Author: SME Chamber

On Friday 23^rd May 2014, Xarabank will be holding a fundraiser
in aid of poor people around the world, including children dying of starvation
and sickness.

Therefore your organization is invited to help these people
by either donating 500 euro to sponsor a
community well. This well will provide clean drinking water and water to
irrigate agriculture.

Or/and

Donate a "bike" designed for people, whom lost their limbs due to illnesses.
These bikes cost 200 euro, they make people mobile again and give them a chance
to be more independent and productive.

You are invited to present your donation on Xarabank
either by coming live during the program or by sending the donation to:

Mission Fund, Eureka Court,Block A, Flat 6, Mosta MST 1018

and upon receipt, your
organization will be mentioned and your logo will be shown (to be supplied)
during the program.

A receipt will be given for all donations.

The program will be held on the 23^rd May 2014, Live on Television Malta (TVM) at 20:45pm. Kindly let us
know as soon as possible if you are interested in participating.

Should you need any further information kindly contact
Russell Sammut on 21249200 /

GRTU President
Paul Abela has this week expressed GRTU's wishes to see Business First operate
renewed energy to help SMEs and also expressed GRTU's support and guaranteed
involvement to see it function to our satisfaction.

Mr Abela also ensured that
GRTU and Business First will be collaborating closely to reach out within the
available schemes to members and hold regular information sessions on this
regard. Business First is offering a number of new services aimed at helping
businesses and boosting their potential to succeed. In keeping with the
commitment to deliver a large number of services  for businesses under one roof, the
one-stop-shop facility is being strengthened with the presence of officers from
the Inland Revenue Department at Business First.

Through
their expertise, the officers will better equip Business First – which also
hosts a MEPA officer on a weekly basis – and will ensure that an improved
service is provided to clients. The re-evaluation of the services at Business
First has also led to the setting up of an outreach programme comprising a
number of initiatives.

The
approach in this case is twofold, namely the organisation of information
sessions for enterprises in collaboration with various stakeholders, as well as
the scheduling of company visits to bring the services offered at Business
First and Malta Enterprise closer to businesses. Currently, plans are being
concluded on a structured programme of company visits. 

The
Minister for the Economy, Investment and Small Business, Dr. Chris Cardona said
that this initiative will further widen and strengthen the range of services
that Business First offers, which will continue to enhance its reputation as a
one-stop-shop for start-ups and businesses. Minister Cardona said that Business
First will continue working with constituted bodies and other entities so that
further cooperation is established. "This will lead to more services being
offered by Business First, to the benefit of their clients," said Minister
Cardona.

In
addition to the new services at Business First, Malta Enterprise has also
developed revised versions of the Micro Guarantee and Micro Invest schemes to
assist micro and small enterprises. 

The
Micro Guarantee scheme aims to accelerate business growth by facilitating
access to finance for smaller undertakings, which often have limited availability
of funds and consequently may find it difficult to carry out new investments
and take up business opportunities. 

Through
the Micro Guarantee scheme, eligible undertakings will be given a guarantee of
up to 65% or 80% depending on the activity.  The Guarantee can cover loans
between €2,500 and €100,000 obtained from commercial banks.  The Guarantee
which may be used to finance projects leading to business enhancement, growth
and development.

The
Micro Invest scheme will continue to encourage undertakings to invest in their
business, to innovate, expand, and to develop their operations. Undertakings,
which may include self-employed persons, will be supported through a tax credit
representing a percentage of the eligible expenditure and wages of newly
recruited employees.

Malta Enterprise may approve a tax credit on an annual basis equivalent
to 45% of eligible expenditure, which includes costs incurred between January
1, 2014 and December 31, 2020.  An additional bonus of 20% applies to
undertakings operating from Gozo, which may thus benefit from a tax credit of
65%.

GRTU has today hosted the launch of the YES Money Card by
Insignia Cards Ltd Malta and Lighthouse Group, with the endorsement of the
Honourable Dr Christian Cardona, Minister for the Economy, Investment and Small
Business.

GRTU President Paul Abela
also endorsed the initiative as a very innovative and practical way of payment.

YES Net is a payment system
tailored for the Maltese market that brings extensive benefits to both
consumers and retailers alike. The YES Net programme is based on the YES Money
Card and a network of Merchants who accept payment by this Card.

