Category: Archive – 2011

In view of the upcoming FP7 calls which will be published in July 2011, the European Commission, NCP Networking Projects and other entities will be organising a number of brokerage events in the coming weeks. The brokerage events aim to bring together the skills and knowledge of potential consortia members and to discuss potential project ideas for future successful projects within FP7.

 

As part of its effort to facilitate participation in FP7 by local organisations, the Malta Council for Science and Technology is re-launching its scheme for supporting researchers to attend these events.

Kindly refer to the MCST website:                    

http://www.mcst.gov.mt/news.aspx?nid=266 for more details and to access the application form.

The deadline for submitting your applications is Tuesday 24th May – however for brokerage events taking place in the coming 2 weeks, applications should be sent in at your earliest.

Applications have to be sent to Ms. Anthea Fabri, National FP7 NCP Coordinator to:  

In case of queries kindly contact Anthea Fabri-FP7 NCP Coordinator-23602141

Businesses seeking to expand into other countries often struggle to comply with all the regulations they need to follow. Applying for licenses, permits and completing other administrative procedures in another country can be very complicated.  This is even true in countries where eGovernment is quite advanced.  Online services in foreign countries can have different service levels or follow a different logic to the services businesses use in their own countries.

 

The EU has initiated the SPOCS (Simple Procedures Online for Cross-Border Services) project to overcome these obstacles.

The EU Services Directive already requires all procedures involved in establishing a business and providing services in another EU country to be fully online. The SPOCS project is now taking things a step further by streamlining those procedures and offering seamless cross- border technology.

May 2011 will see the launch of the first services using SPOCS that will support travel agents, real estate agents and master builders in establishing a presence and doing business in other EU countries.

Businesses are invited to test-drive the new services, which will initially span 5 Member States. Austria, Germany, Greece, Italy and Poland will all demonstrate their services in the SPOCS pilot.  Other EU Member States will join later in the year. More information and updates will be published on the SPOCS site and in future newsletters.   

To learn more about SPOCS or register for the newsletter, please go to http://www.eu-spocs.eu/

All interested parties have the opportunity to influence developments, provide feedback and make proposals by participating in one of the following groups while registering to the SPOCS site http://www.eu-spocs.eu/ :

Member States – PSCs

Large Scale Pilots

IT Industry and Standards Bodies

Business Representatives and End Users

Local Government  

Further information:

SPOCS website: http://www.eu-spocs.eu/

Services Directive: http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/services/services-dir/index_en.htm

Editorial Contacts:

SPOCS Press Office:

GRTU in line with the position of UEAPME, its EU level representative, warmly welcomed the proposal on translation arrangements for the future Community patent presented by the European Commission.

 

UEAPME fully backed the Commission's suggestion to build on the official languages of the European Patent Office for filing patent requests, while reimbursing applicants for the costs of translation from another idiom into an official EPO language and providing machine translation for all other EU languages if need be, the results of which must be of high quality, warned UEAPME. This will dramatically reduce filing and translation costs and provide innovative SMEs in Europe with a cost-effective method to protect their intellectual property rights, stressed the SME organisation. UEAPME also called on the Belgian Presidency of the EU, which starts today and has put the Community patent at the top of its priority list, to ensure that the EC proposal is swiftly adopted in order to make progress on this crucial file.

Secretary General Andrea Benassi offered the following comments:

"The proposal by the European Commission is in line with our repeated calls to reduce the number of languages and has the potential to inject new momentum into the Community patent. The system proposed by Commissioner Barnier will dramatically reduce translation costs, which are often more than half of the total expenses when applying for a patent, while ensuring the possibility of submitting patent requests in all the official EU languages. Reduced costs will be particularly beneficial for innovative SMEs, which have been hampered for too long by excessive filing expenses. More affordable patents will act as a driver for innovation and foster competitiveness in the single market and beyond. This will allow Europe to catch up on R&D and innovation with its international competitors."

