SME Union delegation calls on director- general

A delegation from the Brussels-based SME Union was in Malta last week to familiarise themselves with the local economic scenario. The SME Union is an economic and independent business association of the European People's Party.

Members of the delegation, led by secretary general Gunther Fehlinger, paid a courtesy call on the FOI director general Edwin Calleja.

The delegation included Dr Michael Potscher from Austria and Lisbeth Gronfeldt Bergman, a Swedish MP.

The foreign visitors were accompanied by the Peter Abela, Alexander Vassallo, president and general secretary respectively, and Magda Magri Naudi of the Segretarjat ghall-Imprendituri Zghar u Medji (Secretariat for SMEs) of the Nationalist Party.

Mr Calleja gave the foreign delegation a background of the Maltese economic situation and some indication of industry's performance, its problems and challenges arising from the liberalisation of the market approaching EU membership.

The foreign delegation asked a number of questions on the impact of EU membership and the advantages that industry and the economy at large will derive.