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2 NEWS 2.11.2023 FROM PAGE 1 Introducing the event, MEA President Joanne Bondin not- ed how foreign workers have become indispensable in sus- taining and accelerating eco- nomic growth. "EU and third country nationals have filled employment gaps in the logis- tics sector that might have otherwise hindered its devel- opment. They augment the labour force, enabling com- panies to meet the escalating demand for their services". MEA Director General Jo- seph Farrugia highlighted how despite soaring num- bers of foreign workers, many firms struggle as these tend to leave the island after less than a year. "We need to under- stand why this is happening, and often, this is unrelated to wages. Rather, it is related to other factors, including the cost of rent, the difficulty to bring their family over and other external costs they face. These are all issues that need to be considered to ensure better worker retention", he explained. Farrugia also called on the need for a better apprecia- tion of what the logistics sec- tor entailed. "Unfortunate- ly, many associate logistics merely with delivery of goods through land transport, for example. Rather, it includes high-tech and specialised services and jobs with better than average conditions of employment", he argued. MEA consultant Kirsten Cutajar Miller shared an in- depth presentation giving the context related to the pres- ence of foreign workers in Malta in the logistics indus- try. She noted how in 2021, out of 8,185 people who were em- ployed in the sector, the share of foreigners, whether full- time or part-time reached 18.7%, up from 2.9% in 2010. The share of third country na- tionals exceeds 49% in 2021, increasing sharply since 2018. In the wider private sector, the share of foreign workers is at times higher, with one of the most recent MEA sur- veys finding that one in four firms reported that more than 50% of their employees are non-Maltese. The conference brought to- gether industry and institu- tional leaders from several organisations which relate with the recruitment of for- eign workers. Various HR ele- ments were addressed includ- ing the recruitment process, training, skills required, lan- guage barriers, cultural ad- aptability, digitalisation and worker retention. The event, which formed part of the SME Week 2023, was supported by the Minis- try of the Economy, European Funds and Lands, Identità and Foundation for Transport. Stakeholders call for fair and inclusive employment practices FOREIGN WORKER CHALLENGES IN MALTA IN the third quarter of 2023, season- ally adjusted GDP decreased by 0.1% in the euro area and increased by 0.1% in the EU, compared with the previous quarter, according to a preliminary flash estimate published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. In the second quarter of 2023, GDP had grown by 0.2% in the euro area and had remained stable in the EU. These preliminary GDP flash esti- mates are based on data sources that are incomplete and subject to further revisions. Compared with the same quarter of the previous year, seasonally adjusted GDP increased by 0.1% both in the euro area and in the EU in the third quarter of 2023, after +0.5% in the euro area and +0.4% in the EU in the previous quarter. Among the Member States for which data are available for the third quar- ter of 2023, Latvia (+0.6%) recorded the highest increase compared to the previous quarter, followed by Belgium (+0.5%) and Spain (+0.3%). The highest declines were recorded in Ireland (-1.8%), Austria (-0.6%) and Czechia (-0.3%). The growth rates compared to the same quarter of the previous year were positive for five countries, with the highest values observed for Por- tugal (+1.9%), Spain (+1.8%) and Bel- gium (+1.5%). The highest declines were recorded for Ireland (-4.7%), Estonia (-2.5%), Austria and Sweden (-1.2% both). The next estimates for the third quarter of 2023 will be released on 14 November 2023. GDP down by 0.1% in the euro area and up by 0.1% in the EU

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