Counting the days for Eco Contribution to be abolished

GRTU Malta Chamber of SMEs insists that Eco
Contribution must go. There are never ending reasons why this haphazard tax
introduced  by the previous administration must go once and for all.

First and foremost it has created, over
the years, an unfair level playing field in so many sectors across the retail
industry that it has become a nightmare. There are so many free riders of Eco
Contribution, including a large
number of foreign suppliers to the market, which will certainly sue the Government, if Government
even insists to make them pay such a tax. They are not accustomed to having to
pay an addittional tax in an EU Community that speaks day in day out of a fair
market level playing field and effectively see such a small Member State implementing
such legislation.

SMEs will no longer stand a legislation
that does not exist anywhere in the Community and in addittion SMEs in Malta
should not be different from their counterparts in the European Community. SMEs
have a responsibility towards abiding to EU Directives that have been
transposed to Maltese law. The WEEE Directive is one of these tragedies. Two
authorised schemes, no logistical operation at all, because no one
should be made to pay twice for an environmental obligation.

GRTU has over the years been insisting
over the abolishment of Eco Contribution.  In various meetings with
Government Ministers and officials we have made our point. Either Eco
Contribution goes or else we shall stand up to be counted. GRTU will not be
alone in taking any action needed to make sure that Eco Contribution will be
abolished. Enough is enough.

One day more of  Eco Contibution
after budget day would not be tolerated. It is the right time to make sure that
Eco Contribution goes away once and for all. This would be a feather in the hat
for the Government of the day.  Many SMEs are so upset about the fact that
the past administration did absolutely nothing about this issue that a very
good number of them voted for change.

Change is what we
want. Facts not words. We want change because this is a Government which 
promised to be Pro-business. We want Government to keep that promise.
Ridding SMEs and the business community of Eco Contribution would be no small
feat. Even setting a time frame by when this draconian Eco Contribution would
be abolished would be a feat in itself. But the coming budget must deliver.

Delivery is the name of the game, the
time for talking is now over. We hope that Government will abolish Eco
Contribution and continue to work to create sustainable long term level playing
field in all retail and manufacturing sectors.