Mr Muscat said the MEA was represented on the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development and believed that it was here that decisions leading to the establishment of a social pact had to be taken.

He said the MEA’s annual general conference will be held on 25 May with the theme Generating Productive Employment – A National Priority.

The association was insisting on the word “productive”, said Mr Muscat, because it was only with productive employment that the unemployment problem in Malta can be overcome.

He said the MEA had invited the research director of the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions Christian Welz to address the conference. He will deliver a presentation on the establishment of social pacts in the European Union member states. Other speakers will include Malta-EU Information Centre acting head Carmel Attard, Sue Vella from the Employment and Training Corporation and Malta Enterprise Chief Executive Officer Philip Micallef. Employment Minister Louis Galea will also address the conference.Speaking about the association itself, Mr Muscat said this was the employers’ union, adding that it had very good relations with the General Workers’ Union and the Union Haddiema Maghqudin. He said that with a concerted effort by employers and unions, the country’s problems could be overcome.