"The Belgian Presidency of the EU, which has recently started, has put innovation at the forefront of its programme. We hope that it will strive to achieve unanimity the proposal and make progress on all the aspects of the Community patent, also based on the breakthrough conclusions adopted under the Swedish Presidency last year. Europe cannot afford any longer a single market in which the same invention is subject to up to 27 different legal systems. The Belgian Presidency has all the elements on the table to put an end to this dysfunctional system. We trust that it will work to do so as of today."

Green MT hija Skema Nazzjonali li qed twassal biex pajjizna jilhaq il-miri tieghu fejn jilhqu l-obbligi dwar gbir u riciklagg ta' skart tal-ippakkeggjar. Jekk Malta ma tilhaqx l-ghanijiet taghha, pajjizna mhux biss jonqos f'xi haga li hi sewwa u li hu fi dmir li jaghmel imma wkoll ikun suggett ghal penalitajiet kbar imposti fuqu mill-Unjoni Ewropeja.

 

Il-GRTU, bhala l-Kamra Maltija tan-Negozji Zghar u Medji ta' pajjizna, dahlet ghal piz iebes li twaqqaf u thaddem hi stess Skema Nazzjonali li taghmilha facli u aktar possibbli biex is-sidien tan-negozji Maltin jippartecipaw f'dan il-ghan nazzjonali b'anqas piz finanzjarju possibbli.

L-Iskema li thaddem il-GRTU hija interament not for profit u kull bilanc favorevoli li jirrizulta mit-thaddim tal-Iskema jmur lura f'inizjattivi godda ghat-titjib tal-ambjent fil-komunita' kif ukoll fit-tnaqqis reali fit-tariffi li jhallsu l-imsiehba taghha u b'zieda fis-servizzi. L-kontijiet tal-iskema jinzammu minn ditta ta accountants independenti u l-operat kollu tal-Iskema hu suggett ghall-verifika ta' ditta indipendenti ta' awdituri ta' fama internazzjonali u l-istess Skema ta' Geen mt hi wkoll obligata li twettaq verifika dettaljata ambjentali wkoll minn awdituri indipendinti u approvati mil-MEPA bhala ir-Regulatur Pubbliku.

L-iskema nazzjonali Green MT illum hi l-iskema li tigbor l-akbar volum ta' skart ricikabbli, b'14,129 tunnellata migbur matul l-2010, u total ta' 20,700 tunnellata minn meta twaqqfet sal-ahhar ta' Marzu 2011.

Green MT hija ukoll l-iskema li tkopri l-akbar parti tat-territorju Malti u Ghawdxi, b'41 Lokalita', li jfisser li 270,000 resident f'Malta u Ghawdex ghandu lill-Green MT bhala l-organizazzjoni li taghtih is-servizz ta' gbir u riciklagg tal-iskart tal-ippakkegjar. Ghalkemm a not for profit organisation, Green MT titmexxa fuq bazi kummercjali. L-ispejjez il-kbar ta' Green MT huma l-hlasijiet lil aktar minn 70 kuntrattur u service provider. Hija l-politika ta' Green MT li ma tikkompetix mas-settur privat fl-oqsma ta' servizzi li hi tehtieg sabiex twettaq l-obbligi taghha. Kull fejn taghti s-servizz fil-komunita' dan Greenmt twettqu minghajr ebda obbligu finanazjarju jew ta' xi piz iehor fuq il-Kunsilli Lokali jew fuq l-kommunita lokali. Ghal kuntrarju Green MT taghti incentivi lill-Kunsilli Lokali kull fejn tahdem.

Green MT hija l-Iskema li hi responsabbli ghall-akbar numru ta' Bring in Sites f'Malta u Ghawdex, 275 site, u b'kollox Green MT tforni 1,100 skip fil-komunita'.

