Category: Archive – 2012

Il-GRTU tesprimi sodisfazzjon bit-tkabbir tal-Kabinett ta` Ministri u b`mod partikolari li s-settur tan-Negozji Zghar u l-qasam tat-Turizmu issa gew elevati ghal livell ta` responsabbilta Ministerjali diretta – Il-GRTU taqbel li l-Prim Ministru ghalaq il-kapitlu ta` Gvern b`numru limitat ta` Ministri u issa kabbar mill-gdid il-Kabinett tal-Ministri u eleva ghall-livell ta` Ministru lil min ihaddem u ta rizultati. Dan hu awgurju u inkoraggiment ghaliex l-oqsma kollha maghzula huma ta` portata kbira fil-glieda tal-poplu Malti ghal tishih ekonomiku u avvanz socjali.

Ahna bhala GRTU kuntenti b`mod partikolari li l-portfolio tan-negozji zghar gie elevat ghal livell ministerjali ghaliex ma kinietx taghmel sens li settur li jirraprezenta 98% tal-Intrapriza lokali ma kellux livell Ministerjali u naqblu wkoll li t-Turizmu wkoll rega gie elevat ghal livell Ministerjali.

Naqblu wkoll li saret is-separazzjoni bejn il-Gustizzja u l-Intern.

Il-GRTU tawgura lil Ministri l-godda li jkunu success fil-Ministeri importanti fdati taht ir-responsabilta taghhom.

Commission extends public consultations to 12 weeks and creates new ‘alert service' – Brussels, 3 January 2012 – From 1 January, the European Commission gives citizens, businesses and non-governmental organisations at least 12 weeks to comment on plans for new policies and legislation, compared to 8 weeks previously. This will make it easier for them to get involved in EU policy-making at an early stage. The Commission has also introduced an alert service  for upcoming initiatives: Organisations that sign up for the Transparency Register, can subscribe to this alert service to get early information on the roadmaps for new initiatives in their fields of interest about one year before there adoption.

The President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, said: "A key part of getting our policies right is listening to the people who will be affected by them. By keeping our consultations open longer we will strengthen the voice of the citizens, businesses and organisations that help us shape our policies for the benefit of all."

The Commission hopes that the extended consultation period and the new alert service will increase the participation in its consultations, especially from those groups who up until now have been underrepresented. For example, SME federations will now have more time to organise themselves and consult their members on how a new policy proposal may impact small businesses.

With its policy for 'smart regulation' the Commission aims at involving citizens and businesses in the legislative process to ensure that it takes all relevant evidence and concerns into account when drafting a legislative proposal.

Whole-Time Employees

— 2011

Age	Whole-Time Weekly Rate
18 years and over	€153.45
17 years	€146.67
Under 17 years	€143.83

 

— 2012

Age	Whole-Time Weekly Rate
18 years and over	€158.11
17 years	€151.33
Under 17 years	€148.49

Part-Time Employees

The national minimum wage of part-time employees shall be calculated pro rata at the same hourly rate of a comparable whole-time employee in accordance with the relevant Wage Regulation Order (WRO). In cases where a WRO is not applicable, the pro rata is calculated using the weekly National Minimum Wage applicable for a comparable whole-time employee, divided by forty.

Where a WRO applies:

Weekly Minimum Wage of a comparable whole-time employee as per applicable WRO

Weekly hours of work of a comparable whole-time employee as per applicable WRO

 

Where a WRO does NOT apply:

Weekly National Minimum Wage applicable to a comparable whole-time employee
40

The relevant minimum wage may be determined from the economic activity of the enterprise as stipulated in the applicable WRO. The  information  provided is intended for general information only, if you require further details under which sector your organisation is classified kindly contact the Department of Industrial and Employment Relations.

Nine new EU directives are in place ensuring better product safety for a wide variety of products. The sectors concerned are electrical and electronic products, lifts, measuring instruments, civil explosives, pyrotechnic articles and equipment for use in potentially explosive atmospheres.

With these directives, market surveillance and customs officers will be in a better position to check the safety of products using more effective tools. In addition, Member States can improve the supervision of monitoring bodies that check the conformity of products with EU law, for example ensuring that the CE marking has been properly applied by manufacturers. In future, producers, importers and distributors will profit from uniform trading conditions. At the same time this process will further improve the safety of products on sale in the EU and make it easier to keep
non-compliant products off the market. This will lead to increased consumer trust and reductions in administrative burden and costs:

For more information:

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/single-market-goods/regulatory-policies-common-rules-for-products/new-legislative-framework/index_en.html

The Malta-EU Steering & Action Committee (MEUSAC) together with the LIFE+ National Contact Point will be organising a consultation session on the recently published Commission Communication on the future of the LIFE+ Programme from 2014 onwards (COM 2011(874)). LIFE+ is the successor of LIFE which was launched in 1992 as one of the spearheads of EU environmental funding. This fund has a total budget of €2,143 billion for the period 2007-2013 and is open to all bodies that are registered in the EU, including the public sector as well as the private sector such as universities, research institutions and environmental NGOs.

