Malta Chamber seeks vote delay on equality bill

The Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry has called on government to postpone the final parliamentary debate and vote on the National Commission for Human Rights and Equality Bill to allow for further consultation.

In a letter addressed to the Minister for Equality, Rosianne Cutajar, the Chamber said it supports legislation that strengthens the protection of human rights and promotes equality and non-discrimination, but argued that the current Equality Bill should not be rushed through Parliament.

The Chamber said it has "serious concerns about the expediency of passing the current bill without the necessary consultation", adding that the proposed legislation should undergo more thorough scrutiny before being approved.

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It argued that the bill's broad scope warrants meaningful engagement with social partners and other stakeholders, and said its preliminary assessment indicates that several provisions overlap with existing legislation.

The organisation said a more comprehensive consultation process would allow these concerns to be addressed, resulting in legislation that is "clearer, more coherent and better equipped to achieve its intended objectives while providing the necessary legal certainty and safeguards".

The Chamber urged government to postpone the bill's final parliamentary debate and vote "to allow sufficient time for meaningful consultation with the social partners and other stakeholders".