Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/191652
25 maltatoday, SUNDAY, 13 OCTOBER 2013 Sometimes it's good to exchange views I am writing this article just as a conference discussing lessons learnt from the financial crisis has come to an end. It was a conference organised by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) together with the main employer bodies in the country, that is, the Chamber of Commerce, the MEA, the MHRA and the GRTU. Members of the EESC from Greece, Germany, Ireland, the UK and Hungary spoke about how their countries have coped and continue to cope with the crisis. More importantly they spoke from the employers' perspective, which as may be expected varies from that of policy makers and indeed sometimes the man in the street. What emerged from this first panel discussion was that whilst there are a number of common elements that can be found in the experience of each Member State, it is also clear that each country has a unique set of experiences and circumstances. Therefore whilst it is possible and indeed recommended that we learn possible best practices, it is evident that such best practices will then have to be moulded to fit within the particular circumstances of each Member State. From such a conclusion it is easy to see the dangers of the one-size-fits-all approach very often adopted by the EU. It was, however, enriching to see the interaction that occurred Stefano Mallia during the discussion between the members of the Maltese business community attending the conference and the panel speakers, each with his or her unique set of experiences. It was also interesting to note the different attitudes and approaches to dealing with the crisis. Whilst the UK speaker basically blamed the euro for much of the malaise within Europe today, the German speaker as well as the Irish speaker blamed a lack of discipline and inadequate supervision. The speaker from Greece clearly laid the blame on the politicians' door and expressed considerable concern as to how the political scenario will evolve within the country and indeed Europe itself. The next part of the discussion saw the participation of the local business leaders, the European Commission and the political parties. What took place during this session was remarkable for three reasons. First, it is clear that Malta has indeed done remarkably well. Listening to the incredibly tough experience of Ireland and Greece, one could not but wonder where would we all be if we had to go through the same experiences. Instead we have the luxury of being able to complain about mundane, everyday issues such as bureaucracy or lack of communication by policy makers. Of course both issues are issues of concern and do indeed hit at the competitiveness of our economy, but when compared to the first-hand experiences relayed by the foreign panellists, it all takes on a different dimension. The second dimension that emerged was that as yet, 10 years down the line, we are still not able to pin down in a well-articulated manner why EU Membership matters for the local business community. Now of course if one were to attempt such an articulation, I'm sure that with more time and thought this could be achieved in a very satisfactory manner. However, from the discussion that emerged, it was evident that when asked for a gut reaction some within the business community are still not able to identify properly what membership has meant for the Maltese economy. The third and final dimension that came out was the perception gap that emerges between the policy makers in Brussels and the business community that faces up to the daily challenges of carrying out good business every day. I have seen and continue to see this first-hand. In my almost weekly exchanges with the EU institutions and the Maltese business community, I am very often struck by the different language used by both sides on what is very often the same issue or problem. Whilst the small businessman will cut straight to the point and seek immediate results, the bureaucrat in Brussels will couch his language in technical jargon and seek to obtain the common good for Europe over the long term. Of course in a situation of normality this could be perfectly acceptable, however in a situation where speed and clarity of action are of essence this is clearly not on. Whilst the EU institutions are perfectly correct to talk about things like the 'six pack' 'two pack', 'banking union' and 'stability Opinion mechanisms,' the SME round the corner wants to know how it will be able to access the required finances for it to carry out critical investments. The SME round the corner also wants to know how it is going to manage to survive in the face of cutthroat competition coming from Asia and South America. The distance between the policy maker and the business enterprises on the ground just has to be reduced to a bare minimum and the European Commission in particular must acknowledge this challenge and be seen to be acting on it. The final note of consideration goes towards our politicians. It was indeed refreshing to listen to both Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and PN Deputy Leader Mario DeMarco referring to the private sector as being the crucial element in any fight against the crisis. Both recognised that without the resilience shown by our private sector during the height of the crisis, we would very likely be in a very different place today. The foreign speakers found it remarkable that our local politicians, despite their ostensible opposition, could indeed speak with such harmony. In this case, not wanting to ruin an otherwise perfect day, I of course kept most of my thoughts to myself. Stefano Mallia is a Nationalist candidate in the forthcoming European Parliamentary elections