Business is the Solution – “Lessons from the economic crisis: An employer’s perspective”

GRTU President
Paul Abela participated at an event organized by the European Economic and
Social Committee (EESC) in Malta as one of a speaker during a panel discussion.
In his intervention Mr Abela emphasised the importance of the schemes such as
JEREMIE to help SMEs restructure, invest and innovate and come out of the
crises.

"Business
is not the problem, but rather the solution. Therefore, business has to take
centre stage in the new economic plans the EU will be proposing and possibly
introducing over the months to come." These were the concluding remarks of the
address delivered by Mr. David G. Curmi, President of the Malta Chamber of
Commerce, Enterprise and Industry.

The
objective of the conference was to initiate a frank and open debate on the
various responses to the financial and economic crisis in EU Member States and
analyse them from a business perspective. The aim was to encourage an exchange
of views, diagnoses and practices between EESC Employers' Group Members and
leading Maltese business representatives.

Two
panel discussions took place. The first dealt with questions from a national
point of view and an exchange of ideas as to how the governments and employers
were dealing with the crisis and which best practices were adopted.  The first panel was moderated by Vanessa
Macdonald and included members of the EESC Employers Group. The second panel
was moderated by Stefano Mallia, Vice 
President of the EESC Employers' Group. It discussed Europe's response to
the economic crises and whether the EU was aware of the needs and realities of
employers. The panel was composed of the Hon. Dr. Mario de Marco – Deputy
Leader of the Opposition and Spokesman on the Economy, Investment and Small
Business, Mr. Gérald Petit – Policy Analyst – Analysis of Economic Reforms, DG
Enterprise, Mr. David Curmi – President of the Malta Chamber of Commerce,
Enterprise and Industry, Mr. Arthur Muscat – President, MEA, Mr. Tony Zahra –
President, MHRA and Mr. Paul Abela – President, GRTU.  

The
closing address was delivered by the Prime Minister, the Hon. Dr. Joseph Muscat.