A working group tasked with restructuring the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development is calling for the complete administrative and financial autonomy of the advisory entity.

Though the MCESD conveyed its opinions and made recommendations to the government on economic and social issues, the executive should keep an arm’s length from it in order not to influence the outcome of its decisions, the working group said.

The proposals were presented at an MCESD meeting yesterday, when the social partners were invited to give their reaction by the end of the month.

The working group was chaired by the president of the Confederation of Maltese Trade Unions, William Portelli, who argued that the MCESD should not fall under the responsibility of a ministry but form part of the Prime Minister’s portfolio to give it more status.

As a starting point, he noted that MCESD meetings should move away from the Social Dialogue Ministry and be held either at the new Parliament building or at the Central Bank.

As for financial autonomy, he said a good model to imitate would be that of the National Audit Office.

From an administrative viewpoint, the proposal is to restructure the MCESD at three different levels, along the same lines as the European Economic and Social Committee: the working group level, where social partners float their ideas; the bureau level, where proposals are looked into by experts and legal representatives; and, finally, the plenary level.

Mr Portelli said such a model would also address the issue of new social partners aspiring to join the MCESD because they would have the possibility of involving themselves in the working groups.

They would then be able to lobby for their inclusion by showing their commitment to the MCESD’s cause, he said.