 Venue: MEUSAC's premises, 280, Republic Street, Valletta

Date: Wednesday 18^th January 2012

Time: 10.00am-12.00pm

Should you be interested in attending kindly send an email on by not later than noon of Friday, January 13, 2012.

Why did you become an entrepreneur? I feel that entrepreneurship has always been in me and actually I was born in it as my family owned a business. I was also supported a lot and complemented by my husband. I have studied economics at university , which also pushed me towards my decision to become an entrepreneur.

How have you come to chose your line of business?

My husband is an artist and that is why I chose a line that is artistic as otherwise, if I hadn't met my husband I would have chosen to go into catering.

Where did you go on your last holiday?

In Italy, I went to the Castrocaro Terme. It was a very quiet holiday and I liked the place a lot, very unspoilt, with mountains and those type of things.

What is your earliest memory?

When I was two and a half my uncle passed away and I remember him dead at home surrounded with candles. That image impressed me a lot.

If you could chose to be someone famous who would you be?

I never thought about it. Don't think that I want to be anyone else although I'd love to have my son's witty sense of humour, my husband's artistic abilities, Vince Farrugia's business acumen the list goes on..nobody has it all. I'd say I'm quite content.

On the 30^th of November, Commissioner Antonio Tajani (DG ENTERPRISE) launched the European Toy Safety Campaign for 2011 intended to show how to get the safest toys, and how to use them safely, at Dreamland just outside Brussels.

Besides postcards with safety tips to be handed out to consumers all over the EU when they are buying toys, the Commission has also developed safety tips for consumers and a video campaign, which is to be aired on TV stations around Europe explaining the issues.

The Commission will be launching a new campaign in Easter and all retailers can participate this time. A separate email will be sent to the members on this campaing.

Postcards, Safety Tips and Videos can be found at the Commission website:

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/toys/tst-campaign/index_en.htm

The list of the participating retailers has been published on the Commission website:

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/toys/files/shoplist/list_shops-ms_en.pdf

On the 23^rd of November, the Commission published the Communication on the Annual Growth Survey 2012 accompanied by a progress report on the Europe 2020 Strategy. For 2012, the Commission considers that efforts at national and EU level should concentrate on the following five points:

Pursuing differentiated growth-friendly fiscal consolidation (includes tax reforms).

Restoring normal lending to the economy.

Tackling unemployment and the social consequences of the crisis.

Modernising public administration; enhance the performance of the civil justice system so that claims can be settled in a reasonable time frame – undue delay is costly for businesses and often means they are unable to take advantage of new business opportunities. In this context the Commission has indicated its intention to propose to improve the effectiveness of cross border insolvency rules.

Promoting growth and competitiveness for today and tomorrow; according to the survey, reform which improve the business environment and competitiveness should also be a priority. It mentions that the Europe-wide market is still too fragmented and that it does not allow firms to grow and enjoy the same economies of scale. Several framework conditions from access to finance to innovation capacities or regulatory obstacles are less conducive for firms to create and invest.

Examples of growth potential:

The EU Digital Single Market

Developing an EU market for secure mobile and online payment systems, improving data protection rules, promoting the use of public sector information. Reducing the costs and improving the quality of delivery of goods and services bought online, including through delivering sufficient level of consumer protection. Eliminating sales restrictions based on nationality or residence through guidelines on Article 20 of the Services Directive. Developing Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) systems to provide fast and reliable arbitration to consumers and businesses in case of dispute.

A real internal market for services

Full implementation of the Services Directive. Sector specific performance tests will be conducted and follow up measures will be adopted by the end of 2012 to ensure full harmonisation. Enhancing competition and competitiveness in the retail sector, reducing the barriers for the entry and exit of firms, and eliminating unjustified restrictions for businesses and professional services, legal professions, accounting or technical advice, health and social sectors.

The Common European Sales Law (CESL) is also mentioned as one of the key actions for adoption by end of 2012.

The Communication can be found it:

http://ec.europa.eu/europe2020/pdf/ags2012_en.pdf

The Annex can be found at:

http://ec.europa.eu/europe2020/pdf/ags2012_annex1_en.pdf

On the 9^th of November, the Commission published the Proposal for the Consumer Programme 2014-2020. The programme aims to foster a Europe of active, informed and empowered consumers who can contribute to economic growth. The total budget will be EUR 197 millions over 7 years. The objective is to put consumers at the centre of the Single Market and empower them to participate actively in the market and make it work for them, particularly by:

Enhancing product safety through efficient market surveillance (monitoring and enforcing safety through RAPEX and developing cooperation with international partners to deal with the impact of the globalisation of the production chain on product safety).

The Commission is planning to simplify the funding process by establishing an EU level coordination body for market surveillance relating to safety. This body should be established in the context of the revision of the General Product Safety Directive in order to ensure streamlining of the funding procedures, better planning, coordination and information sharing between Member States' authorities. The body will not take the form of an agency.

Improving consumers' information, education and awareness of their rights.

Consolidating consumer rights and strengthening effective redress, especially through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).

Strengthening the enforcement of cross-border rights (e.g. Sweeps, CPC Network and ECC-Net).

In the annex to the programme, an overview of all the actions is given.

The Commission proposal can be found at:

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2011:0707:FIN:EN:PDF