Green MT thaddem wkoll l-akbar numru ta' kuntratturi – waste carriers – li qatt thaddmu f'Malta fuq skema nazzjonali bhal din u bejniethom dawn il-kuntratturi f'isem il-Green MT jigbru u jiehdu ghall-ippakkeggjar fil-facilita' tal-WasteServ gewwa Sant Antnin, 78% tal-materjal kollu li jircievi l-istess impjant. Hu fatt innegabbli illi kieku ma kienx ghas support shih li taghti l-Green MT lilll-facilita' nazzjonali ta' Sant Antnin, kieku din il-facilita' ta' riciklagg tnaqqas l-operat taghha sostanzjalment ghaliex hija l-Green MT li bl-aktar mod qawwi u konsistenti issosstni lill-facilita' nazzjonali mhaddma mill-WasteServ.

Bhala skema mhaddma fuq bazi kummercjali hu importanti ghall-Green MT illi l-hlasijiet dovuti lilha jsiru fil-pront. Dawn il-hlasijiet dovuti ghandhom jithalsu regolarment. Gimaghtejn ilu fil-fatt Greenmt lahqet ftehim importanti mal-awtoritajiet governativi kollha li minnhom Greenmt trid is-sapport biex ma jkunx hemm dewmien fil-hlasijiet jew fl-azzjonijiet li istituzzjonijiet statali ghandhom jiehdu biex ma jinqalghux problem dovuti minhabba dewmien bla bzonn minn naha ta' dawn l-awtoritajiet ghal kull ma jkun dovut lil Greenmt.

Il-Green MT hi skema vijabbli li tipprezenta regolarment ir-rapporti dettaljati ta' verifika lir-regolatur nazzjonali, l-MEPA; li ghandha r-registrazzjonijiet u l-licenzji kollha opportuni rikjesti mill-ligijiet Maltin u d-Direttivi Ewropej; u qatt u minn imkien ma sar xi rapport negattiv fuq Green mt. Ghal kuntrarju, sew fuq livell nazzjonali Malti kif ukoll fuq livell Ewropew, il-Green MT dejjem giet imfahhra bhala "a best practice enterprise-led organisation" u ghalhekk il-Green MT u l-GRTU ma jarawx ghaliex certi setturi tal-media jibqghu jsibu kull opportunita' biex imaqdru u jippubblikaw artikli inveritieri fuq l-operat ta' Greenmt. Sfortunatament rega dan l-ahhar dehret kitba li ghax ibbazati fuq fatti mghawgin mhux biss taw stampa pregudikata kontra din l-iskema nazzjonali imma serviet biex min hu fid-dmir li jersaq il-quddiem ha jaghti sehmu u jaghti dmieru lejn l-ghan ta' ambjent ahjar ghal kulhadd gie minflok skoraggiet u fil-fatt imhajjar jibqa' jevadi.

Fortunatament min b'entuzjazmu qed jibni u jhaddem din l-iSkema nazzjonali mhux qed ikun skoraggut imma ohrajn, inkluzi il-familji li biss sapport taghhom biss jistghu jintlahqu l-ghanijiet nazzjonali fejn jidhol gbir u separazzjoni ta' skart, qed jigu skoragguti b'dawn l-artikli bla sens u ghalhekk l-GRTU genwinament issaqsi x'inhu l-iskop ta' dan it-tmaqqdir kollu.

GRTU, on behalf of its members operating from areas in the vicinity of the polling stations, has written to the Chairman Electoral Commission in view of the forthcoming referendum of the 28th May.

 

GRTU explained that during General Elections these establishments are made to close, however this is not the case for the Local Council elections, during which they can operate as normal. GRTU has therefore asked on behalf of its members for the referendum to be treated in the same manner as the Local Councils elections.

GRTU has seen it proposal accepted and was answered as below:

"There are no adverse remarks to GRTU's request related to the 2011 referendum, in respect of bona fide retail establishments not being in any way, directly or indirectly, either of a political nature, or connected to the subject of the referendum, and provided that no such activity takes place in respect of both cases.

It is important that no gathering of people outside the outlets concerned takes place and the Electoral Commission and the Police shall have full discretion to ensure good order and full observance of the law, with all necessary action being taken where the Commission or the Police deems it appropriate."

