Category: Archive – 2018

Revolut, the fastest growing FinTech in Europe, which officially launched in Malta in September providing advanced and more affordable digital banking alternatives is the banking of choice for GRTU Malta Chamber of SMEs.  

Revolut will be providing GRTU members with an exclusive 3 month free subscription. It is estimated that this incentive will potentially reach close to € 1 Million in value for 7,000 companies based in Malta

GRTU believes in the principles Revolut stands by and is a welcome breath of fresh air as a digital banking alternative. GRTU has been fighting and arguing against exorbitant and hidden fees and expensive access to finance. Revolut so far have provided a very good first step and we are excited to continue working together and developing new products for the needs of our members. It is high time that Maltese businesses are charged a straightforward cost that is not percentage based and does not include exorbitant costs, hidden profits or fees.

 

GRTU President Paul Abela stated that “GRTU joins our Prime Minister Joseph Muscat in welcoming Revolut to Malta and we will endeavour the best of our efforts for it to succeed and give a much needed service to Maltese enterprises”. 60,000 companies around Europe already signed up for Revolut Business, so it’s perfect timing for Malta to join the party!

Revolut Business provides a comprehensive service by linking their product to other software that facilitates the monitoring of cash flow, automation of workflows and automated accounting amongst others, all linked to the company’s digital banking. Revolut will be holding a number of workshops with its counterparts for GRTU members during the year to come.

Companies can also enjoy free international bank transfers and fee-free currency conversion. This is particularly interesting for companies who are doing international business and need to move money fast, safe and without paying ridiculously high banking fees. Companies can also benefit by issuing corporate cards for their staff, and track the whole team’s business expenses instantly, set spend limits for each employee and easily block cards if they are lost.

Last but not least, Revolut Business offers a modern Open API that allows companies to seamlessly integrate their business bank account into their workflow. As a result, they can automate cross-border business payments, send payouts to clients or employees and monitor transactions according to business’ needs.

This is what businesses need in this digital era and this is the service that consumers expect. GRTU and Revolut are committed to make it happen.

On behalf of Revolut: Philip Maurice Mifsud – Revolut Country Ambassador.

The President, the Executive Council and the local business community mourns the loss of Mr. Joseph G. Grech who was the President of the Gozo Chamber of Commerce for a number of years. Many of GRTU’s councilors have worked closely with Mr. Grech on various fora and have always found him obliging and willing to help with enthusiasm and zest.

Mr. Grech has represented the Gozo business community on prestigious boards such as the MCESD, MEUSAC and the Enterprise Consultative Council amongst others. Members of GRTU’s Executive Council have always spoken highly of Mr. Grech and his contribution to the discussions on various subjects. Mr. Grech was an example to others in the way that he was always well prepared for every meeting.

We offer our sincere condolences to Mr. Grech’s Family.

GRTU Malta Chamber of SMEs has today been awarded the first prize with its initiative entitled Enabling the Digital Transformation of Maltese SMEs within the category of Supporting the Internationalisation of Businesses.

Within this initiative GRTU has undertaken many activities for Maltese businesses to increase their online presence and help Malta reap more from being part of the single market. Amongst the initiatives undertaken are financial incentives to help small businesses go online, publication of a guidebook, development of an online learning tool and a themed conference.

GRTU has been working hard to help Maltese businesses take the next steps when it comes to their online presence. Statistical research showed that after only a few years of EU membership, internet penetration for Maltese households was increasing drastically and Maltese consumers buying online increased from 26% in 2007 to 51% in 2010.

 

 

 

Left to right – Marthese Micallef – GRTU Council Member, Paul Baldacchino – Chief Officer, Business 1st Ltd, Abigail Mamo – CEO, GRTU

Unfortunately most of the money of Maltese consumers was being spent abroad without Malta attracting anywhere close to the same numbers.

A challenge that is still on the horizon, and that GRTU will be tackling, is the high delivery costs of online purchases. This unfortunately is much more expensive when compared to the majority of other EU countries. Unless this issue is mitigated Malta’s eCommerce success will remain at bay when trying to compete with much larger countries that benefit from economies of scale and other non-EU countries where the government is free to subsidize delivery costs to attract online shoppers.

