Malta's representatives on EESC

The Maltese team of five members who have been appointed on the European Economic and Social Committee have been busy attending different meetings dealing with a wide range of issues, including the budget for civil society, equal treatment of men/women - access to and supply of goods and services, proposals for packaging and packaging waste, foodstuffs intended for nutritional uses, the European Refugee Fund, the issue of terrorism, sustainable development, aspects of the working time directive and modernising social protection for more and better jobs, among others.

The team made up of Edwin Calleja of the Federation of Industry, Sylvia Sciberras (GRTU) representing employers, Anna Darmanin (UHM) and Michael Parnis (GWU) representing unions, and Grace Attard (NCW) representing civil society, met several times to discuss strategies that would widen their opportunities to work in as many areas as possible.

NCW president Grace Attard has also been elected bureau member, besides being a member of the SOC committee, which deals with employment and social affairs and the REX committee, which deals with external relations.

She is also a member of the study group on social economy. The rest of the members of the Maltese team are on the ECO committee dealing with economic and monetary union and economic and social cohesion, and the INT Committee dealing with the single market, production and consumption as well as the SOC Committee. They are also on sub-committees related to the group they represent.

The Maltese representatives are lobbying with representatives of other countries who have similar needs and interests to ensure that although they are small in number their vote carries weight.

More information can be found on www.esc.eu.int