Maltese business delegation ends historic Brussels mission

A diverse delegation of Maltese business leaders has successfully concluded a historic and unprecedented mission to Brussels, securing direct meetings with European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, influential MEPs and key Cabinet officials from the European Commission.

The visit was designed to open a new channel of communication to address the specific difficulties and disproportionate administrative burdens faced by local operators when navigating the EU’s extensive body of rules, laws and regulations. A secondary, yet crucial, objective was to provide the delegation with a deeper, practical understanding of how the EU institutions function and shape policy.

The delegation was noted for its comprehensive representation of the Maltese economic landscape. It comprised a wide array of professionals from various industries and organisation sizes, ranging from self-employed individuals and small enterprise owners to executives from large multinational corporations operating locally.

Following the discussions, the delegation returned with two critical takeaways regarding the future direction of the EU.

A group photo.

Firstly, a strong message was received concerning simplification and reduced bureaucracy. The business leaders noted a concerted effort within the EU institutions, and they could appreciate the great respect that Metsola commands among her fellow MEPs and across the European Parliament. This high regard underpins her leadership in actively pushing for a simpler and less burdensome legislative environment.

This commitment to cutting red tape is viewed by the Maltese business community as vital for enhancing competitiveness, particularly for micro and SMEs operating in the smaller EU economies.

Secondly, the delegation observed the EU’s clear intention to take a more dominant and prominent global role, with a strong emphasis on future technologies. The consensus was that the EU aims to be a standard-setter in areas such as digital transformation and AI, presenting significant opportunities and challenges for Maltese firms looking to align with European innovation standards.

The delegation also used the opportunity to publicly acknowledge the support received, emphasising that the mission’s success was heavily reliant on the operational backing of the EP’s team in Brussels.

A spokesperson for the delegation said: “The insights gained are invaluable. This was not just a historic meeting but a constructive dialogue that will help bridge the gap between Malta’s business reality and Brussels’ legislative agenda. We express our deep gratitude to Quad Consultancy for making this happen, Dr Metsola’s team and the EP staff in Brussels for enabling this mission.