Author: SME Chamber

GRTU welcomes
the Commission's proposal to create a standard VAT return which, according to
Commission's figures, has the potential to cut costs for European businesses by
€15bn per year.

Retailers, wholesalers and international traders are affected
by a high level of bureaucracy when complying with tax return obligations in
each Member State; it is even worse when you operate in multiple countries and
across borders. This proposal should lead to simplification results, and
therefore help traders. It should also make the lives of young online retailers
and wholesalers easier, who are willing to trade cross-border but are often at
a loss when confronted with the huge VAT administrative obstacles.

Therefore, this proposal for
harmonised standard VAT returns is a step in the right direction towards
cutting red-tape for businesses, easing tax compliance and making tax
administrations across Europe more efficient. Ideally, the EU should have one
single VAT return form. However, with different VAT systems among Member
States, this is currently an unrealistic prospect. VAT returns in all EU
languages, as stated in the proposal, will already reduce the administrative
burden on companies, especially SMEs, resulting in significant cost savings and
efficiency of resources.

Nonetheless, as the standard
VAT return will become mandatory, there is a risk of significant indirect costs
for companies. For example, they may have to adapt their IT infrastructure and
forms to comply with the new standards. Also, verifying the integrity of the
data through electronic signature should not cause additional administrative
burdens by having to cope with different systems and standards in different
Member States. GRTU expects Member States to make the VAT declarations simple and
easy to understand, especially for SMEs.

Info day &
Brokerage Event in Brussels, Belgium 5th
December 2013 H2020 Energy
Info day of the European Commission – 6th
December 2013 Brokerage Event
organized by the NCP-Network

 

Focus

The event will target a wide spectrum
of companies, universities and researchers from Europe and beyond and will
foster the creation of consortia for the upcoming Horizon 2020 Energy calls on
the 3 focus areas.

Energy Efficiency

Competitive Low Carbon Energy

Smart Cities and Communities

Furthermore other energy related
topics are also highly welcome!

 

Your
advantages

Present your innovative
ideas/technologies and call the attention of cooperation partners!

Meet prospective cooperation partners
in a Single day- reduce the amount of time and money for finding new partners

 

Deadlines:   

 

 

For further information
visit: www.b2match.com/energycall2014

As you might
have heard the BOV JEREMIE Scheme has been extended and an information session
will be held explaining the advantageous of this loan facility including better
interest rates and collateral requirements.

 The
session will be held as follows:

Date: Thursday 31st October 2013

Time: 14.00 – 16.00 (registration
and coffee @ 13.30)

Venue: Europe House, St Paul's Street, Valletta

Attendance is free of charge however registration on is required  

 

The BOV JEREMIE
Package is there to assist SMEs and micro-enterprises to:

Improve the performance of their
operations by investing in plant and equipment;

Launch new products and services in new
niche markets;

Tap into new export markets by
improving the Malta-based operations;

Enhance their presence on the World
Wide Web;

Invest in Green Technology; and

Promote and transform Gozo's economy.

Il-GRTU aktar
kmieni dan ix-xghar kitbet ghan nom tal-burdnara lis-Sur Joseph Brincat,
Kontrollur tad-Dwana, u ghamlet referenza ghall-laqgha li kellha mas-Sur Paul
Bonello, Director Compliance flimkien mas-Sur Tartaglia, Assistant Director
landing and releasing fejn giet diskussa l-proposta fid-dettal dwar ic-caqlieq
mill-Labaratory Wharf, Deep Water Quay u l-Freeport tal- containers u
trailers  li jinhattu gol-groupage Depot
ta' Hal-Far.

Il-GRTU
spjegat li ma' taqbel assolutament xejn ma' din l-proposta l-ghaliex din
is-sistema ser terga tehodna lura fis-sebghajnijiet (70's) fejn l-gvern ta' dak
iz-zmien kien gustament iddecieda li jiccentralizza dan l-operat bil-ghan li
jkun taht solveljanza kontinwa tad-Dwana.

Bis-sistema
eziztenti l-containers u t-trailers jigu scanned minhabba li jkun hemm xoghol
suggett ghad-dazju u VAT bil-ghan li jigi kkontrollat kull abbuz, mentri
bis-sistema li qed tigi proposta dan kollu ser jintilef.

Il-GRTU
ilha  ghal zmien twil tikteb u tirraporta
li qieghed jsir kull forma ta' abbuz f'merkanzija li tidhol bi trailers permezz
tal-Catamaran. Ezempju wiehed min hafna: pallet imbid irrilaxxat Hal-Far
suggett ghall-EAD (accompanying document for movement of excise goods under
suspension of excise duty) u suggett ghal-VAT. Fil-kas       tal-Catamaran
ma' jezizti l-ebda kontrol kemm fi hlas kif ukoll f'dokumenti.

F'dan
l-kaz l-GRTU tistaqsi, "jekk d-Dwana qatt ma' hadet passi dwar dan l-abbuz li
kontinwament qieghed jiggrava u li  bhala
awtorita ghandha kull poter u dover li taghmel, kif ser tkun f'posizzjoni
li   terga tintroduci sistema li ser
issarraf f'aktar abbuz u b'inqas kontroll".

