Category: Archive – 2010

 

Today, while on a State Visit to Romania, accompanying the President of Malta George Abela, including a trade mission organised by Malta Enterprise, GRTU President Paul Abela and Director General Vince Farrugia signed a bi-lateral agreement for increased cooperation with the National Council of Small and Medium Sized Private Enterprises in Romania (CNIPMMR). Both GRTU and CNIPMMR are members of UEAPME, the European Association of Crafts, Small and Medium Sized Enterprises.

 

FFDuring the meeting GRTU's Director General outlined the points in favour of close cooperation between Malta and Romania he mentioned that Romania has €30 billion in structural funds and that Malta can help them utilise these funds through the experience it has gained in the last years. Romania can also benefit from Malta' s experience in tourism and specific areas as is the tuition of English language. Malta especially can provide excellent guidelines and best practice information while Romania is preparing to enter the Euro Zone, to first and foremost ensure SMEs are not badly affected.

The agreement outlines various areas where the organsations would cooperate, however the main focus of the agreement is to provide a safety net to Maltese and Romanian investors seeking to invest in one of the countries. This would provide additional peace of mind to investors and avoid unpleasant experiences. The GRTU delegates have had already opportunity to visit a successful Maltese Romanian Joint venture – Malta Travel-which successfully operates chartered flights between Malta and Romania. Both organisations have discussed the possibilities of cooperating further at EU level on issues concerning SMEs, also through their countries` representation on the European Social Fund and the European Economic and Social Policy.

Like the GRTU, the CNIPMMR represent small and medium private entrepreneurs. Present during the signing of the agreement were Director General Cristian Ionescu and Vice President Marian Dumitrescu. The Romanian Director General explained that they are organised at all regions in Romania and they aim to assist their members to seek new markets as many Romanian products are extremely favourably priced and Malta can benefit through the import of such products from Romania. GRTU is well established  o assist Romanian and Maltese businesses and seeks to assist Maltese entrepreneurs to seek the many opportunities that Romania has to offers. It is a market of 22 million people and the 7th largest in the EU27, providing unlimited opportunities. They will assist GRTU members by ensuring that they meet the right persons. Both organisations are planning to organise a visit of business representatives for early next year.

For your information the link below gives you the latest developments and copy of draft CWA on ‘Responsible remote gambling measures'.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.cen.eu/cen/Sectors/TechnicalCommitteesWorkshops/Workshops/Pages/WS58eGambling.aspx

For more information kindly contact:Ing. Francis FARRUGIA- Head of Standardization- Malta Standards Authority

Tel +356 2395 2000         Email:  

The Council has approved the free trade agreement with Korea. The provisional date of implementation was moved to 1 July 2011 in order to convince Italy to back the deal. Provided the consent of the European Parliament in November trade restrictions will be eliminated for most goods and services within the five years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The agreement is especially good news for European retailers that will then be able to freely choose the format of their stores in Korea. They will also be able to offer an almost complete range of goods to Korean consumers.

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Tunis (CCIT) is organising in collaboration with the Association of Mediterranean Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ASCAME) and in partnership with the Tunisian Union of Industry, Commerce and Handcrafts (UTICA) the second edition of "TunisMedfranchise", from the 01^st to the 3^rd of December, at the headquarters of UTICA.

 

This second edition will be held under the slogan of "Franchise: to contribute to meet employment challenges". It will be an excellent opportunity to open new markets and to anchor the culture of entrepreneurship at the Mediterranean Gate. The franchisers impose their image throughout the world, which will represent a stock for export, create projects for franchises by adopting the new era and modernity requirements. More information on this event could be found on the following address: http://www.tunis-medfranchise.com/

The embassy would be grateful if you would inform the Chamber of Small Medium Enterprises members about this event, which could enhance the cooperation and partnership relations between Tunisia and Malta.

Setting up a new business should be getting easier
Setting up a business in a European country other than your own is a right for EU citizens. Based on article 43 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, the freedom of establishment principle allows entrepreneurs to set up a company in any EU country.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In addition, the Services Directive and Small Business Act mean that the EU is now making it easier, faster and cheaper to set up a new company thanks to points of single contact and one-stop-shops in every EU country.

