Meusac (the Malta-EU Steering Action Committee) said today that grants previously made to small trade unions and other civil society organisations had been stopped because the funds were no longer available.
No decision has been taken yet on whether the annual payment of €58,200 to the big trade unions will be retained, although funds are also not available for that purpose.
There is no contract regulating the funds.
Meusac director Vanni Xuereb, reacting to complaints made yesterday by the FORUM group of trade unions and the UHM, said Meusac had had its national budget slashed in the past two years.
It was seeing increased costs and a reduced budget, which would shrink further next year as the EU cut funding for information activities.
He said that Meusac received €1.1 million from the national budget in 2011. That was reduced to €1 million last year and then reduced to €900,000 when the Budget allocations were reduced later in the year.
The budget for this year was €800,000.
Until 2012, in terms of the the Civil Society Fund, the GWU, UHM, GRTU and MEA (Malta Employers Association) were paid €58,200 each to cover expenses for European related events.
Then FORUM and smaller entitles were given grants after a call for application. The grants were a maximum of €10,000.
Contrary to what was declared by FORUM, Dr Xuereb said no payments to the small entities were made last year.
Meanwhile, in a statement earlier today, the FORUM insisted it was paid last year and said the decision for no funding this year was taken behind its back.Such funds were essential for Maltese workers to be represented at EU fora, the group said.
But Dr Xuereb explained that the grant to constituted bodies and NGOs (excluding the UĦM, GRTU, MEA and GWU) was paid in two instalments: a pre-financing of 70% of the total allocation was paid upon approval of the proposal; 30% was then paid following presentation and approval of the final report by the beneficiary.
Hence, for the 2011 Call, the 30% was paid in 2012 following such approval. This was what FORUM received in 2012 – and this payment refered to the 2011 Call and not to any Call issued in 2012 because, in fact, no Call was issued in 2012.
A BLOW TO CIVIL SOCIETY - PN
The Nationalist Party said the withholding of funds, which was a decision by minister Helena Dalli, was a blow to the social partners and non-government organisations and would hinder their activities.