Il-GRTU
thoss li jekk tittiehed din d-decizjoni mhux biss ser ibaghtu l-burdnara, izda
ser tigi affetwata  s-sistema
tat-traffiku u fuq kollox l-finanzi tal-pajjiz f'nuqqas ta' revenue ghall-gvern
fejn jigu evitati kemm id-dazju u l-VAT. Abbuzi ohra li jistghu ikunu hafna
iktar gravi huma,  kazi ta'kutrabandu u
importazzjoni ta'materjal u sustanzi illegali.

Il-GRTU
irrakomandat ukoll illi l-iscanner ghandu jkun rilokat minn Hal Far ghall-port
biex jigi assigurat illi it-trailers u containers verament jigu scannjati hekk
kif jinzlu minn fuq il-vapuri u mhux wara li jkunu diga qasmu nofs Malta.

Il-GRTU
ghaldaqstant tablet ghal laqgha sabiex tkun tista tghaddi aktar informazzjoni
ta' fejn qed isir aktar abbuz.

The Malta
Council for Science and Technology is pleased to announce the launch of the
Commercialisation Voucher Programme, financed through National funds.

The
Commercialisation Vouchers will support researchers, micros and SMEs to seek
the commercial potential of their research or to develop their competitiveness
through collaboration with R&D institutions. This will promote
opportunities for knowledge transfer between industry and academia such that
research and innovative solutions aim to have market applicability.

The main
aim of these Vouchers is to determine the commercial potential of proposed
innovative solutions, prior to embarking on research and development. As a
result, the inventor benefits from information about the possibility of
protecting the idea through intellectual property, as well as gaining awareness
on market potential and economic wealth generated for society at large.

As from
the 30th October 2013, the Council will be accepting proposals for
Commercialisation Vouchers, through which one of the following activities would
be supported:

–    IP Check Patent check and validation and scientific opinion.
Basic: 1 week @ €1,000 and In-Depth: 3 weeks @ €4,000

–    Market Research Studies include desktop market research,
specialised research data; primary source data including transcripts and
analysis with potential technology buyers – 8 weeks @ €3,500

–    Product Development Costing Studies on different production
options including full costing of typical expenses, such as, material,
resources, plant and equipment and logistics [ In some cases, costing of an
installed and operational prototype may be considered] – 10 weeks @ €3,500

–    Economic Impact Studies on the economic impact key performance
indicators including investment potential, revenue, employment and similar – 8
weeks @ €3,500

–    Risk Profile Assessment of the different types and levels of
risks involved if the technology had to be commercialized – 6 weeks @ €2,500

–    Initial Patent Application Financing of the Initial Patent
Application – 10 weeks @ €15,000

–    Business Plan Full, investor-ready plans integrating the studies
above including investor exit option. – 10 weeks @ €5,000

–    Investors' Meetings Preparation and delivery of presentations at
international fairs or directly to potential investor or technology purchaser –
6 weeks @ €4,000

The
Council will be launching the Commercialisation Voucher Programme on Wednesday,
30th October 2013 at 10:00am, at Villa Bighi Kalkara. An Information Session
will follow after the official launch.

An additional
Information Session is being organised on Thursday, 7th November 2013 at
10:30am at Villa Bighi, Kalkara.

This is
the first of a series of call for Commercialisation Vouchers and will be
granted on a ‘first accepted first served' basis. Further calls will be issued
and announced accordingly.

The
Application must be dated, signed and initialised (stamped or signed) on each
page by the legal representative.

Application
Forms need to be sent electronically to with
"Commercialisation Vouchers Application Submission" as a subject accordingly by
the stipulated deadlines.

It
should be noted that emails larger than 6MB shall be automatically rejected by
the system.

All
received applications shall be acknowledged by email.

Further information:

 http://www.mcst.gov.mt/node/626

GRTU on behalf
of the Tobacco Product Wholesalers had this week
written to the Minister for Finance following a complaint by the sector that
they were not being given cigarettes to distribute to retailers by the local
Tobacco Importers.

This allegedly resulted from a
decision taken by the Commissioner for Revenue and/or the Controller of Customs
who had imposed restrictive quotas on the quantity of cigarettes released to
local importers, pending the forthcoming Budget. This arbitrary decision had
restricted the market resulting in a situation where our members, the Tobacco
Product Wholesalers, were not being given supplies to distribute to retailers
due to the fact that the importers have reached or exceeded the quotas which
had been imposed upon them by Customs.

GRTU insisted that sufficient
supplies should be released for our members, the Tobacco Product Wholesalers,
to continue surviving for the forthcoming weeks until the Budget is passed and
the new Excise Duties are made available.

Following this intervention, GRTU was
pleased to note that an agreement has been reached with the Finance Ministry to
allow wholesalers to keep replenishing their stock normally.

L-Awtorità ta'
Malta Dwar ir-Riżorsi (MRA) ġiet infurmata li l-Gvern bi ħsiebu jiddikjara
l-bejgħ tal-gass fiċ-ċilindri (LPG) fid-djar bħala servizz ekonomiku ta'
interess ġenerali (Service of General Economic Interest – SGEI).

