The Malta Business Bureau has launched the first in a series of discussion meetings between the business community and members of the European Parliament.
The initiative, Business Meets MEPs” will involve a two-hour discussion every three months on various issue that affect the local community.
Bureau president George Micallef said that this was an opportunity for businesses to regularly meet MEPs, discuss local issues and address their concerns.
MEP Simon Busuttil said these meetings were very important for MEPs to directly meet the people who were affected by the decisions taken at an EP level. When MEPs voted, they had a great political responsibility and had to vote in the context, finding a balance between what the stakeholders and the people wanted.
MEP Louis Grech said it was difficult for the people to know exactly what happened in the EP and it was important to reduce this gap.
These meetings would keep the MEPs informed of the people’s concerns and they could also be effective in bringing the people’s message to an EU level.
The discussion today is with Dr Busuttil and it is being chaired by Miriam Dalli. It is discussing the maternity leave directive and the revision of the working time directive.