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Stefano Mallia, one of Malta’s members of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), has been appointed as one of 10 vice-presidents of its Employers’ Group.

The EESC, which is the Europ-ean equivalent of Malta’s MCESD, is made up of three groups with Group 1 representing employers, Group 2 representing trade unions and Group 3 representing civil society. The EESC is made up of 344 members from all the 28 member states. There are 117 members within the Employers’ Group.

Commenting on his appointment, which comes two years after he took up his seat there, Mr Mallia said that being chosen as vice-president was “an honour” and “an added responsibility” which he would seek to sustain over the coming two-and-a-half years.

“I clearly have a very specific point of view to promote, that of employers, but this will be done from a Maltese and European perspect-ive. As one of the vice-presidents of the Employers’ Group I will be able to provide more input towards the group’s strategy where we are very much focused on the creation of economic growth and jobs,” Mallia said.

On Mr Mallia’s initiative the EESC will be organising an event in Malta among key speakers from the Employers’ Group and employers in Malta. The event will discuss economic growth and the crisis.

The Prime Minister is also expected to address the meeting that will take place in October.

Following the appointment of the new vice-presidents, Group 1 President Jacek Krawczyk said that now more than ever employers needed to be at the forefront in shaping the European agenda, and that the EESC had a very vital role to play in putting forward the employers’ point of view.

“We are the people who represent enterprises and the ones that create jobs. Our point of view is more crucial than ever and it is only through private enterprise that Europe can hope to finally get out of the crisis.”