The Transition Facility has been created by the EU to support certain Institution Building actions in the new Member States, including Malta, during the period 2004-2006.

The purpose of the Transition Facility is to continue to assist the new Member States in their efforts to strengthen their administrative capacity to implement Community legislation and to foster exchange of best practice, as an extension to assistance provided until accession under the Pre-Accession Funds.

The principal tools for implementation of the Transition Facility are:

• Twinning and Twinning ‘light’ between the EU Member States’ administrations.
• Technical assistance (commercially tendered)
• Co-financing for small-scale equipment related to the implementation of the acquis.

Three Transition Facility Programmes for Malta have been adopted by the European Commission. These are: Transition Facility Programme 2004, 2005 and 2006.