Meusac reconstituted to ensure ongoing consultation

The Malta European Union Steering Action Committee (Meusac) is being reconstituted at the request of the social partners and civil society representatives to serve as the forum for ongoing consultation on all matters dealing with or involving the EU, the Parliamentary Secretary for Public Dialogue and Information, Chris Said said yesterday.

The new Meusac will have a core group focusing on consultation and there will be units on research and information and EU matters.

The core group will be chaired by Dr Said and will have a membership of 26 including the head of Meusac, Vanni Xuereb; a number of permanent secretaries, the Permanent Representative to the EU and the chairman of the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development.

Employer organisations, trade unions and the four political parties have been invited to nominate a representative and a substitute. They have until the end of this week to submit their nominations.

The core group will also include three representatives of organisations from among NGOs and two persons nominated by the secretariat.

Nine sub-committees bringing together various NGOs will be set up following a public call issued by the core group. These will be assisted by experts operating within the area of responsibility of the sub-committees.

The committees will be dealing with general issues; economic and financial matters; justice and home affairs; the environment; employment, social policy, health and consumer affairs; competitiveness; transport, telecommunications and energy; agriculture and fisheries; and education, culture and youth.

Meusac, Dr Said said, will have a steering committee that will be dealing with information, research and EU opportunities including funding. This committee will assist NGOs and councils find and apply for EU programmes and funds.

Forum Malta fl-Ewropa, he said, has been integrated within Meusac and now forms the Information and Research Unit.

The core group will start functioning at the beginning of next month and the sub-committees will be formed and ready to start working by the end of September.