Author: SME Chamber

GRTU has successfully held a conference earlier this week with a participation of around 200 small businesses and self-employed persons targeting Malta’s Digital Economy. This conference served as the ideal platform to retrieve practical feedback from businessesas to what challenges are hindering them for GRTU to consolidate recommendations to be presented to policy-makers in the coming weeks. The conference however also offered hands-on awareness-raising and training exercisefor the attendees to understand how they can make best use of the digital and online tools to maximise their business potential.

GRTU President Paul Abela opened the conference outlining how crucial this next step in business has become to effective competitiveness. Access to untapped market potential is key and needs to be achieved through equipping businesses with such tools. Addressing the SMEs present during the conference, Parliamentary Secretary for Competitiveness Jose’ Herrera said that the digital economy will not replace the business model but will enhance their efforts to achieve their targets. Economy Minister Chris Cardona was also present for the closing of the conference. This gave the opportunity for the workshop rapporteurs to explain to the plenary as well as to the Minister what was discussed and the main issues that emanated throughout the conference. Minister Cardona highlighted the potential that can be reached through opening shop doors to the online world reaching out more efficiently to the same pool of customers and tapping into a far broader reach at the same time.

The conference involved keynote speakers from MCA and MITA presented developments in Malta’s E-Commerce Strategy and the Digital Malta Strategy. Studies showed that more and more users were shifting online and using online shopping methods, but these were not respectively reflected in online shopping in Malta. GRTU Vice-President Marcel Mizzi gave a bird’s eye-view of digital marketing and how in practice businesses can widen their potential. Mizzi exposed the power of the digital marketing and online presence through its various forms such as social media, websites, search-engine optimisation, blogs, email and pay-per-clicks. He also explained how easy and cost-effective this can be for any time of SME.

The participants had the opportunity to participate in two workshop sessions. The first workshop was delivered by MCA Chief of Information and Development Steve Agius who focused on how to establish and maintain effective online presence. The second workshop was coordinated by Kevin Schembri from Microsoft who explained how practical apps and cloudcomputing are the way forward for businesses. Their efficiency and effectiveness can take business to a new level. A third workshop was delivered jointly by MITA, ETC and the Inland Revenue Department. This focused on e-Government serviceswith a practical workshop showing how employment, recruitment and taxation services can be undertaken online avoiding bureaucratic procedures and time-wasting for businesses. The fourth workshop was delivered by Cain Grech from Malta Enterprise and focused on the variety of incentives and support schemesavailable for both existing SMEs and start-ups.

Feedback from business owners attending the conference was extremely positive, with many describing it as an eye-opener and a practical exercise with take-home knowledge.GRTU shall be following up on this initiative by compiling a concise report to be developed into a document for recommendations which will in turn be presented to the government expecting action and initiatives to support businesses achieve further. GRTU has also outlined online commerce and digital tools as one of its flagship themes in its proposals for Budget 2016.

This initiative formed part of the Malta SME Week 2015. This conference has been brought together with the support of Malta Communications Authority , Malta Information Technology Agency and Malta Enterprise, together with the participation of the Ministry for the Economy, Investment and Small Businesses and the Parliamentary Secretariat for Economic Growth and Competitiveness.

Jiġi ffirmat ‘Service Level Agreement’ bejn il-Ministeru għall-Enerġija u s-Saħħa, il-GRTU u l-Kamra tal-Ispiżjara li qed jistipula l-livell ta’ servizz li jrid jingħata permezz tal-POYC. Dan il-ftehim se jkompli jevolvi u jagħti empowermentlill-ispiżjara u b’hekk inaqqas il-ħtieġa tal-amminstrazzjoni ċentrali min-naħa tal-Gvern. L-ispiżjara, wara diskussjonijiet, jibdew jamministraw huma l-istock tal-mediċini tagħhom u għalhekk ikun hemm aktar kontroll tal-mediċini biex tonqos il-ħela, tiżdied l-effiċjenza u l-mediċini –out-of-stock ikomplu jkunu kkontrollati

Il-ftehim li kien iffirmat illum se jwassal ukoll biex il-Memorandum of Understanding li kien iffirmat fl-2007, u li fuqu kienet ibbażata l-POYC, jiġi estiż sal-2019. Il-ftehim issa jaħseb ukoll biex l-ispiżjar iwassal il-mediċini għall-anzjani fi djarhom.

