Author: SME Chamber

The European
Parliament has voted in favour of the EU's Multiannual Financial Framework
(MFF) for the years 2014 to 2020. Consent by the Parliament on 19 November
clears the way for final approval of the budget by the Council in the coming
weeks.

The European
Commission has proposed new rules on the protection of undisclosed know-how and
business information (trade secrets) against their unlawful acquisition, use
and disclosure. The draft directive introduces a common definition of trade
secrets, as well as means through which victims of trade secret
misappropriation can obtain redress.

Commissioner
for Internal Market and Services Michel Barnier said: "Cybercrime and
industrial espionage are unfortunately part of the reality that businesses in
Europe face every day. We have to make sure our laws move with the times and
that the strategic assets of our companies are adequately protected against
theft and misuse… "

Vice-President
Antonio Tajani added: "Protecting trade secrets is particularly important
for the EU's smaller, less established firms. They employ trade secrecy more
intensively than larger companies – in part because of the cost of patenting
and protection against infringement. …".

The JASMINE
Helpdesk is part of the JASMINE Initiative (Joint Action to Support
Micro-finance Institution in Europe) funded by the European Commission, the
European Investment Bank and the European Investment Fund.

This
helpdesk is an online tool allowing users to lodge detailed information
requests about EU funding possibilities, market updates, capacity building,
European microfinance rules and regulations, technical assistance, good
practices in microcredit lending, client protection, risk management, strategic
planning and any other microfinance-related query.

This
service is completely free of charge. Questions can be filed in English,
French, German, Italian, Romanian and Spanish. They will be answered within 5
working days by a team of microfinance experts.

Follow
the link below to the JASMINE HELPDESK form to enter your question:

http://ec.europa.eu/yourvoice/ipm/forms/dispatch?form=jasminhelp&lang=en

In November
2013, the Business Climate Indicator (BCI) for the euro area rose for the
seventh successive month, turning positive for the first time since March 2012.
It increased by 0.26 points to +0.18. The assessments of past production, the
level of overall order books and export order books improved sharply. Also
production expectations increased, though to a lesser degree, while managers'
assessment of the stocks of finished products remained broadly unchanged.

The European
Commission on 25 November moved to clamp down on companies in the European
Union that avoid paying corporate taxes by exploiting differences between
member states' tax regimes.

The
proposal will close loopholes in existing EU rules that are supposed to ensure
that transfers between companies that are part of a single corporate group but
based in different EU member states are not taxed twice.

Some
companies have used the rules, which date back to 1990 and were last amended in
2003 – together with aggressive tax planning – to avoid paying tax altogether.
One common practice involves setting up a ‘letter-box' company in a member
state with a more favourable tax regime.

Another
involves dressing up dividend payments from a subsidiary to a parent company as
loan repayments, which in several member states are not taxed.

The
Commission proposal would allow tax authorities to ignore such "artificial
arrangements" and require them to ensure that so-called "hybrid loan"
arrangements are taxed in either the subsidiary or the parent company's home
member state.

Increased
tax revenues for member states would be "in the magnitude of billions of
euros", said Algirdas Šemeta, the European commissioner for taxation, customs,
statistics, audit and anti-fraud. Companies such as Google, Amazon, Starbucks,
and Apple have courted controversy this year amid allegations that they pay too
little in taxes.

The
Commission will need to win over all member states to stand a chance of being
adopted, since each one holds a veto over legislation affecting such tax.

Next week we
will see the start of the increased free access to Valletta announced in this
November's Budget. No CVA
charges will apply for vehicles accessing the Valletta after 14.00 on weekdays
and all day on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.

This
will start next Monday the 2nd of December.

Anyone
driving into Valletta before 14.00 on weekdays and staying more than 30 minutes
will continue to pay the same charges as today.

A 10 per
cent discount applies for pre-payment or direct debit arrangements while late
payment fees apply for unpaid bills.

The
charges have therefore been revised as follows.

It has been reported that 45,528 Nike sandals, 875 pairs of
Puma and Cat sports shoes and 15,600 Dual Shock Playstation controls are to be
destroyed on orders of the law courts after they were declared to be
counterfeit. Their
destruction was requested by the brand owners. The consignments were
intercepted at Malta Freeport on transshipment to Algeria.

Last week GRTU President Paul Abela and EU Desk Coordinator
Abigail Mamo have attended the celebrations marking the 20 years from the
establishment of EuroCommerce. GRTU is member of EuroCommerce as the umbrella
association for retail, wholesale and international trade at Brussels level.

The celebration included a dinner and followed, on the
following day, by an Annual General Meeting.  The celebrations were
introduced by EuroCommerce Director General Christian Verschueren and a speech
was delivered by EuroCommerce President, Baroness Neville-Rolfe.                             

In her speech Baronesse
Rolfe stated that "The retail and wholesale sector, the largest employer of
young people in Europe, has a prominent role to play in reigniting growth and
prosperity for the next generation".

During the event EuroCommerce launched its electoral
manifesto with key messages ahead of the European Parliament elections and the
new team of European Commissioners in 2014. The main themes are:

First, encouraging growth through innovation and improving
the lives of consumers by maximising the digital and mobile revolution;

Second, making markets more open and improving European
competitiveness, so that we are not left behind by Asia;

Third, further nurturing sustainable enterprises and
supporting fair supplier relations through joint voluntary endeavour."

The guests were addressed also by the President of the
European Council, Herman van Rompuy said, "Jobs remain the ultimate goal. But
it's only going to work if businesses – and especially retail – are actively
involved. Helping entrepreneurship spread, one new worker at a time: it's our
surest path back to lasting growth."

The European retail, wholesale and international trade sector
is undergoing a major transformation, driven primarily by the rapid expansion
of the digital economy. Shops are adapting at pace, anticipating customers'
changing needs and preferenc­es. This e-commerce revolution has coincided with
continuing recession in many Member States. Consumer spending is down and
competition is fierce, putting a premium on innovation and efficiency, while
making it harder to earn a return on investment.

Business
Roadshow Tunisia is a three day cross-border innovative business event offering
a unique concentration of SMEs and international groups, start-ups,
entrepreneurs & diaspora talents, innovation clusters and investors
representing following sectors: green tech, agri-food, renewable and
conventional energy, environment, urban services, ICT, creative industries and
tourism.

This event will betaking place
at Hôtel
Le Palace (Gammarth Tunis) on 27, 28 and 29 November 2013

Special Opportunities for European

entrerprises and clusters

Best international projects participating in Business Roadshow Tunisia
will benefit of a partial
reimbursement of travel and accommodation expenses for their
representatives.

Costs involved

Cost of this
event is approx: €355 for flights , €270 for the hotel/ 3 nights BB; plus
airport transfers and food.

Reimbursement is max €365: €165 on flights and €200 on accommodation.

For further information: http://www.b2match.eu/euromed/pages/tunis