182 agreements, respec- tively. The highest numbers of prom- ise of sale agreements were re- corded in the following local- ities: San Pawl Il-Baħar (111), Il-Mosta (69) and Birkirkara (67). The sum of agreements record- ed in these localities correspond- ed to 17.9 per cent of the total promise of sale agreements regis- tered during May 2025. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 "As islands, we are among the most affected by climate change, while at the same time dispropor- tionately exposed to global market pressures," Agius said. "We cannot be placed on the same level as ma- jor cities and continental Europe- an countries." Agius stressed that policies like the ETS tax on shipping, though well-intentioned, could threat- en the competitiveness of island economies. Malta, for example, is already facing challenges as ship- ping companies increasingly use ports outside the EU in North Af- rica to avoid ETS-related costs. This shift is not only reducing Malta's and its freeport's role as a transshipment hub, but it's also affecting local supply chains and increasing prices for consumers. Agius warned that these develop- ments run counter to the Europe- an principle of territorial continu- ity, which aims to support island communities in overcoming their natural and logistical disadvantag- es. "Instead of one-size-fits-all rules, the EU should adopt policies based on well-informed impact assess- ments that are sensitive to the unique context of islands," he said. Agius called for greater political unity among island-based poli- ticians and urged the European Commission to implement spe- cific island-focused impact assess- ments for every piece of legislation related to climate and transport. He also proposed that revenue from the ETS be reinvested in sustainable infrastructure and re- newable energy projects on islands — not as a replacement, but as a complement to better and more inclusive regulations. "Reinvestment is good, but it doesn't solve the systemic imbal- ance," said Agius. "The real solution lies in design- ing better policies from the very beginning — with island life cir- cumstances placed at the core." The interview was part of RE- VOLVE's series on climate and mobility challenges, offering a platform for technical discussion with a political dimension on the future of the European Union. The full interview with MEP Dr. Peter Agius can be watched here: [https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=6RmUiEk25Ps](https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=6R- mUiEk25Ps) 'We must revise the Green Deal to address the needs of European islands' - Peter Agius The ETS tax on shipping could threaten the competitiveness of island economies St Paul's Bay registered highest number of final deeds on property finalised in May