Council Members

The Council consists of three members including the Chairperson. The members are appointed by the Minister for Finance on the basis of their experience and competence in domestic and international macroeconomic and fiscal matters. The term of office of a member of the Fiscal Council is for four years, unless otherwise provided. A person may not be a member of the Fiscal Council for more than two consecutive terms of office but shall otherwise be eligible for reappointment. Members may not be removed from office unless a resolution is approved by the House of Representatives. Members shall not seek or receive instructions from public authorities or from any other institution or authority.

Dr Moira Catania joined the MFAC on the 10th January 2023.  She graduated BA (Hons) in Economics obtaining a first class degree in 1994 and Master of Arts in European Studies with Distinction in 1998, both at the University of Malta. She obtained her Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Bradford, UK in 2019, with a thesis on Budget Institutions in the Euro Area – Quality of budget institutions, legislative budgetary power and implications for fiscal discipline.
From July 1994 till October 2010, she worked at the Economic Policy Department, within the Ministry of Finance, the Economy and Investment. In 2002, she was appointed Director (Economic Strategy) within this Department. Dr Catania has worked extensively on issues related to the monitoring and analysis of the domestic economy, macroeconomic policy and on the EU economic policy coordination and fiscal surveillance processes.
Dr Catania has been a resident academic staff of the Institute for European Studies at the University of Malta since October 2010. She teaches introductory economics courses as well as study units related to economics of European integration and EU economic and monetary union. Her main research interests concern budget institutions, EU economic governance, economic and monetary union, EU economic integration, as well as Malta in the EU, particularly economic and monetary union and competitiveness issues.

Dr Fabri joined the MFAC as a Council member on the 10th January 2023. She read for her PhD at the University of Warwick and her dissertation looked at strategic management in British companies. In her dissertation, she applied mathematical models used in Artificial Intelligence (fuzzy-logic methods) to the social sciences. Prior to getting her doctorate, Stephanie graduated with a MSc in Public Sector Economics from the University of York, and read for her first degree in economics from the University of Malta.

Dr Stephanie Fabri is a resident academic at the University of Malta, specializing in strategic management and public policy. Having worked in the private and public sector, Stephanie brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in applying economics to firms, consumers and communities. Stephanie is a non-executive director at a private company and holds various board positions.

Dr. Stephanie Vella joined the MFAC as a Council member on the 10th January 2023. She graduated Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) in Economics and obtained a Master of Arts in Economics from the University of Malta in 2002. She also completed her post graduate degree in Economics with a dissertation titled ‘Determinant of Fiscal Sustainability: Establishing the role of economic fundamentals through a neo-classical growth modelling approach’.

She is an executive director in an economic consultancy firm whereby as an economic consultant, she has worked on a number of projects and consultancy assignments with various institutions. In the course of her research and consultancy work, Dr Vella has accumulated significant experience in the assessment of policy and evaluations as well as impact assessments. She has worked on various studies in the fields of fiscal policy, social assistance, social business initiative and the evaluation of EU funds. Up to 2018, Dr. Vella lectured at the University of Malta including Public Sector Economics.