Għalhekk dan is-‘service level agreement’ huwa pass ieħor fis-sistema tal-POYC biex il-pazjent ikun fiċ-ċentru tas-servizz tas-saħħa, u li se jwassal biex tiżdied l-effiċjenza ta’ dan is-servizz. Il-POYC minnha nnifisha kienet pass tajjeb li ressqet lill-anzjani u lil dawk li huma intitolati għall-POYC, eqreb lejn l-ispiżjar tagħhom. Iżda kien jeħtieġ li nħarsu lejn is-servizz li seta’ jiġi mogħti lill-anzjani tagħna. Il-Gvern f’dawn l-aħħar sentejn ħadem fuq diversi prijoritajiet biex il-POYC tkun effiċjenti, jonqsu l-mediċini out-of-stock li llum humaanqas minn ħamsa u li servizz tal-POYC jqarreb aktar l-ispiżjar lejn l-anzjani fi djarhom.

Dan is-servizz se jibda fl-ewwel kwart tas-sena d-dieħla u se jkun offrut lill-anzjani ta’ 70 sena ‘l fuq u se jibda f’Raħal Ġdid u r-Rabat. Dan se jsir biex il-POYC flimkien mal-ispiżjara janalizzaw is-servizz offrut u jtejbu fejn ikun meħtieġ. Wara erba’ xhur dan is-servizz se jkun qed jiġi offrut f’aktar lokalitajiet.

Il-ftehim se jwassal biex l-ispiżjara jkabbru l-operat tagħhom u għalhekk il-Gvern se jkun qed joffri tax credits lill-ispiżeriji li huma parti mill-POYC biex jinvestu fl-infrastruttura u fir-riżors uman tagħhom.

Il-Gvern jemmen li l-ispiżjara tagħna, bil-pariri tagħhom jistgħu jgħinu biex il-pazjenti jsegwu aħjar l-istruzzjonijiet li jingħatawlhom bir-reqqa u biex jiġu individwati dawk il-pazjenti li għandhom bżonn tibdil fit-trattamenti tagħhom. Barra min hekk, permezz ta’ dan il-ftehim, se jkun hemm aktar użu razzjonali tal-medicini, biex titnaqqas il-ħela; fatt li jgħin biex il-Gvern ikollu aktar riżorsi biex ikompli jinvesti u jsaħħaħ il-qasam tas-saħħa. 

Dan il-ftehim qiegħed jissiġilla l-evoluzzjoni tas-sħubija li l-Kamra Tal-Ispiżjara u l-GRTU għandhom mal-Gvern fil-proviżjoni tas-servizzi farmaċewtiċi fil–komunità. Dan il-ftehim se jwassal biex verament il-pazjent ikun fiċ-ċentru tal-politika tas-saħħa ta’ pajjiżna. 

Il-Gvern jirringrazzja lill-GRTU, lill-Kamra Tal-Ispiżjara, lill-POYC u lil kull min kien involut biex dan il-ftehim jintlaħaq għall-ġid tal-pazjenti tagħna.

GRTU is proud to announce that it has been awarded close to a €100,000 to part-finance its project entitled ‘Enriching Malta’s SME and Self-Employed Representation in Practice’, under the European Social Fund.

The project aims at achieving headway in a short period of time on a number of priority issues such as the digital agenda by shifting Maltese enterprises online and increasing work life balance initiatives through the application of EU wide successful models to the local context.

Training and investment in skills is a main pillar in the project. A significant tranche of the funds will go towards further equipping the resources of the organization through internal training to be able to provide better SME and self-employed representation and services, as well as holding seminars and training programmes for SMEs to provide them with knowledge and skills to strengthen their business and competitiveness.

The project aims to achieve tangible results. GRTU will develop two policy papers drawn up through close consultation with business owners themselves in relation to increasing the take-up of digital strategies in companies and practical implementation of the budget measures.

Increasing and strengthening start-ups is another result the project seeks to achieve. This will be done through close cooperation and empowerment of start-up enterprises and young entrepreneurs. To achieve this aim GRTU will also be undertaking an outreach exercise in collaboration with MCAST by exposing students to the opportunities and realities of being an entrepreneur.