In 2009, on average across all EU countries, starting up a private limited company required 8 days at a cost of € 417. This has come down from 9 days and € 463 in 2008, and is an improvement on the situation in 2007, which was 12 days and cost € 485.
Navigating to new business opportunities
EU countries have been obliged to set up ‘points of single contact', through which service providers can obtain all relevant information and deal with all administrative formalities without the need to contact several authorities.
The ‘points of single contact' have to be accessible at a distance and by electronic means. In the Small Business Act for Europe, national governments also committed to set up some form of ‘one-stop shops' for business start-ups. These should allow entrepreneurs to carry out all the required procedures (e.g. registration, tax, VAT and social security) via a single administrative contact point, either physical (an office), virtual (web), or both. In addition, EU countries are to reduce the time taken to register a new business to three days and reduce the fees for business start-ups.
Real progress achieved
By the end of 2009, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Hungary, Portugal, Romania and Slovenia had all complied with the three objectives: one-stop-shop, time and cost.
Slovenia, for example, was already fully compliant on all three counts by the end of 2007 and entrepreneurs can now start up a company in Slovenia for free – the second country in the EU after Denmark to achieve this.
These changes have resulted in real benefits. The electronic one-stop-shop system ‘e-VEM' is able to register all forms of companies, and has resulted in savings of € 10.2 million a year for Slovenian SMEs. In 2005-2008, this led to registration of enterprises increasing by 36.7% per annum on average compared to the year before the introduction of the system.
To view information on the situation of Malta: http://ec.europa.eu/youreurope/business/starting-business/setting-up/malta/index_en.htm
Should they encounter further problems; users can also find contact details and links for support services such as SOLVIT and the Enterprise Europe Network. The combination of simplified administrative procedures and easy-to-access online guides to navigating them should be a potent one for European SMEs and EU growth in future.

SOLVIT, the free online problem solving network of the European Commission, helped a record number 1,500 citizens and businesses find answers to problems encountered in the Internal Market during 2009. This was a 54% increase compared to the previous year.

 

About 86% of SOLVIT cases were successfully resolved – all without legal proceedings or fees. The corresponding cost savings from SOLVIT services in 2009 was an estimated EUR 128 million.

Since 2002 the service has been a useful tool for businesses and citizens that need problems solved quickly, particularly those related to the misapplication of Internal Market rules by public authorities. The average time for treating a case was 59 days.

There is a SOLVIT centre in each Member State, which is housed within the national administration. These centres cooperate directly through an online database to provide pragmatic solutions to the queries submitted by citizens and businesses.

SOLVIT – Malta

Mark XERRI

Tel. +356 25690 329

GRTU has, as member of the MEUSAC Core Group, attended once again this monthly appointment. Main item on the agenda this week was the work of the European Parliament during the first year of the new legislation, priorities and work plan for the next year.

 

Dr Simon Busutill, one of Malta's MEPs, said the voting procedure people see in Parliament is only the tip of the iceberg of the work carried out in Parliament. For every vote that comes up prior work at committee level, groups, MEP expert meetings has to be done until one can reach a decision. Their main target is always that of achieving the majority vote, usually around 369 votes. He explained that they are for this reason used to act together with other political groups.

Dr Busuttil said he is a member and a substitute on other committees. He said that for example in the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs there are always a number of very important issues being discussed for the EU, how this effects the Maltese legal system and Laws and how this effects the citizen. He also follows a number of delegations covering the area of the Balkans. He explained how important networking is.

MEP Busuttil also mentioned that in October there will be the Malta week which will be set up by the 5 Maltese MEPs, he mentioned this is the first event on such a scale from a member state, and that it had to be Malta, the smallest member state to do this. He concluded by saying that the work in the parliament cannot have an impact if they do not come back and communicate the happenings and achievements as they have done today at the MEUSAC Core Group meeting. Efforts to do this are always increasing.

MEP Louis Grech was also present, he said that the way politics are conducted at EU level do not have the same sharp divide as in Malta. At EU level, different groups do not keep so much distance between each other. MEP Grech said that there you do not buy respect but you have to earn it with reports, networking, etc… and only than you can become influential, through the work at committee level. He admitted that there are areas where the opposing groups find consensus and that coverage by media is still given most on local issues but even through this is important their objectives are on a larger scale.

