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Category: Articles

SME Chamber meets the Prime Minister and insisted for more funding for businesses from the Recovery and Resilience Fund

Posted on by SME Chamber

Employer bodies insisted for more funding to be allocated to the private sector out of the RRF

Malta Chamber of SMEs participated in discussions with the Prime Minister and Parliamentary Secretary for EU Funds Dr Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, together with other social partners – employer representatives.

Employer bodies insisted for more funding to be allocated to the private sector out of the Recovery and Resilience Fund (RRF). Businesses must play a bigger role in the reforms towards greater resilience and need the funds to sustain their recovery following the Covid ordeal.

The plan issued by Government as to the use of RRF grants sets out six key strategic objectives.

The first is a set of projects to address climate neutrality through enhanced energy efficiency, clean energy, and a circular economy. Related to this, the second objective is to address carbon-neutrality by decarbonising transport.

Then the plan includes a strand of initiatives to foster a digital, smart, and resilient economy. The fourth objective is to strengthen the resilience of the health system. To facilitate the transformation of the economy and enable the digital and green revolutions of the coming decades, the plan then envisages measures that will enhance quality education and foster socio-economic sustainability. Finally, the sixth pillar of the plan is a renewed focus to strengthen our country’s institutional framework.

The End of the VAT exemption for goods up to €22 – No Transitional Period

Posted on by SME Chamber

VAT exemption for imported goods below €22 will be abolished without transitional period

Photo: Google
As from 1st July 2021, the European Union will introduce new VAT e-commerce rules to ensure fair competition for EU businesses and reduce the VAT losses resulting from the importation of low value consignments.
 
Therefore, VAT exemption for imported goods below €22 will be abolished without transitional period.
 
This means that goods sold before 1st July but arriving to the Union on 1st July or later will be subject to VAT upon import, as the VAT could not have been paid at the moment of sale and the €22 exemption for imports will no longer apply. For these cases, the VAT can be collected under the special arrangements.
 
Members requiring further assistance can either get in touch on or by phone on 21232881.

Malta Chamber of SMEs signs a collaborative agreement with MCAST for its first Professional Research Doctorate focusing on Competitive Behaviour of Small Organisations

Posted on by SME Chamber

The Malta Chamber of SMEs signed a collaborative agreement  with MCAST for the introduction of a new Professional Research Doctorate (DRes) at the College. This programme of studies is the first of its kind provided at MCAST. The doctorate is a research-based EQF/MQF Level 8 qualification and focuses on the competitive behaviour of small organisations within small island states.

The announcement was made today during the signing of a collaborative agreement with the Malta Chamber of SMEs.

Statistics developed by the National Statistics Office (NSO) have identified around 30,000 small firms operational in Malta. According to the NSO, these small organisations are responsible for more than 65% of employment in Malta. The NSO’s findings highlight the importance of conducting research aimed to help small organisations grow and thrive.

Mr Paul Abela, President of the Malta Chamber of SMEs and Ms Abigail Mamo, CEO of the Malta Chamber of SMEs said, “MCAST is a very important pillar in our education system, and it is also an entity with whom we share many common goals related to how education should contribute to Malta’s economic development. Therefore, the Malta Chamber of SMEs is very pleased to be sharing another opportunity to strengthen our joint collaboration. This is one of a number of initiatives the Malta Chamber of SMEs is working on, with the ultimate objective of elevating the knowledge and competences of SMEs in Malta while encouraging small businesses not to lag and to spear ahead with their own research projects.”

Professor Joachim James Calleja, MCAST’s Principal and CEO, said, “The launch of this level 8 programme is the result of years of research and preparation. Our collaboration with industry goes beyond course provision, and not everyone might be aware of the diverse work going on at the College. Our research work aims to provide data and information, which will help industry to make evidence-based decisions. We are confident that the collaboration Malta Chamber of SMEs and the Richmond Foundation will be beneficial to the researchers and also to the growth of SMEs.”

Deputy Principal for Research and Innovation, Dr Ing. Alex Rizzo, said “through the application of mixed research methods, the course aims to unearth much-needed information on the behaviour of small organisations. Driven by grounded research, data obtained will help professionals comprehend better the complex decision making processes and behaviours within small organisations. In turn, potential findings will help researchers understand which best-practise models should be adopted by business-oriented small firms and other small organisations.”