GRTU’s initiative is now also being nominated to compete in the European Enterprise Support Award that will be held in Austria later on this year.

GRTU’s joint initiative with government – Business 1^st Ltd – also won first in its category of Improving the Business Environment.

 

Il-Burdnara Sectional Committee fi ħdan il-GRTU tistqarr it-tħassib tagħha dwar id-dewmien żejjed u l-mod li qegħdin jiġu trattati burdnara li joperaw mill-Port Ħieles

Dan id-dewmien b’mod partikolari, qiegħed jinħass nhar ta’ Tnejn fejn jidħlu ammont kbir ta’ trailers. Il-GRTU tirrimarka li kienet ressqet suġġerimenti minħabba n-numru kbir ta’ trailers li kull ma jmur qegħdin jidħlu fil-Port Ħieles. Fid-dawl ta’ dan, bl-istess mod għandhom jiżdiedu r-riżorsi u l-investimenti tal-Malta Freeport Corporation biex il-ħruġ jkun faċilitat. Il-GRTU ilha żmien twil tisħaq biex tiġi miftuħa gate oħra eżistenti u jiżdied l-istaff biex b’hekk jitħaffef l-proċess u jittaffa d-dewmien esaġerat li jiffaċċjaw ma’ wiċċhom il-membri tal-GRTU ta’ kuljum. Din il-gate għandha tintuża għal ħruġ ta’ Roro trailers u xogħol ieħor konvenzjonali bħal żrar u ħadid li żdied fil-Port Ħieles. Il-gate prinċipali u eżistenti għandha tibqa’ tintuża biss għal ħruġ ta’ containers.

 

Il-GRTU tinnota li l-proċedura li bdiet titħaddem fl-aħħar xhur fuq li scanning tal-containers qed toħloq dewmien żejjed u spejjeż żejda għan-negozju tal-burdnara. Il-GRTU tinsisti, li l-containers li dwarhom tkun meħtiega scan, mal-wasla tagħhom f’Malta, għandhom jintbagħtu għal dan l-scan, immedjatament meta l-container jinħatt minn fuq il-vapur fi triqtu lejn il-post fejn se jinħazen ġewwa l-Port Ħieles. Dan anke fid-dawl li l-Port Ħieles jieħu ħlas ta’ €194.97 fuq containers tal-għoxrin u €306.38 fuq containers tal-erbgħin pied. Għaldaqstant, l-scan hija parti mir-responsabilità tal-Port Ħieles u mhux tal-burdnara. B’riżultat ta’ dan il-GRTU tinsisti li għandu jkun hemm iktar effiċjenza f’dan l-proċess.

Fuq il-banda l-oħra, l-GRTU ilha żmien twil tisħaq li għandhom isiru iktar sforzi biex titwaqqaf il-kompetizzjoni nġusta speċjalment fuq xogħol li għandha titħallas SISA fuqu u li jiġi fi ‘groupage trailers’. Dan wara li ġie nnottat li l-groupage trailers mhux kollha qed jitilgħu Hal Far Groupage Complex meta jiġu mil-Portijiet Maltin, imma xi wħud qed jittieħdu direttament f’bondijiet privati. Tista’ d-Dwana tikkonferma li xogħol li ġej bill-baħar u fi ‘goupage trailers’ qiegħed jiġi sottopost għal-istess livell ta’ skrutinju bħal ma jiġi sottopost xogħol li jgħaddi mill-Hal Far Groupage Complex? Dan għaliex merkanzija oħra li tgħaddi minn Hal Far Groupage Complex, fejn il-Membri ta’ dwana huma preżenti, tiġi ċċekjata u jsiru l-kontrolli kollha biex jiġi aċċertat li l-merkanzija tiġi ddikjarata, tkun konformi mall-liġi u kull ħlas neċessarju ikun sar. B’riżultat ta’ dan, tista’ id-Dwana tikkonferma kif qed isiru kontrolli fuq trailers li jintħattu f’bonds privati bl-istess mod li qegħdin isiru fil-Hal-Far groupage Complex? F’dan ir-rigward il-GRTU issostni li biex titwaqqaf il-kompetizzjoni nġusta anke fuq l-importaturi li l-merkanzija tagħhom tiġi iċċekjata u proċessata kif tgħid il-liġi, l-Groupage trailers li jġorru merkanzija u li jkunu suġetti għal SISA, għandhom jintbagħtu fil-Hal-Far Groupage Complex.