The YES Money Card creates
synergy between traders and consumers. It is an easy way for consumers to get
access to, and use, credit. This new credit card, available to the Maltese
public, is totally fee-free (with no introductory or yearly charges) and allows
consumers to make purchases today and repay them in fixed monthly installments
over a period of up to 36 months, with highly competitive interest rates.

Card applications are
completed online at www.yesmoney.com.mt, without having
to open a bank account or deposit any money. Approval is given within 30
seconds, and the YES Money Card will be delivered to one's home or workplace in
the subsequent days.

Apart from being free,
giving consumers the ability to "buy now and pay later' and the ease of
application and delivery, the YES Money Card gives a 56-day interest-free
period and lines of credit up to €5,000. As an additional benefit, for every
Euro spent on the card, the consumer earns one YES Coin. YES Coins can later be
redeemed for a variety of rewards.

GRTU welcomes increased
competition in this sector and innovative ways to boost payment methods such as
this initiative. Minister Cardona also commended the initiative and thanked the
companies involved as well as the GRTU for providing its constant support.

The following
sectors of the business delegation have been identified according to the
specific interests of European and Israeli industries:

Further details
about this Mission for Growth are available on:

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/initiatives/mission-growth/missions-for-growth/daniel-calleja/middle-east/israel/index_en.htm

If you are
interested in participating in this Mission for Growth, please contact your
local Enterprise Europe Network partner before 6 June 2014.

Building on the
success of previous Missions for Growth to Latin American countries, Commission
Vice-President Tajani will lead a Mission for Growth to Panama, Argentina and
Paraguay on 11-14 June 2014.

The aim
will be to promote industrial collaboration – especially in light of the recent
conclusion of an agreement that will allow the completion of the Panama Canal.

The main
focus of the business delegation will be put on the following areas:

After the visit
to Panama, the Vice-President will visit Buenos Aires on 13 June 2014, to
discuss possibilities for closer industrial cooperation between Argentina and
the EU with politicians and business people.

Key issues to be addressed in this
context include

Further details
about this Mission for Growth are available
at:http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/initiatives/mission-growth/missions-for-growth/antonio-tajani/america/panama-argentina/index_en.htm

One of the
European Union's main principles is free movement, which enforces the Union's
responsibility to ensuring that people – particularly EU citizens – that live
within its borders are safe. When citizens have fallen victim to a crime, they
are allowed particular services and rights that can help them recover and gain
compensation in the aftermath of the ordeal.

First, citizens have the right
to recognition and respect. This means that a victim must be treated with
respect during all interactions with criminal justice agencies and should be
acknowledged as having a genuine role in the case proceedings. Victims also
possess the right to be heard and the ability to provide evidence during the
trial. Moreover, when a crime victim attends the trial as a witness of party,
his or her expenses should be reimbursed.

The right to information is
essential and involves a number of additional points. Access to relevant
information should be given to the victim at the earliest period and during the
entire criminal justice process. This data involves information on the
procedures and the victim's part in them, updates on what progress has been
made, and the result of the criminal proceedings. The language of the
information provided to the victim should be easily understood, with the
information also available in other formats and languages. When necessary,
citizens are entitled to free of charge translations and interpretations of
important information. Additionally, one should also be informed who to contact
in case the information provided requires further discussion with a
professional. This leads onto the next entitlement which is the right to
interact with trained professionals. Crime victims have the right to receive
support from professionals that have been appropriately trained to deal with
their case.

Additionally, victims have the
right to appropriate and fair compensation for any damages suffered. Whilst in
some EU states, compensation is granted separately from the trial, in others it
bestowed as part of the criminal proceedings. If a citizen falls victim to a
crime in another country, the home country should collaborate with the country
in which the crime was undertaken in order to assist the victim in
participating in the case. This right of cross-border assistance also means
that victims of violent crimes can submit a claim for compensation in either
the home country (where the victim lives) or the country in which the crime
occurred. The final two rights encapsulate what has already been mentioned.
These are the right to support and the right to protection. The former
authorises crime victims to access support services such as Victim Support
Europe, whilst the latter gives victims the right to protection of their
psychological and physical integrity. In addition, one's privacy and
photographic image is also protected. The right to protection also covers
protection from repeat victimisation, with child victims always acknowledged as
requiring specific protection needs. Assessments of all crime victims can determine
whether the victim requires any special protection measures.

