Category: Archive – 2009

 

The call for proposals for the next generation of Europe INNOVA projects concerns the setting-up of Innovation Platforms for trans-national cluster cooperation, knowledge-intensive services, eco-innovation and the promotion of novel tools and service concepts for innovation support.

The deadline for submission of proposals is 12 February 2009.

In parallel with this call for proposals, a call for proposals under the PRO INNO Europe® Initiative has also been published.

For more information contact Abigail Mamo @ GRTU.

 

As from this week, stating the 20th of January 2009, the GRTU will be offering an additional service to Members who are desirous of discussing any legal issues they may have.

The GRTU will be providing in-house legal advice to its Members. This service will be available every Tuesday from 2.00pm till 6.00pm at the GRTU's offices in Exchange Buildings, Republic Street, Valletta.

Members wishing to make use of this new service are kindly asked to contact Ms. Liz Said on 21 232 883 or 79 049 409 or email in order to schedule an appointment with our Lawyer.

Preliminary advice will be gratuitous and any legal action that may ensue will benefit from reduced legal tariffs to our members.

Last week, and once again today, GRTU and the Malta Chamber of Pharmacies issued a Directive to all Pharmacy owners not to fill-in the forms sent by NSO until further notice.

NSO Director General Michael Pace Ross replied to our Directive saying that NSO is portrayed as not having consulted or informed GRTU of this survey, when this survey was commissioned by the Ministry for Social Policy, and as such it was within their remit to consult and inform GRTU. 

Mr Pace Ross further explained that NSO was assured by the Ministry that issues with the various unions on this survey were ironed out.  He further assured GRTU that never has such a thing happened. He assured us that he will be raising the issue with the Director at the Ministry for Social Policy to clarify their role. 

GRTU reiterated what was written in the newSTRING. We explained to the Director General of NSO that we objected more strongly to NSO as member of Eurostat, particularly in surveys of this nature.

NSO did not need anyone's confirmation to understand that certain questions in the survey were beyond the limits of NSO surveys, whether directly endeavoured or under commission.

We furthered confirmed that not only we did not approve of the Ministry's action and that we were not consulted on the matter but that GRTU most clearly has objected to the Ministry's attempt to circumvent the agreements reached between the Government, the GRTU and the Malta Chamber of Pharmacies by whatever means the Ministry transpires, including the use of NSO surveys.

NSO's efforts to participate in the undermining of the agreement is extremely grave, more so since Dr Lawrence Gonzi in piloting and successfully settling the POYC agreement with the GRTU and the Chamber of Pharmacies was acting also as the then Minister of Finance, the Ministry also responsible for NSO.

The Malta Chamber of Pharmacies upheld GRTU's comments.

 

GRTU has on behalf on the Ammunition and Fire Arm Dealers Association (AFDA), which has recently become an Association represented within GRTU, submitted its proposals with the object of facilitating its members' commercial activity against a background of enhanced security.

GRTU has in line with the position taken by AFDA submitted its proposals for improvements of the Arms Act 2005 and Legal Notices 177 & 178. Below are in brief the proposals made:

Definitions:

Establishing thresholds for the power of air pistols and air rifles and to consider as firearms only those guns with a power which exceeds these thresholds.

‘airsoft', ‘paintball' and ‘real action makers' should be defined separately from airguns and classified under this heading so that they are subject to registration but do not require a licence.

Swords, knives, bayonets and spears should not longer be subject to registration due to red tape.

2. Weapons Board

The composition of the Board should include a person representing dealers and that such a person should be nominated by AFDA.

3. Proof House

Setting up of a local Proof House and its registration with the CIP  in line with other EU states to regulate and check the services carried out by licensed Gunsmiths.

4. Dealer licence- A Dealer Licence should permit

the carrying registered firearms to/from his clients for commercial reasons

Display registered firearms at shows and exhibitions

Carry registered firearms to a licensed range for the purpose of demonstrating them and checking

Receive registered firearms from third parties for commercial or storage purposes

Stock of firearms prohibited from local sale for purpose of sale to other non-prohibitive markets

Possibility of effecting simple repairs

5. Gunsmith Licence

A Gunsmith should either already be in possession of a Dealer Licence or else have a written agreement with a licensed dealer to the effect that he is authorised to provide his services to them

6. Ammunition Storage

Dealers are allowed to store ammunition in any police certified premises and in quantities relevant to the facilities offered by such premises

7. Film armourer licence

Urgent introduction of such licence to service the local film industry and theatre productions.

8. Strong advice against increase in Fees

 

Some further recommendations were also made. For the full report of these recommendations visit www.grtu.org.mt

GRTU has earlier this week discussed the possibility of a revision in the logistical aspect of the distribution in Valletta. Through pressure from the GRTU and with the collaboration and understanding we found from the Ministry for Infrastructure and Communication, it was agreed that: 

The will be the reintroduction of Thursday for the distribution of goodsDistribution time in the evenings will start at 19.00hrs instead of 19.30hrs.These changes will come into force with immediate affect and have been safeguarded for a minimum of three years.The meeting also gave the GRTU an excellent opportunity to discuss  the CVA system. In this regard  it was also agreed that a meeting in this regard will be held in the near future.