Il-GRTU tinnota li diġa’ attendiet għal diversi laqgħat mal-Awtoritajiet kollha responsabbli fosthom id-Dwana u l-Port Ħieles iżda ma kien hemm l-ebda żviluppi fuq dawn l-proċeduri nkwetanti għal burdnara u għall-operat ġust tal-verifiki marbuta mal-merkanzija. Il-GRTU tinsisti li dawn it-talbiet u mistoqsijiet jiġu ndirizzati mingħajr dewmien. Il-GRTU se tkun qed tistenna li l-Gvern jikkomunika mal-GRTU f’perjodu ta’ 10 t’ijiem biex jiġu ndirizzati b’mod effettiv dawn l-materji. Fin-nuqqas ta’ qbil jew azzjoni effettiva, il-GRTU se tkun qed tieħu l-azzjonijiet kollha meħtiega. 

As the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into force today, GRTU Malta Chamber of SMEs would like to note that whilst supporting the rights of citizens and the importance to protect their personal data, we need to give more times for fuller implementation by businesses.

The aim of the GDPR is to bring all member states in line under one common regulation. The GDPR increases privacy for individuals and aims to ensure that personal data gathered is gathered lawfully and with the individuals’ full consent. The new regulation also gives regulatory authorities more power to act on those who do not comply. In this regard, local authorities can now impose harsher fines with up to 4% of annual turnover or Euro 20 million, whichever is greater.

 

 

In order to prepare its members for this regulation and in light of the serious implications this regulation brings about, GRTU has for the past months organised a number of information sessions, seminars and conferences for its members. Through these seminars, members where given the the necessary information and tools to bring their business in line with this regulation.

GRTU however notes that the GDPR is unfortunately not the easiest legislation to comply to. It is cumbersome in many ways, failing to make a distinction between SMEs and larger organisations. Moreover this regulation is also very subjective and in many ways open to interpretation. 

Although GRTU believes that its members are doing their best to comply with this regulation, one cannot expect business to become fully compliant right from the start. 

GRTU joins the rest of EU employer organisations, and encourages local enforcement authorities to guide above all and give out warnings rather than impose fines, during the first year of implementation. This is being proposed with full respect toward EU and local legislation and without the aim of undermining such legislation.

GRTU will remain available to assist its members throughout the process.  

Following a number of queries GRTU would like to notify its members to be cautious of a fraudulent letter being sent by a company calling itself ‘European Business Number (EBN)’ addressed to their business asking for verification of their Maltese VAT number details and offering ‘free’ advertising services.

 

Stqarrija għall-istampa maħruġa minn Transport Malta din il-ġimgħa ħabbret ammont ta’ tibdiliet fil-mod ta’ kif isir it-test tal-VRT. Dawn huma tibdiliet importanti sabiex il-ħarsien tas-sigurta’ fit-toroq jiġi mħares. Huma tibdiliet li l-istazzjonijiet tal-VRT ħejjew ruħhom għalihom u ġew milqugħa. Kif pero l-Gvern iddeċieda li jinkludi fl-istess stqarrija referenza li l-prezzijiet għat-test tal-VRT ser jibqa’ l-istess hi xi ħaga inkonċepibbli.

Il-Gvern jaf biċ-ċar li l-GRTU ilha għal dawn l-aħħar snin tistaqsi għal żidiet fil-prezz tat-test li jagħmlu dawn l-istations. Tant hu hekk li l-GRTU ipprezentat lil-Gvern studju indipendenti minn konsulenti ewlenin li jispjega għaliex hemm bżonn ta’ dawn iż-żidiet u kif dawn għandhom jingħataw. Tajjeb li wieħed ikun jaf li l-istazzjonijiet tal-VRT ilhom bl-istess qliegħ għal għoxrin sena sħaħ u l-prezz tal-VRT hu l-inqas fl-Ewropa.