Huwa
importanti li l-konsumatur igawdi mid-dritt ta' għażla ta' ċilindri u jkun
offrut ċilindri LPG ta' operaturi differenti permezz ta' sistema ta'
distribuzzjoni magħrufa bħala multi-flag, irrispettivament mill-lokalita' ta'
fejn joqgħod, bi prezzijiet raġonevoli, bi trasparenza u mingħajr
diskriminazzjoni.

Fl-istess
ħin operaturi ġodda jingħataw l-opportunita' biex jużaw din is-sistema ta'
distribuzzjoni. B'hekk ikun aċċertat li s-suq ikun wieħed kompetittiv.

Għaldaqstant,
ser issir konsultazzjoni pubblika dwar proposti marbutin ma din id-deċizjoni.

 Aktar dettalji dwar din il-konsultazzjoni
pubblika jistgħu jinkisbu mill-websajt tal-Awtorità – www.mra.org.mt.

Stakeholders
u l-pubbliku ġenerali huma mistiedna biex iressqu l-kummenti tagħhom dwar din
l-proposta.

Għalhekk
qed jingħata perjodu ta' zmien li jagħlaq il-Ġimgħa, 6 ta' Diċembru

2013.

Kummenti
bil-miktub jew b'email għandhom jiġu ndirizzati lil:

 

 

Kap Eżekuttiv

L-Awtorità
ta' Malta Dwar ir-Riżorsi

Millennia,
Second Floor,

Aldo
Moro Road,

Marsa
MRS 9065

 

jew

 

E-mail:

GRTU categorically rebuts claims by
Liquigas Malta that the GRTU is somehow backing or supporting a cartel of
23 Gas Distributors and will hold Liquigas responsible for damages sustained.

Liquigas Malta has no limits to
arrogance. It entered a market where an efficient system of distribution
existed already. A system that was and still is based entirely on consumer
benefit and that has been in place for over forty years.

Conveniently in October 2008, a few
months after the previous general election, Liquigas was served with a silver
platter by virtue of the tailor made Legal Notice 249 of 2008, that established
the Gas Market Regulations from which Liquigas benefitted to the detriment of
the Gas Distributors who were left in the dark.

The 1992 agreement, which was
signed between the Regulator and the Gas Distributors, is still valid. The
Report issued by the Director General of the Office for Competition within the
Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority (MCCAA) has not been confirmed
and is still pending before the Competition and Consumer Appeals Tribunal in
Court.  Consequently it has neither been confirmed nor refused.

The territorial
exclusivity remains in place, as it is not Liquigas who decides rights or
wrongs in this country. The notion of territorial gas distribution is as out
dated as consumer rights are, which means not at all. The Gas Distributors will
continue to make sure that the service to our end consumers is provided in the
best way possible, despite the fact that everyday Liquigas tries to create new
stumbling blocks to the livelihood of these Gas Distributors and to the service
that the Maltese consumer enjoys.

The Gas Distributor agreement was
signed with the Regulator primarily to guarantee an efficient gas distribution
service even to those consumers who live in remote areas, as well as to
sensitive consumers including the elderly who face several flights of stairs to
reach their home without the benefit of an elevator.

Liquigas is aware that if it
succeeds in eliminating the Gas Distributors, then it would be free to operate
a monopoly.

GRTU refers Maltese consumers to
the fact that in March 2010, Liquigas SpA in Italy was fined 17.1 million
Euro for collusion with two other companies. Together they created a cartel for
ten years in the island of Sardinia, from 1995 to 2005. In those years the
price of a 12 kg cylinder in Sardinia rose to €32.00 per cylinder for a home
delivery. This is an undeniable fact confirmed by the EU's highest Court and
which Liquigas cannot deny.

GRTU always questioned who
shouldered the responsibility for the due diligence exercise prior to
giving the green light for a foreign investor to come into the market and
arbitrarily try to dictate how consumers are to be treated, and at whatprice.

The assertion made by Mr. Roberto
Cappelluto, Liquigas Malta CEO, that there exists a GRTU backed cartel, is
unconfirmed by the competent Tribunal and therefore presently unfounded in fact
and in law.

In this week's MCESD GRTU President
Paul Abela like the other social partner representatives gave an outline of the
proposals that had been already presented formally by GRTU. Paul Abela
explained that GRTU's proposals are targeted towards building confidence and
driving growth, which is the name GRTU chose for this year's Budget proposals.

Our proposals have been divided into 3 categories: Incentives in favour of
enterprise, Improving the working environment and Employment. Under these three
categories GRTU has included a number of proposals and important schemes and
incentives that would help enterprise, improve certain services Government is
providing and generate employment.

Mr Abela asked the Minister to
announce at the earliest possible what the indirect taxes that were mentioned
would be so as not to create unnecessary uncertainties.

The Minister once again
mentioned that the Budget speech should be read on Monday 4th November. He
emphasized that the Budget has not been finalized and therefore more suggestions
could be potentially taken on board.

GRTU is hopeful that our well
thought proposals will be considered favorably and we look forward to another
MCESD meeting where Government's plans will be explained in much greater
detail.