The first planned activity will consist of a dynamic information and consultation session entitled ‘Malta’s Digital economy Gap Analysis: Identify Your Business’ Next Step’. Through this activity GRTU seeks to help Maltese enterprises conquer their digital challenges through the provision of practical skills and guidance, identify problems and limitations that are holding them back and identify proposals to overcome these challenges.

The event will be held over a half day on Tuesday 13th October and was oversubscribed shortly following announcement. Further information may be found on http://bit.ly/1jcJCK3

The project is 85% covered by the European Social Fund. GRTU takes this opportunity to thank MEUSAC for its assistance and support at project planning stage. GRTU also commends the Ministry for European Affairs and the PPCD for their practical approach aimed at ensuring the full uptake of EU funds.

We would like to draw the attention to the upcoming commencement of the negotiations of a free trade agreement between the EU and Tunisia and sound out your views on these negotiations. The first round of the negotiations will be held in the second half of October. We would like to know what interests and opportunities businesses have in an agreement with Tunisia, also given its proximity to Malta.

In particular we would like to have some comments from interested businesses or businesses already active in Tunisia on what could be or interest or sensitive for your business. The agreement should include the following areas of negotiations:

• Tariffs on trade in industrial goods (import / export tariffs rates in Tunisia);
• Tariffs on trade in agricultural products (import / export tariff rates in Tunisia);
• Non-tariff and technical barriers (e.g. excessive or duplication of regulatory requirements for exporting to Tunisia);
•  Trade in services (general or by sector);
• Investment – intention of inward and outward FDI flows (general or specific to areas of interest).
• Other areas of interest, for example:
• Specific concerns  on intellectual property rights and protections;
• Trade facilitation (impediments in Tunisia making trade more difficult at the border);
• Domestic regulation (impeding trade in goods or services or setup of businesses there);
• Sanitary and phytosanitary issues (food and drink sectors).

 Kindly send any feedback on .

Social Partners in agreement

During a consultation meeting held with the opposition on the Budget proposals, the Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry, the Malta Employers Association and the Union Haddiema Maghqudin were in agreement that Government should address the issue of electricity costs in this Budget. This means that all the major social partners, with the only exception of the GWU, believe that concrete measures must be taken to address the current situation.

Opposition in agreement

The opposition also agreed with GRTU’s position that the 25% reduction was promised in a time different from the conditions we are living in today and therefore the reduction in the international prices of oil, the efficiencies of the BWSC plant and the cheap electricity rates of the interconnector should be regarded separately.

Dr Simon Busuttil said that the reduction requested by the GRTU is not only justified but obvious and apparent when one considers the figures that are publicly available. Dr Busuttil insisted that unfortunately with regards to other considerations one can only ask questions since the agreements are not public and there is lack of transparency.

GRTU reiterates its call for 30% reduction in electricity tariffs

GRTU President Paul Abela said that the GRTU had invited the Government to carry out its own technical assessment in order to see what reductions could be passed on to SMEs. He said that in calling for a 30% reduction the GRTU was being conservative and GRTU will be escalating its efforts in the coming days to see prices reduced.

Paul Abela said that he would have expected the Government to not simply be a guarantor to Electro Gas but partner up with the company. This is what happens in the private sector where the guarantor believes in the venture he is guaranteeing for.

As part of its pre-budget meetings GRTU met Minister for Transport Joe Mizzi since it has highlighted transport and parking as a main challenge that hindering business competitiveness.

GRTU President Paul Abela said that traffic and parking are two elements that are reducing productivity and are discouraging consumers from going to the shops. He said that the problem in localities such as Valletta and Sliema 

is in need of immediate action and requested incentives to increase the parking capacity and incentives for the private sector to offer solutions to the current problem.

Mr Abela also reiterated GRTU’s complaint that port charges will once again go up and this is making Maltese businesses uncompetitive. In reply James Piscopo, Chairman of Transport Malta assured GRTU that its complaints have not fallen on deaf ears. In fact he said that the full extent of the agreement with the private operator is being considered and analysed and a study is being conducted to assess how competitive are the Maltese ports in comparison with that of our neighbours and other countries in the Mediterranean and the EU.