Aimed toward Masters’ Degree holders, this DRes will run over 5-years on a part-time basis. Students must follow 4 taught modules related to advanced Research Methods MCAST Main Campus, Corradino Street, Paola PLA9032, Malta +356 2398 7100 | mcast.edu.mt during their first year.

After completion, successful candidates will progress to the main component of the DRes, namely, the research endeavour. Students must also publish three academic, rigorously researched articles.

Malta Chamber SMEs President participates during SME United’s General Assembly

Posted on by SME Chamber

The General Assembly was addressed by the Vice-President of the European Commission, Maroš Šefčovič

Malta Chamber of SMEs President Mr Paul Abela, participated during SMEunited’s Administrative Council and General Assembly as Vice President of the SME’s umbrella organisation in Europe with around 65 member organisations from over 30 European countries.

SMEunited is a recognised employers’ organisation and European Social Partner and acts on behalf of crafts and SMEs in the European Social Dialogue and in discussions with the EU institutions.

The General Assembly was addressed by the Vice-President of the European Commission, Maroš Šefčovič.

In their conclusions, SMEunited members called for a speedy recovery that can support the twin transition. Moreover, they ask for a better regulatory environment and skills development as prerequisites for SMEs’ competitiveness.

– Concretely, SMEunited members stressed that National Recovery and Resilience Plans should include the necessary reforms to improve investment attractiveness, the quality of public services and the efficiency of administrations.

– Secondly, on the “Fit for 55 Package”, they urge the EU institutions for a regulatory environment which ensures competitiveness, a level playing field, predictability for investors and which encourages innovation.

– In addition, SME organisations focus on life-long learning and continuous training, as key factors to increase the employability of people and the competitiveness of companies. These programmes are best designed and implemented at national, regional and/or sectoral level in close cooperation with social partners.

– As a fourth element, SMEunited members raise the issue of fairness when it comes to relations with digital platforms, emphasising access to data.

– Finally, SMEs demand Smart regulation. They are concerned that new regulatory burdens will hold back the recovery and hinder an effective transition to a green and digital economy.

The bureaucratic burden of every proposal should be analysed systematically, making use of the SME test and the One-in-One-Out principle. “The recovery must contribute to remodel our economy in light of the green and digital transition. Policy measures must strengthen the capacity of SMEs to innovate and invest and must avoid new regulatory burden to allow for a successful recovery and transition”, emphasised President Alban Maggiar.

He concluded: “It is time to move from words to action. The ambitious European goals are made reality on the ground by SMEs. Crafts & SMEs are the heart of Europe, we must provide them with the appropriate framework and give them the chance and resources to put these objectives into practice”.

Malta Chamber of SMEs launches two new solar farms in Gozo

Posted on by SME Chamber

A project by the Malta Chamber of SMEs and the Government

Some years ago the SME Chamber and the Government embarked on a project in the area of energy efficient by generating solar energy through the creation of two PV farms in Gozo that will generate enough electricity to cater for around 500 families per year.

The farms will generate two million kWh per year. The farms, at Ta’ Ċenċ, are being developed by the joint venture, Malta Energy on Water Services Corporation (WSC) reservoirs. They cover an area of 9,360m², with 2,871 panels.

Malta Energy Ltd, is a joint venture between the WSC (51 per cent shareholding) and the Malta Chamber of SMEs (49 per cent shareholding).

Energy Minister Miriam Dalli visited the site accompanied by Malta Chamber of SMEs and Malta Energy officials, lead by President Paul Abela and WSC CEO Ivan Falzon.

These projects are part of this government’s vision to continue to incentivise renewable energy in our country”, Dalli said.

She said the government will continue to incentivise entities to keep producing clean energy, which will contribute to more sustainable economic growth and allow Malta’s targets to be achieved by everyone.

WSC CEO Ivan Falzon said the corporation will continue working on projects of added value, where this will result in generating more clean and renewable energy.

Malta Energy CEO Noel Gauci said the venture will, in future, also be able to invite families who do not have space to install panels to buy a portion of future projects.

Malta Energy plans to expand its operations to areas outside of the Water Services Corporation’s facilities, which are owned by other government entities, and can provide more value to the entity hosting the installations.

The panels can offer shelter, electric vehicle charging, and other infrastructure utilities.

Thank you to everyone who supported us to tune this into a tangible project.

