A meeting of the Core Group of the Malta-EU Steering and Action Committee (MEUSAC) was held on the 28th November 2008, chaired by the Hon. Chris Said, Parliamentary Secretary for Public Dialogue and Information.

The main topic on the Agenda was:

A Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions – Second Strategic Review – An EU Energy Security and Solidarity Action Plan. 

This Communication is directed towards infrastructure and diversity of energy supplies as well as external energy relations, stocks of oil and gas and crisis response mechanism, energy efficiency, and the best utilisation of the EU’s indigenous energy resources. A presentation on the Communication was delivered to the Core Group by Mr. Antoine Riolo, Chief Executive Officer of the Malta Resources Authority (MRA) and issues of direct relevance to the Maltese scenario were further highlighted.

A status report on the Sectoral Committees was tabled, outlining current developments in their setting up.  The Core Group confirmed the decisions it had taken in September on the criteria for the participation of civil society organisations in the Sectoral Committees. It reiterated its desire to work closely with the Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations and with the Council for the Voluntary Sector. On November 25, MEUSAC issued a call for expression of interest by civil society organisations to register in order to form part of the Sectoral Committees. These Committees should start meeting regularly after the 1st January 2009.