Over-regulation was a disincentive to employers and if the EU wanted more jobs it had to encourage more employers, Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry vice-president Stefano Mallia told a Brussels meeting organised by Eurochambres this week.

Mr Mallia stressed that if more jobs were to be created, more employers needed to be created.

Around 400 representatives of Chambers of Commerce from 45 countries met the four largest political groups in the European Parliament (EPP, S&D, ECR and Greens) on October 14. The event, Chambers Meet MEPs, was a 90-minute debate organised by EUROCHAMBRES, which allowed participants to confront one another on business-related issues and to seek the European Parliament's point of view.

The Malta chamber was also represented by director general Kevin J. Borg, Malta Business Bureau CEO Joseph Tanti and MBB permanent delegate Omar Cutajar.

Mr Mallia addressed the event on the issue of a dynamic workforce as a recipe for competitiveness and renewed growth for EU economies. He advised MEPs against over-regulation in preventing domestic economies to generate the new jobs required to replace those lost to the crisis.

The European Chambers urged the European Parliament to pursue a business-friendly agenda, and to implement policies that will allow the business community to lead Europe out of the economic crisis and into a period of sustainable growth and competitiveness. They later put questions to MEPs on their position on crucial dossiers such as the internal market, the European Innovation Act the post-2010 Lisbon Strategy and plans to cut energy consumption. All MEPs presented their group's vision and priorities in their fields.

The Chambers stressed that the forthcoming review of the EU Budget will be a litmus test of how seriously the EU institutions intend to reflect these priorities.