2021 – Participation in Malta Day – Abu Dhabi

Posted on by SME Chamber

The Malta Embassy in Abu Dhabi will be organising a Malta Day event scheduled on the 20th of September 2021.  The event will be held in Abu Dhabi and the Maltese Embassy is currently seeking partners to participate in this event.

This event will be exclusive for those participating and the Maltese Embassy aims to offer total exclusivity for those willing to contribute towards this event, either financially or in kind.

From the feedback gathered, a good number of Emirati entities have made contact with the Maltese Embassy, seeking a more pro-active platform with Maltese businesses with a number of businesses interested in partnerships with local businesses. Although all sectors can be considered, as a guidance, the below sectors have been identified as possible collaborations:

 

Fintech 

Educational Institutions

Agri technology 

Event Planning 

Marketing, Branding & Designs  

Set-up and Events 

 

 This is just an indication and other sector interests are welcome.

 

Those willing to participate will be given the below exposure during this event, particularly:

  1. Exclusive opportunity to network with counterparts in Abu Dhabi and hold one to one meetings

  2. The Embassy will offer you two invitations for senior executive members of your entity plus a number of invitations to disturb to your counterparts whom you would consider important to meet.

  3. The logo of your entity will feature on the photo backdrop at the event.

  4. The logo of your entity will also feature on the invitation for the Malta Day.

  5. You and your entity will be thanked publicly during the Ambassador’s speech.

  6. If you wish, your entity’s brochures/merchandise (which fit in the palm of a hand) can be include in the Gift Bags which we will distribute to guests.

  7. You and your entity will be thanked on the Embassy’s and the Ambassador’s social media: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

 

During the event The Embassy will be inviting A-list composed of UAE dignitaries; members of the diplomatic corps; key contacts in the UAE government, society, media and academia; other Maltese stakeholders in the UAE; Maltese businesses and local businesses; and members of the Maltese diaspora in the UAE, among others.

The Malta Chamber of SMEs is also in contact with Trade Malta in order to identify possible funding opportunities to fund travel and accommodation expenses.

 

Interested Parties are to get in touch with Andrew Aquilina by email on  listing the respective sector and contact details.

A guide to online payments for new eCommerce businesses

Posted on by SME Chamber

Starting your eCommerce business – what are your payment options?

Over the last year, eCommerce sales have grown substantially, mainly boosted by the global pandemic. In Malta, half of the population now buys online and as much as one third do so for their daily needs.

With this increase in online transactions, businesses learned that customers require more flexibility in terms of how they pay online.

While many technical aspects of setting up and running an e-Commerce website are relatively straightforward, finding the right payment solution can often be daunting for a business that’s just starting out.

 

Payment considerations for new businesses

 

Most new businesses are familiar with the traditional credit card processing services that are now part of most e-commerce solutions. However, with the emergence of a multitude of mobile payment methods like Apple and Google Pay and alternative payment methods like e-wallets, businesses are finding it challenging to keep up with their consumers.

In retail, most point-of-sale devices (POS) have been digitised, and businesses need to consider payment solutions that seamlessly work in-store and online, all while communicating with each other.

The first thing businesses should determine is what combination of payment solutions would suit them best. At the same time, they need to choose a payment solution that would offer them the flexibility of adding new payment options in keeping with the customer trends.

 

Top online payment solutions

 

Here are the most common payment solutions for your growing business:

 

Card Payments

 

Whether debit, credit, or prepaid – cards are still the most popular way of paying for goods and services online. To set up card payments on your eCommerce website, you need an Internet merchant account – this could be managed by your bank or by a payments service provider (PSP) such as Trust Payments.

 

Bank Transfers

 

Bank transfers are not a novelty in payments, but they are still seen as an essential payment method in eCommerce, especially for industries like travel and hospitality. It is still seen as one of the most secure methods as the transactions need to be approved and authenticated by the customers.

 

E-wallets and Cardless Payments

 

This payment type requires customers to register for an account with a provider like PayPal, AliPay, or the well-known ApplePay and GooglePay. Their accounts are linked to their credit cards – this is convenient for the customers as they can pay for anything online without having to remember card numbers.

Online Payments Gateways

 

An online payment gateway is a service devised to send and receive payments – an out-of-the-box eCommerce payment solution. This type of payment solution can easily integrate with any e-Commerce platform and provide your business with the latest payment technology (including bank transfers and e-wallets) and real-time currency conversion. It can even offer a hosted payment page that can be customised with your company’s brand.

