Dr Chris Said, Parliamentary Secretary for Public Dialogue and Information, addressing a press conference held yesterday at the MEUSAC offices in Valletta, explained how the newly re-established Malta-EU Steering and Action Committee (MEUSAC) will be functioning.

MEUSAC will have a Core Group chaired by Dr Said and also including Dr Vanni Xuereb, Head of MEUSAC together with the Principal Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, the Permanent Representative to the EU, the Acting Head of the EU Secretariat, the Permanent Secretary on Tourism and Sustainable Development in the Office of the Prime Minister, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chairman of the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development (MCESD).

Last week the Parliamentary Secretary also invited the following organisations, including four political parties, to propose a member and a substitute member to form part of the Core Group: Alternattiva Demoktratika, Azzjoni Nazzjonali, the Confederation of Maltese Trade Unions (CMTU), the General Retailers and Traders Union – Malta Chamber of SMEs (GRTU), the General Workers’ Union, Gozo Business Chamber, Malta Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise, Malta Employers’ Association (MEA), the Malta Federation of Industry (FOI), the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA), the Malta Labour Party (MLP), the Nationalist Party (PN) and the Union Haddiema Maghqudin (UHM).

Non Governmental Organisations will be asked to elect and nominate three representatives on the Core Group of MEUSAC.

In order to discuss and advise the Government on matters of a specific nature relating to the EU legislation and policy, nine sub-committees will be formed which will bring together various NGOs following a public call to be issued by the Core Group as well as external experts operating within the area of responsibility of that particular sub-committee. The Sub-Committees will be shadowing the nine EU Council formations and deal with the following matters:

General Affairs Economic and Financial Affairs Justice and Home Affairs The Environment Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Competitiveness Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Agriculture and Fisheries Education, Culture and Youth

Dr. Said also explained how besides the consultation process, MEUSAC will also provide information on EU-related matters and support NGOs and local councils in relation to EU Programmes and funds. As a result, Forum Malta fl-Ewropa has been integrated within MEUSAC and now forms the Information and Research Unit within MEUSAC.

Dr Said said that now that the initial preparations have been finalised, the Core Group will start functioning at the beginning of August while the sub-committees will be formed and ready to start their work by the end of September.

Permalink: Parliamentary Secretary Dr Chris Said explains MEUSAC