GRTU is very pleased of the result obtained.

Talba – Il-GRTU kitbet lill-Prim Ministru fejn infurmatu li l-GRTU dejjem kienet attiva fuq il-kwistjoni tal- kontroll ta` l-abbuz ta` alkohol miz-zghazagh, pero hi tal-fehma li l-Avviz Legali 96/2011 huwa pass drakonjan. M'huwiex korrett u mhux accettabbli ghal GRTU li sid ta' negozju, f'dan il-kaz sid ta' hanut tal-confectionery isib li l-kundizzjonijiet tan-negozju tieghu mbiddlu mill-lejl ghan-nhar. Ghal sid ta' negozju l-licenzja hija parti essenzjali mill-valur tan-negozju tieghu.

 

Confectionery, b'effett mill-ahhar ta' Mejju, qed jigi mgieghel jaghzel li jabbanduna wahda mill-licenzji li ghandu jigifieri; jew izomm dik ta' confectioner bid-dritt li jiftah erba' u ghoxrin siegha (24) kuljum waqt li jirrinunzja ghal licenzja tal-bejgh tal-alkohol jew inkella jaccetta li jzomm il-licenzja li ghandu li tintitolah li jbiegh l-alkohol imma jirrinunzja milli jibqa miftuh kuljum anke wara d-disa ta' filghaxija.

Il-GRTU laqqghet ghal aktar minn darba lis-sidien tal-confectioneries u dawn issa accettaw li jipproponu tibdil f'A.L. kif gej;

Il-Licenzja tan-negozju tal-confectioner tibqa kif inhi izda permess ta' bi-law Kunsilli Lokali partikolari jkunu jistghu jillegizlaw biex confectioners fil-lokalita' taghhom ma jkunux jistghu jbieghu alkohol wara d-disa (9) ta' filghaxija, jew matul is-sena kollha, jew f'perjodi partikolari. Fejn tidhol ir-restrizzjoni ta' hin jidhlu ukoll l-kundizzjonijiet punittivi skond il-Ligi. Kunsill Lokali partikolari jkun jista jara l-esigenzi tal-lokalita' tieghu u jimponi skond il-htiega minghajr ma johnoq d-dritt tal-konsumatur illi jixtri prodotti li qabel kien isib ghand il-confectioner fil-hinijiet tal-kumdita tieghu. Kunsill Lokali jkun jista jaddotta skond il-kriterji partikolari ghad-distrett tieghu.

Ghal-GRTU mhux accettabbli li l-Avviz Legali qed jolqot lil kulhadd f'Malta u f'Ghawdex. Il-problema  ma hijiex ta' Malta u Ghawdex kollu, izda ta' lokalitajiet partikolari matul is-sena kollha u f'ohrajn f'perjodi specifici matul is-sena

Il-GRTU talbet lill-Prim Ministru jiehu dan il-parir  ghaliex l-Avviz Legali Holoq ukoll precident ikrah fejn it-Trading Licence ta' l-Awtorita' tal-Licenzji giet inferjuri ghal licenzja ta' Awtorita' ohra. Dan fl-istess zmien meta fl-Ewropa kollha qed jitnehhew hafna mir-restrizzjonijiet bla htiega fuq n-negozji z-zghar u meta, kwazi kullimkien fl-Ewropa l-confectioneries fejn l-kundizzjonijiet jippermettu qed jithallew fil-liberta li jservu ukoll prodotti ta' confectionery u xorb ghal konsum fuq il-Lokal.

L-Avviz Legali kif inhu huwa pass kbir lura fi zmien li ghadna kemm haddanna l-principji tas-Small Business Act (SBA).

Twegiba

Il-Prim Ministru wiegeb immedjatament ghat-talba tal GRTU kif gej:

"Behsiebni niddiskuti s-suggett mal Ministri koncernati. Izda rrid inkun sincier mieghek u mal GRTU u nghidlek mill-ewwel li ma naqbilx ma dak li qieghed jigi propost. Hu fatt stabbilit li l-intenzjoni originali ta' din il-konvesjoni giet abbuzata bl-aktar mod goff u insensittiv. Huwa dan l-abbuz li gab mieghu l-bzonn ta' revizjoni tal-posizzjoni taghna.