Victim Support Europe (VSE) is
an organisation that promotes the progress of victim rights throughout the
European continent. It aids each and every victim in Europe to access
information and support services in the aftermath of the crime, irrespective of
where the crime happened and where the victim resides. Victim Support Malta is
the local representative of VSE Europe and provides services that are free of
charge and available to everyone, regardless of whether or not the criminality
has been reported and where it occurred. VSE Malta does not form part of the
courts, police or any other criminal justice agency. VSE Malta can be contacted
in confidentiality through its support line: 21228333.

The European Commission takes
the issue of supporting victims of crime very seriously, as the treatment of
victims reflects the quality of European justice systems. The priority is
therefore not solely the prevention of crime, but the provision of support and
protection to individuals who unfortunately fall victim to crime. The 2001
Council Framework Decision on the standing of victims in criminal proceedings
set out the basic rights for crime victims within the EU. This Framework
Decision, however, has since been replaced by Directive 2012/29/EU which Member
States are obligated to fully implement into their national laws by 16 November
2015. It improves upon the 2001 Framework Decision as it adds new rights and
obligations. Family members of deceased victims, for example, are now defined
as victims themselves. Family members of victims that were fortunate enough to
survive their ordeal are entitled to protection and support. Furthermore, this
new Directive strengthens the rights that have already been mentioned in this
article, such as matters of information, interpretation and translation.
Therefore, it is clear that help is there for those who need it.

Article by Andrew Rizzo Naudi. Andrew is currently in his second
year reading a bachelors degree in European Studies.

GRTU has
received the below communication from the ETC which we feel could be of
interest to you. We encourage you to make use of this opportunity and reply to
us if you need any assistance or encounter any problems.

Apprenticeship
is the key to a highly skilled workforce as it gives an opportunity to train
prospective employees. Apprenticeship includes theoretical training and work
placement with an employer through which practical training is acquired.
Therefore apprentices learn the theory and practice of the occupation.

In the
coming weeks the Corporation will be organizing the call for applications for
apprentices. New prospective apprentices will be available to start their
apprenticeship as from July and are available on a daily basis up till
September. During this period apprentices are paid a stipend from the
Government, hence you as an employer are not obliged to pay any remuneration.

If you
have never enjoyed the benefits of the apprenticeship schemes we invite you to
contact ETC for further information. If you are familiar with the scheme and
would like to employ new apprentice/s please get in touch with ETC through one
of the following options:

, 22201302/9/10/13 or Mr Jean
Pierre Meilaq – Senior Executive, Training Programmes Design & QA.

Below is the
list of all apprenticeship callings on offer:

Technician
Apprenticeship Scheme (TAS)- Apprenticeships on offer:

Extended Skills Training Scheme (ESTS)- Apprenticeships on offer:

The 0.9%
increase in the volume of retail trade in the euro area in March 2014, compared
with March 2013, is due to rises of 1.9% for the non-food sector, of 0.8% for
automotive fuel and of 0.3% for "Food, drinks and tobacco". In the EU28, the
1.6% increase in retail trade is due to rises of 3.3% for the non-food sector
and of 1.8% for automotive fuel, while "Food, drinks and tobacco" fell by 0.1%.

The
highest increases in total retail trade were observed in Romania (+13.4%),
Luxembourg (+12.1%) and Hungary (+8.4%). Decreases were registered in Malta
(-2.0%), Finland (-1.3%), Slovenia (-1.1%) and Spain

(-0.6%).

Are
you trying to access Horizon2020 funding? Are
you seeking partners for Horizon 2020 projects, or are interested in joining a
consortium?   

The event gives companies, universities, scientists and organisations
the opportunity to meet and find potential partners for future projects and
other cooperation initiatives.   The focus for the matchmaking event
are calls in Horizon 2020 within the areas "Industrial Leadership and Societal
Challenges".

There will be
pre-arranged individual meetings, where it is possible to find potential
commercial and technology partners to the Horizon 2020 calls from all over
Europe and thus get access to this funding.

To register and
create your matchmaking profile, please click the "New registration" button on:

https://www.eiseverywhere.com/ereg/index.php?eventid=67941&categoryid=780206

The matchmaking
event is an official part of the EuroScience Open Forum [ESOF] 2014, which will
be held between 21-26 June 2014. 
Participants may choose to attend only the matchmaking
event of the 26^th June; however if interested in the rest of the Forum proceedings,
please visit http://esof2014.org for the full conference programme.

Financial assistance is being offered by Malta Enterprise to eligible
participants

If you are interested, kindly contact: