The evolution and performance of the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority (MCCAA) : a comparative analysis

Abstract

This dissertation investigates the institutional origins and comparative performance of the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority (MCCAA). It explores why the Authority was established, and how it performs relative to similar EU regulatory bodies in Germany, France, Luxembourg, and Croatia. The study adopts a qualitative, comparative case study methodology, supported by longitudinal trend analysis from 2018 to 2023. Institutional theory and policy transfer theory provide the conceptual foundation, while the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) Excellence Model is used to structure the empirical assessment across nine performance dimensions. The MCCAA’s formation was driven by a combination of domestic administrative reform and EU compliance pressures. While effective in consumer protection and technical regulation, the Authority remains limited in strategic enforcement capacity and policy leadership. Germany and France demonstrate high regulatory maturity, whereas Luxembourg and Croatia show incremental improvements through reform and EU integration. Malta performs well within its scale, but lags in innovation, high-profile enforcement, and long-term strategic planning. The study is based primarily on publicly available reports, limiting access to internal decision-making or confidential enforcement data. Nonetheless, the comparative framework offers meaningful insights into institutional development and regulatory variance across the EU. Findings support the need for strategic planning, procedural innovation, and targeted capacity-building in smaller regulatory authorities. The study provides a replicable model for evaluating institutional performance in public sector regulation and contributes to underexplored literature on regulatory development in small EU states, offering a theory-informed, model-driven comparative analysis of national competition authorities.