But what if your business does not have a customer-facing eCommerce website yet? The online payment gateway will support you with a pay-by URL (an internet link) that your business can send to customers via email, messaging platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger or SMS.

A crucial feature that often gets lost in the shuffle when choosing payment processors is security. Many merchants prefer to accept credit or debit card payments for the convenience of cutting out the banking procedures, but using an online payment gateway like Trust Payments’ TRU Connect will equip your business with an advanced AI-powered protection Fraud Check and 24/7 customer support.

 

Offline Payment Options

 

Customers are used to placing orders online but many in Malta still prefer a cash-on-delivery payment method. It’s important to monetise your website and keep sales as flexible as possible to cater to these customers.

 

Why variety is important

 

Providing choice on payments is about appealing to customers and will ensure that they don’t abandon their online purchases because they can’t use their preferred payment method. Moreover, multiple payment methods provide a more seamless customer experience and increase online purchase orders.

This is why businesses need to balance the resources required to offer and manage multiple payment methods and consider that some payment methods may come with higher transaction fees than others.

Partnering with a payments service provider when starting your eCommerce business is crucial so you can tailor the payment options to your business objectives and your budget – this will truly bring out the best checkout experience to your customers.

Trust Payments is an international company with offices in Birkikara and over 100 local team members. We are very happy to take your call today on 2226 7444 to discuss more how we can help you.

New Business Support Schemes Webinar

Posted on by SME Chamber

A 2 hour Q & A online session

On Wednesday 19th May, the Malta Chamber of SMEs hosted a Webinar for its members about the latest business schemes, aimed at mitigating the negative economic effects on Maltese businesses.

The Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Sustainable Development Hon. Miriam Dalli addressed the participants and thanked the Malta Chamber of SMEs throughout the process of planning the new business support schemes.

During this webinar, participants had the opportunity to ask questions to our high level speakers, including Malta Enterprise CEO Mr Kurt Farrugia and Mr Steve Ellul, Advisor within the Ministry for Energy, Enterprise and Sustainable Development.

What does herd immunity mean for business?

Posted on by SME Chamber

Malta has vaccinated 70% of its adult population with at least one COVID-19 shot

Malta has vaccinated 70% of its adult population with at least one COVID-19 shot, becoming the first European Union country to achieve so-called herd immunity.

During an MCESD meeting, the meeting was addressed by Prof Michael Borg, Head of the Departments of Infection Control.

SME Chamber President Paul Abela and CEO Abigail Mamo attended the meeting and put forward the most important concerns and frequently asked questions that the SME Chamber receives from its members.

The following are the main points that came out of this meeting:

Vaccination programme update  

  • A vaccination strategy that started in December
  • Total vaccinations as at today 438K – Currently an average of 7,000 doses administered a day
  • There is very limited vaccine hesitance, but now that itargeting lower age groups this might increase slightly
  • Malta has vaccinated over 60% of the population and is today the single country with the highest 1st dose administered per capita, exceeding Israel, UK and all other countries.
  • Malta is just behind 5 other countries, namely, Israel, UAE, Bahrain, Chile and the US, when it comes to 2nd dose. The first dose is however the most crucial.

Herd immunity  

  • From Israel’s experience we are able to assess the success of vaccinations.
  • Vaccines are avoiding 85-92% of serious cases (ending in hospital) when compared to before a person had the vaccine.
  • Like any jab it does not protect 100% and one can still get Covid with mild or no symptoms.
  • From Israel’s experience we know that who is vaccinated and gets Covid has 50% less chance of passing it on to someone else.
  • With over 70% vaccinated Malta will see a drastic decrease in contagion, including of the new variant present so far.
  • Malta will be the first country reaching heard immunity. This will be achieved any time now and up to 3 weeks maximum.

 

The Covid Variants 

  • As far as taking away the seriousness of the illness the vaccines appear to be equally effective on all the variants present at the moment.
  • Each variant however appears to be more transmittable than the original virus. The UK variant was more transmittable than the original virus and the Indian variant is more transmittable than the UK one, and so on and so forth.
  • So far the new variants we know about do not appear to pose a threat to herd immunity.

 

Green Pass 

  • Will become a requirement for travelling. The Green Pass will not require a test or quarantine.
  • The safety of the Green Pass as a strategy is still being analysed, yet the model, if found effected, would be used to return close to normality for a higher-risk activities.