More GWU reports find EU

Two other reports commissioned by the General Workers' Union on the impact on EU membership show that this would be positive for Malta.

The reports, "The effects of EU membership on the Maltese worker arising out of the EU Small and Medium-Sized enterprises policy", by Gordon Cordina, and "The effects of adopting the EU financial control regulations on Maltese worker membership", by Robert Suban both conclude that EU membership would be beneficial.

The Suban report notes that changes that would have to be made to local legislation are technical and would have little effect on the Maltese because it would be positive as fraud and corruption would diminish.

The report says the EU regulations focus on measures aimed at countering fraud and other illegal activities. It says that the only possible negative effect is the additional cost that would have to be borne by the administration in order to comply with the regulation, but this could be greatly reduced with appropriate aid and financial assistance.

The report by Mr Cordina notes that with membership, Malta would gain acess to EU funds related to small and medium sized enterprises.

"Maltese firms will be able to tap EU financial markets and in particular apply for assistance under regional and social funds," the report says.

Mr Cordina adds that given the rigorous and lengthy process for approval of such funds, it is vital that a government institution or a constituted body takes up the task of coordinating demands from Maltese firms and to enable them to utilise EU programmes effectively.

Other reports which have been published by The Times and The Sunday Times over the past weeks show that workers and Malta stand to benefit from EU membership.

The union had commissiond 21 reports on the impact EU membership would have on various sectors. They were commissioned to enable the union to form an opinion about EU membership and then inform the membership accordingly, but the GWU had drawn up a report which concluded that EU membership was not beneficial for Maltese workers.

The union has not published any of the reports so far. The union last year received Lm50,000 in government funds to undertake such studies. The government allocation this year is Lm25,000.

Similar amounts have been given to other constituted bodies, most of which, such as Union Haddiema Maghqudin, the Federation of Industry and Chamber of Commerce, have made their reports public.

A report in the series commissioned by the GWU and published in The Sunday Times last Sunday said that Malta had to be where decisions were being taken (in the EU) if it really wanted peace and stability in the Mediterranean region, which is what the Labour Party says all the time.

The report, "The effects of the European Union's common and foreign security policy on the Maltese worker", was written by the union's EU desk officer, Peter Paul Barbara.

The report says the EU does not bind member states to participate in military action. It criticises the inertia shown by successive governments and lambasts them for failing to take initiatives in international conflict mediation in the Mediterranean region

It criticises the MLP for withdrawing from the Partnership for Peace programme.

The report concludes that the EU's common and foreign security policy does not have any impact on union members and does not alter workering conditions in any way.

Another report the union had about the effects of the EU's industrial policy on the Maltese worker stated that "Malta must seek to take advantage of any available EU schemes and funds" and that "important industries, like shiprepair and electronics, could be actively supported."

The report, by Gordon Cordina, also stated that "adopting the EU's industrial policy, that is, opening up markets to internal and external competition, will inevitably lead to a widespread restructuring of Malta's industrial sector. This process would have been inevitable even in the absence of EU accession because of globalisation.

"Malta has lost steam in the 1980s and foreign direct investment is drying up. If this deindustrialisation process is to be stopped, government must introduce most of the policies that are the basis of the EU's industrial policies," the report says.

Another report about the EU impact on small and medium sized enterprises says that "with entry into the European Union, Malta will gain access to the financial part of the SME related legislation. Maltese firms will be able to tap EU financial markets and in particular apply for assistance under regional and social funds."

Yet another report about the impact of EU membership on the Maltese worker arising out of the EU's research and technology development policy, states that in the short term, such a policy would have little impact on the Maltese economy as a whole and on the Maltese worker in particular, while in the long term, some beneficial effects could be envisaged to spill over to Malta.

A lengthy report on the impact of the EU's social policy and employment, prepared by Dr Godfrey Baldacchino, stated that "A union, such as the General Workers' Union, should ensure that all the social policy measures of the EU should be introduced and implemented as these are of benefit to workers."

"The union should show its approval about the fact that workers would be having a right to be informed and consulted about measures and decisions which would affect them. Part-time workers would no longer be discriminated against," the report says.

The report also says that the European Social Fund can be used to develop weak industrial sectors, such as those at Cottonera, and for the retraining of those registering for work.

In another report about the impact of the EU's policies on education, training and youth, the report says "the union should welcome the opportunity that Maltese youths would obtain from experiences and training in other EU countries."

Another report, entitled 'The impact of the European Union regional policy and structural actions on the Maltese worker' spelt out that there would be a positive impact for Maltese workers and for the country in general.

This report, drawn up the union's EU desk officer, Peter Paul Barbara, last year also stated that the "worst case scenario" for Malta, where EU funds are concerned, would be for the country to freeze its application before the union draws up its 2007-2013 budget.