 

Il-GRTU tistaqsi liema mestjier, impjieg jew spiża inżammet u baqgħat fl-istess livell għal għoxrin sena sħaħ? L-Operaturi kellhom jaraw kif imantnu n-negozji tagħhom bl-ispejjeż dejjem tilgħajn filwaqt li jagħtu ż-żidiet lill-impjegati biex jipprovaw iżommuhom jaħdmu magħhom.

Hija ta’ sfortuna li l-istrateġija tal-Gvern għas-sigurta’ fit-toroq tinkludi l-isfruttar ta’ dan is-settur. Din hija strateġija li taħdem kontra u żgur mhux favur is-sigurta’. Fl-Istqarrijja l-Gvern qed jgħid biċ-ċar li għal darba oħra qed jistenna standards għola minn dawn l-istazzjonijiet u ma japprezzax li wasal ż-żmien li l-prezzijiet jiġu ttranġati mqar biex miżerjament ikopru l-għoli tal-ħajja. Dan hu prekarjat iddettat mill-Gvern.

F’Ittra lill-Ministru Borg, il-GRTU spjegat li m’għadx hemm żmien għal diskussjonijiet fuq dan is-suġġett u talbet laqgħa immedjata sabiex is-sitwazzjoni tiġi rimedjata minnufih.

 

GRTU Malta Chamber of SMEs has today organised a seminar for business owners to assist Maltese SMEs in becoming compliant with the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The new GDPR, enters into force in a month’s time, on the 25th of May 2018. For the first time, this new regulation will create a common set of EU rules to enable the flow of data in the EU Digital Single Market and give stronger rights to citizens and consumers.

GRTU remains committed to ensure that SMEs are provided with all the information which would enable their business to become compliant and avoid the hefty fines that could be imposed by this regulation. GRTU insists that there is no one-size-fits all and that the implementing authorities shall continue with their awareness educational campaign before opting for penalising genuine omissions. This is a learning process for all stakeholders.

 

GRTU President Paul Abela said that ‘’with the advancements of electronics, IT and social media, the level of interactivity of businesses has increased dramatically, something that GRTU itself encourages. At the same time however, this has sometimes resulted in an overkill and consumers growing tired of constantly being targeted with marketing material and feeling that their privacy is being stepped into.’’ ‘’We hope that the General Data Protection Regulation will iron out these issues and help us understand how we can improve our enterprises to give an even better service to our customers, because the solution, in our opinion, should never be to retract but to improve and advance.’’

Addressing those present, Parliamentary Secretary for Consumer Protection and Valletta 2018 Hon. Deo Debbattista said that ‘’The General Data Protection Regulation should not be considered as an obstacle and should not be turned into a fear for fines or new administrative procedures. Rather, I feel that this regulation should be considered as an opportunity to strengthen trust between us and with those we serve.’’

During the seminar, the Commissioner for Information and Data Protection explained the new regulation and discussed it with expertise from the private sector. ‘’Data Protection is a fundamental human right.’’ ‘’It is in businesses’ interest to comply with the GDPR’’ he said. Furthermore, those present had the opportunity of directly putting forward their questions and/or concerns.

The seminar will be available online for the benefit of business owners who could not attend today. Interested parties may get in touch with the GRTU Malta Chamber of SMEs for more information.

This seminar was organised with the support of the Parliamentary Secretariat for Consumer Protection and Valletta 2018 and the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority.

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has been recently finalised and is set to come in force on the 25th of May 2018. Following two successful information sessions, GRTU felt the need to organise a half day seminar focusing on the essential information required. This seminar is being aimed to give you nothing more than that required by the regulation and the tools needed in order to ensure that your business is fully in line with the new GDPR.

Those present during this seminar, will be given the opportunity to address questions directly at the Office of the Information and Data Protection Commissioner.

The agenda includes opening messages followed by an overal explanation of the new GDPR followed by a question and answer session with a panel of experts.

Date: Wednesday 25th April
Time: 08:30 – 12:00 (Followed by a networking lunch)
Venue: Montekristo Estate
Fee: Registration is Free

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER – FEW SEATS REMAINING

CLICK HERE FOR PROGRAMME

Places are limited and will be strictly be allocated on a first come first served basis.

This event is being organised with the full support of the Parliamentary Secretariat responsible for Consumer Protection and Valletta 18.