Huwa fatt li ahna nixtiequ niffacilitaw aktar negozju – imma qatt ma jien ser naccetta li fl-alkohol isir abbuz u sfruttament bil mod li kellna s'issa."

Risposta tal-GRTU

Il-GRTU taqbel li l-abbuz ghandu jinqata` imma li tirrestringi lil kulhadd is-sena kollha u kullimkien  hi esagerazzjoni. Is-sidien kwazi kollha lesti jaccettaw restrizzjoni imma ghaliex ghandhom jitilfu x-xoghol matul il-jum, specjalment il-Hadd filghodu biex igawdieh haddiehor, u xoghol tajjeb iehor bhal fi zmien il-Milied, l-Ghid u okkazzjonijiet ohra bhal-Mother's Day, Valentines, etc fejn ibieghu hampers u rigali anke tax-xorb. Dan ghaliex kien hawn min abbuza.                 

L-Avviz Legali qed jibdel fundamentalment in-natura ta' linja shiha ta' negozji li fihom matul l-ahhar snin sar investiment enormi u fejn sar success meta kulhadd haseb il-kuntrarju meta tnehhew il-levies qabel dhalna fl-EU. Ghaliex biex nikkoregu irridu nhottu?  Kif inhu l-Avviz Legali illum m'hux gust u hu kontra t-trend fl-Ewropa kollha.

Il-GRTU ghal darb'ohra tablet lill-Prim Ministru jerga jikkonsidra ghax sincerament il-GRTU thoss li din kienet decizjoni mghaggla. 

Period of consultation: From 16.05.2011  to 12.07.2011 – The Commission seeks the comments on a more integrated and coherent approach to public support for EU enterprises aiming to do business outside the EU.

 

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) need assistance when taking first steps to internationalise their business. While significant public resources are already devoted to SME support and a number of organisations and programmes exist at various levels, their impact can be increased by greater visibility and more effective cooperation. We propose a mapping of existing services and certain principles and priorities to guide future actions.

The consultation process started at the end of 2009 with an Issue Paper, also published on the Commission website, which was discussed with stakeholders on various occasions, including the Enterprise Policy Groups in May 2010.

You are invited to reply to this public consultation by sending an e-mail to .

Received contributions will be published on the Internet. It is important to read the specific privacy statement attached to this consultation for information on how your personal data and contributions will be dealt with.

It's an issue for individuals to decide – As a national body GRTU does not take a position – Appeals to individuals and families to participate in the referendum

GRTU's National Executive Council met Moviment Zwieg bla Divorzju represented by Dr Andre` Camilleri, Nathalie Haywood, William Buckle and David Zahra. GRTU's President Paul Abela emphasised that GRTU as a national body was not taking any position as this was not an issue within the framework of GRTU's statute. Individual GRTU Council members and members of GRTU are free to be active on one side or the other or not at all.

 

GRTU recognises that Marriage laws in Malta should be amended to resolve issues that are increasingly to the fore and expects that the divorce campaign will continue in a friendly and democratic manner and that whatever the outcome the search for practical and effective solutions precedes.

All individual GRTU Council members present for the discussion spoke on the importance to continue strengthening and not breaking the family. The general line on which those present spoke was that they were very sceptical on how divorce is a practical solution that helps and does not disrupt the Maltese family values.

All opinions expressed where on an individual basis. As a national organisation GRTU, though recognising the importance of the debate, is not involved.

Four opinions relating to industrial policy were approved at the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) plenary session. They all target separate objectives but have a common focus on the prosperity of European industry. The core interests defended by the EESC in each opinion included the creation and protection of jobs, increasing competitiveness and the preservation of Europe as a global economic leader, in the context of the Europe 2020 strategy.