The effect the global economic crisis is having on enterprise and industry was the main focus of talks between Gunther Verheugen and the Maltese authorities during the EU commissioner’s visit to Malta today.

Mr Verheugen, who was responsible for EU enlargement at a time when Malta was preparing for EU accession before joining in 2004, is now EU Commissioner responsible for enterprise and industry.

Just before he left Malta this evening, he addressed a joint news conference with Finance Minister Tonio Fenech.

The minister said that talks focused on finding ways to continue to support industry at such times. He told Mr Verheugen what the government was doing to help companies in the automotive sector hit by the crisis. They also discussed the semi-conductor industry, specifically ST Malta, and how this industry could be assisted, even to retrain workers.

He confirmed that the assistance the government was providing Maltese companies facing difficulties was within the parameters of EU regulations.

Mr Verheugen said the automotive and semi-conductor industries were of “strategic importance for Europe” which had to ensure that it maintained a strong manufacturing base for these industries in Europe, including in Malta.

Mr Verheugen, whose visit to Malta was his first since the country became an EU member, said that, at first sight, nothing had changed. The country had retained its identity and unlike during his last visit before accession there was no fear that this would be lost.