In relation to transport the Minister said that a lot of effort is being done to increase the efficiency and reliability of the public transport system. He said that incentives targeting the private sector are also in the pipeline and welcomed GRTU’s proposal to incentivise companies to provide combined delivery system services. He also invited the GRTU to come forward with other private sector proposals that will alleviate the current traffic and parking problems and said that the Ministry will help these projects materialise and put in place the necessary incentives.

On the CVA, GRTU complained heavily that the system is a failure and needs a complete overhaul. The parking availabilities do not make sense. First and foremost the parking capacity has shrunk significantly and while residents are catered for two fold, other people coming into Valletta were very limited in their parking options. While the system is making money from people coming into Valletta no improvements in the parking and traffic situation in Valletta was made.

The Minister recognised the shortcomings of the CVA system and assured the GRTU that as a main stakeholder it will be consulted so that the system is improved. The revision should take place next year.

GRTU President Paul Abela has attended the second Maltese-Russian Business Forum hosted by the Chamber of Commerce of the Russian Federation with the participation of the Minister for the Economy, Investment and Small Business of Malta Honourable Chris Cardona; Ambassador of the Republic of Malta in Russia His Excellency Carmel Brincat; President of the Moscow Association of Entrepreneurs Mr Andrey Podenok and the President of the Gozo Business Chamber Mr Michael Grech.

The Forum highlighted the importance of further development of a mutual beneficial trade and economic relations between Malta and Russia.

Malta’s successful development of modern electronics, as well as pharmaceuticals, automotive parts, aircraft components and software is a favorable investment climate and is interested in foreign investments from countries such as Russia. Malta is also popular as a tourist destination and offers various educational programmes for students that wish to learn English. These factors alone generate multiple opportunities for both countries to invest and establish economics relations.

The Russian Chamber of Commerce expressed that Malta is an interesting, prospective partner for Russian entrepreneurs. The organisation stated that recently the Maltese and Russian business contacts grew significantly. GRTU will also continue to work with these organisations to share opportunities of business investment in both countries.

GRTU members that are interested in Business opportunities in Russia can contact Elaine Zammit on

GRTU has attended the EuroCommerce and Uni-Europa Commerce Sectoral Dialogue Committee held in Brussels, Belgium this week. The Committee is set up under the wing of the European Commission and brings together representatives of both employer organisations as well as trade unions to promote social dialogue related to the commerce sector.

A brief overview of the work undertaken in 2014-2015 was given prior to focusing on the upcoming 2016 Work Programme. The Sectoral Social

Dialogue shall now be focusing on a renewed Work Programme for 2016. In 2016 the following shall be the main themes to be addressed: Skills; Employment Strategy; Health and Safety; Business and Human Rights; Flexible labour markets; Improving Social Dialogue.

Retail and Wholesale have a major role to play in fighting youth unemployment. There needs to be better assessment of skills needs in SMEs. There needs to be coherent project implementation with other European stakeholders to promote suitable working conditions based on optimizing one’s skills in line with labour market needs.

In terms of health and safety, it is envisaged that work is to be continued on an EU-funded project which is to set forward a toolkit for the sector drawing on examples of good practice from members. In this field, promoting best practices and finding improvements is desirable but has to be achieved through avoiding further burdensome regulation.

EU Employment Strategy is to be reflected upon through the various aspects of also achieving flexible labour markets that can adapt to the different profiles of potential employees. This would include the review of the working time directive, the review of fixed term and part-time directives as well as a labour market analysis in order to address the challenges of the commerce labour market and provision of quality jobs through a possible EU-funded project on the key challenges and factors of change in the retail and wholesale sector. Main themes to be addresses also include work-life balance, undeclared work and migrant workers.

Another priority is that of empowering and improving social dialogue to ensure close knowledge of union thinking on the main issues facing retail and wholesale. It would also help to identify early warning of threats to the ability of retail and wholesale to respond to the challenges of a rapidly chaining economic and technological environment. Social dialogue has to be more effective and what is being achieved at European level has to be transcended nationally. Another key topic mentioned was that intergenerational solidarity.

GRTU outlined the importance to also include the effects of e-Commerce and online platforms both in terms of business-to-consumer as well as business-to-business, as well as issues related to alternative sources of access to finance. GRTU also suggested focusing on start-ups and entrepreneurship as means to address youth unemployment.