24th June 2008, Celebrating SME Day in Malta – Jot it down on your diary and register!!!

                                                     GRTU and Forum Malta Fl-Ewropa are organising an event which will mark Malta's SME Day. The event will consist of a half day conference entitled "SME Forum: Adapting to change". We will touch upon various topics which we believe are important for Malta's SMEs. The opening address will be given by Hon Tonio Fenech, Minister for Finance, Economy and Investment.

The aim of the event is to promote debate about Malta's small and medium-sized enterprises, helping to create the right business and regulatory environment for them – and therefore Europe – to prosper. It will bring together small business and innovators, entrepreneurs and government officials to discuss the key drivers for economic competitiveness.

The event is meant to provide a forum for European and Maltese policy-makers and entrepreneurs to discuss how to improve innovation and growth among small and medium-sized businesses, paying particular attention to SME access to finance, better regulations, health and safety, and the new development on laws for the consumer.

Most importantly, GRTU and Forum Malta Fl-Ewropa are organizing this event to show that the private sector has its part to play in driving SME growth; while policy-makers provide a framework for spurring innovation.

The SME sector is the engine of the economy, and that is where we all need to invest in order to drive growth and benefit everyone. Ninety-nine out of 100 European businesses are SMEs. Almost 120 million Europeans work in an SME, a huge market.

What is good for SMEs is good for the European economy. In short, SMEs are the heart and the lifeblood of the European economy and we all have a contribution to make to ensure that heart is healthy and beats strongly.

The European Union has rightly identified the small and medium-sized enterprise sector as the "backbone" and "growth gene" of the European economy and has launched a series of measures in favour of SMEs. But private companies also have a role to play in supporting SME growth and innovation.

Participation is free of charge, but prior registration is required in view of seating restrictions. A registration form can be obtained from Forum Malta Fl-Ewropa on 25909101 and registrations should reach Brian Pace at Forum Malta fl-Ewropa by not later than noon of Friday 20th June 2008 by email to .