Louis Grech said that his main work was when Parliament entrusted him with drafting a report on the Re-launching of the Single Market. He said not even the Euro represents the EU as much as the single market. The citizen, the unions and SMEs do not feel they form part of the single market and without this it cannot work. In his report he emphasized the need for a Single Market Act, where consumers and citizens must feature on each piece of legislation. He said that most questioned did not understand the single market. He said a ‘top 20' must be done on the top frustrations and that he recently received from the European Commission that action is being taken on his proposal of the ‘top 20'. He admitted progress was done but there is still much to be achieved such as wages, recognition of qualifications, consumer protection, the services directive. He emphasized the need to include collective regress and a citizens charter where people know their rights and obligations. Through his suggestions a single market forum will be established in November.

MEP Grech mentioned that the committees are also entrusted with checking if the Commission is going beyond its legislative powers. He concluded by saying that the European Parliament is the only institution that has a direct link to the citizen. The fact that you are coming from a small delegation tends to push one back, this is however a mistake. While it is important to accept this limitation, if you are clever in your work you can surpass your capabilities. He finally said he would appreciate more feedback on what they do.

Embellishment and other works which should be completed by the 25^th October 2010. The Valletta Business Committee will be meeting on Monday 11^th  2010.

 

 

 

 

 

 

30^th September 2010

Transport Malta:

Fixing of parking markers at Merchant Street

BOVIS

Delivery plant & equipment for demolition – out of hours in accordance with CMP

Geothermal boreholes

Construction of wheel wash

Installation of vibration monitoring

Preparation for accommodation base in

Removal of trees in central reservation in the ditch

Preparation for demolition of the railway bridg

Commencement of the restoration works to opera house

Installation of OH01A accommodation.

29^th September 2010

Transport Malta:

fixing of parking markers at Merchant Street

fixing of traffic signs at Merchant Street and Archbishop Street

28^th September 2010

Transport Malta:

Fixing of parking markers at Merchant Street

BOVIS

Installation of vibration monitoring equipment in yellow garage

Installation of the wheel wash in the ditch

Opera House scaffolding erection

Geothermal boreholes drilling

GRTU Malta Chamber of SMEs represents, without any doubt, waste carrier operators in Malta. All its waste carrier members were this week asked to confirm their membership with GRTU and they all did, without exception. No other association can compare in representation. Counting the founders as the only members of an association is not much of a representation of the sector. GRTU represents all groups of operators in the waste sector, groups which the GRTU has successfully organised after a number of years. The parties who have proclaimed themselves to represent the sector have caused faults to the same sector and till today face charges for failure to pay dues to the Department of Social benefits.

 

GRTU has worked hard to build a solid legislative infrastructure with WasteServ, the Association of Local Government, the Ministry for Resources and Rural Affairs and MEPA. Together with these institutions GRTU is reforming the sector. The reform will bring with it serious consequences for those operators who don't feel the need to abide by the laws that seek to bring order and prosperity to the sector. The rebellion that some are seeking to create comes from those same people who never wanted to abide by the law and the standards required for the services they provide.

Since GRTU started its work on the sector a number of important milestones have been achieves:

Lm 100,000 given directly to the sector from Government  to make up for the costs of maintenance of the vehicles

Introducing the collection of separated waste from private and public entities from all the localities. This is resulting in the operators receiving additional revenue exceeding €1.2 million

Introducing the collection of separated waste from private entities and schools, with the operators being paid directly form authorized waste management schemes

The establishment of Green MT, the authorised scheme and subsidiary of GRTU, generating continuous work to the operators who believe in the management of waste

Exemption from a substantial part of the registration tax on RCVs and skip loaders, if these are equipped with scales to measure the materials

Waste has been classified and waste carriers have been given appropriate licences, without which they cannot enter waste disposal facilities.

GRTU believes in the sustainability of the operation carried out by the operators themselves however remains disappointed to note some still feel the need to offer prices that are not sustainable and after come to the GRTU to resolve the consequences. The GRTU believes also in the solidarity of the members who's support it finds even in the rainy days. The reform will be completed step by step in full cooperation with our members in the sector. GRTU is and will continue representing waste carrier operators.