Green MT, GRTU's subsidiary company holding a permit to operate a Waste Packaging and WEEE Compliance Scheme, has written to Minister Tonio Fenech on the exemptions from Eco Contribution in respect to Waste Packaging.

Joseph Attard CEO of Green MT explained that the not for profit company has applied for a permit renewal even though the scheme was not yet operational, stating further that it was imperative for Eco Contribution Exemptions to be put in place as otherwise no Scheme will operate.

The CEO also outlined that presently, even though meetings on the subject were being held sporadically the exemptions development was occurring at a very slow pace. This inevitably shows the lack of commitment and professionalism to ensure that the money collected through Eco Contribution was doing its purpose.

This transpires from reports placed with MEPA as the Competent authority. Certain figures in these reports show that either there has been an exorbitant change in the packaged goods imported in less than a year's span or else the reports were based on unreliable information. Green MT will be asking the competent authority to investigate cases where certain Schemes seem to be operating on and receiving unreliable information.

Green MT's insistence on a fair level playing field for the operation of the Scheme is now paramount. Green MT will therefore ask the Competent Authority to make changes to its reporting requirements, which will drastically reduce abuses.

Green MT also mentioned Certificates being issued which left much to be desired. We are sure this should constitute more than a simple paper exercise, it should ensure the reliability of the Schemes and a total audit trial. Reliable scrutiny is imperative at such an early stage of operation of Schemes. It is the only way that the Government can be assured that the real amount of Waste Packaging is being collected, separated and exported or sold locally for recycling to authorised recyclers.

 

The European economic outlook significantly worsened in the last quarter of 2008. GRTU spoke in several occasions, including its business conference, on the need to shelter SMEs as much as possible from the impact of the crisis.

More recently, GRTU welcomed the "European Economic Recovery Plan" published by the Commission on 26 November and subsequently adopted by the European Council, which contains a set of measures to address the worsening economic situation.

GRTU feels the text is a strong signal of the Commission's willingness to take decisive action against the deepening economic crisis. GRTU particularly appreciated the EC proposals for additional measures to secure access to finance for SMEs, to speed up the reduction of VAT rates for labour intensive services and to cut labour taxes at the low end of the wage scale.

GRTU was however less satisfied with the social chapter, which does not mention the consequences of downsizing in large enterprises for smaller service providers, suppliers and subcontractors. Restructuring support must also include SME employees and owners especially if based on EU funds.

 

Malta Enterprise has been entrusted to administer six European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Grant Schemes for enterprise. The schemes focus on six themes:

International Competitiveness – the ERDF International Competitiveness Grant Scheme is designed to support enterprises tap into new markets. This scheme is open to all enterprises excluding enterprises operating in the retail, tourism, transport, agriculture and fisheries sectors.

Start-ups – the Small Start-up Grant Scheme will assist small start-up enterprises established less than 3 years ago. This scheme is open to start-ups operating in the manufacturing, Information & Communication Technology (ICT), Research, Development & Innovation (R&D&I), waste treatment & environmental solutions and biotechnology.

Innovation – the ERDF Innovation Actions Grant Scheme (Innovation) will assist Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) invest in product, process or organisational innovation. This scheme is open to all SMEs excluding enterprises operating in the tourism, agriculture and fisheries sectors.

Environment – the ERDF Innovation Actions Grant Scheme (Environment) will assist Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) invest in improving their environmental performance through eco-innovations. This scheme is open to SMEs operating

in the manufacturing, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Research, Development & Innovation (R&D&I), waste treatment & environmental solutions and biotechnology.

e-Business – the ERDF e-Business Grant Scheme is designed to assist Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) to encourage investment in Information and Communication Technology

(ICT) solutions to improve their business operations. This scheme is open to all SMEs excluding enterprises in the tourism, agriculture and fisheries sectors. Research and Development – the ERDF R&D Grant Scheme will assist enterprises invest in industrial and experimental research. This scheme is open to all enterprises and is due to be launched in the coming months.

Source: Funding 4 y EU

 

The Last Competitiveness Council  adopted a set of conclusions on the Small Business Act coupled with an action plan in annex. According to GRTU the document sets the right priorities for a serious and effective SME policy.

It fully embraced the "Think Small First" principle and showed a clear understanding on what must be done to improve SMEs' access to finance, reduce administrative burdens and tear down barriers to the completion of the internal market.

It also appreciated the introduction of a specific action plan, which must now become part of the European Economic Recovery Plan presented by the European Commission.

GRTU hopes that Government formally endorses the work of the Competitiveness Council. The SBA must be promoted at the highest political level to fully gain the recognition it deserves and especially in the light of the economic crises.