"We must create a culture of transparency and accountability at all levels," Scicluna told the Jesuit newspaper "America" (Monday).
After the Synod on Synodality, the Curia could no longer say: "The law is laid down here and it has to be followed out there," said Scicluna. He hopes for a new, more inclusive attitude.
Laws should not only be laid down in the Vatican, but also followed and modified in dialogue with the universal church.
For example, the publication of a Vatican document must in future be preceded by a transparent process of consultation. Any other approach would be contrary to the ethos of synodality, said the Archbishop.
Scicluna also praised the final document of the Synod. He particularly liked the call for binding accountability and control mechanisms in the church.
"I liked the concept of checklists." Ideals and guidelines are pointless if there is no system in place that allows them to be scrutinised.
According to Scicluna, the work and leadership style of bishops should also be evaluated using checklists as part of the regular ad limina visits.
Archbishop: Spiritual dialogue is not always helpful
Scicluna warned against using the methods of the Synod's spiritual dialogue - an alternation of speaking and meditation without direct discussion - everywhere in the Church: "If, for example, I have to deal with financial experts for the audit of the Archdiocese of Malta, I don't need to have a spiritual dialogue with them." Rather, it is about the clear word.
The 65-year-old archbishop and legal expert Charles Scicluna is chairman of the Bishops' Conference in Malta and Assistant Secretary in the Vatican Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. There he is responsible for dealing with cases of abuse.