Author: SME Chamber

GRTU Malta
Chamber of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises, GRTU urges all its members in
the waste sector, including, waste carriers, skip loader operators, waste
management facility operators, to attend a meeting called by the Ministry for
Sustainable Development, the Environment and Climate Change.

The
meeting is being held at Le Meridien Hotel in St Julians on Monday 25th
November 2013 at 2pm. During the meeting a technical team from the same
Ministry will present a short preview of the Government's Waste Management Plan
for the years 2013 to 2020. A public consultation document has been issued
covering most waste streams. Feedback in writing is to be forwarded to . This is a very
important meeting and all operators are urged to attend. Amongst other issues
the document outlines the way forward in Mixed Waste collection contracts, the
operation of Schemes for recyclable waste, the times of collection of mixed
waste, changes in collection vehicles. These topics show the level of
importance of the meeting and why one should be present.

The
consultation document can be found on the Ministry s website and can be
downloaded easily for one and all to see. Although it is a 184 page document
readers can go through an initial index and assess subjects related to their
operations and consequently after reading make up their own ideas and
assessment of the said document and they way they think it will effect their
current situations.

We urge one and
all to be present. Change is always accompanied by new ideas. In 2013 we cannot
be afraid of change and accordingly looking at new ways of how to make sure
that a market sector of operation grows in a more efficient and coordinate
manner.

Any queries
prior to the meeting are to be sent to
up to
noon Monday 25th November and they will be answered accordingly.

A package deal comprising the 2014 EU budget and the
financing of EUR 400.5 million to  remediate flood and drought damages in
four member states was agreed today by the Council and the European Parliament
at a meeting of the Conciliation Committee.

"I believe that today's agreement on the 2014 EU
budget is a good start for the new  programming period", said
Vice-Minister for Finance of Lithuania and President of the Council Algimantas
Rimkunas. "I'm glad that we could reach an agreement with the European
Parliament on the financing of priority areas such as growth, employment, innovation
and humanitarian aid. We also agreed to reinforce the financing on migration,
FRONTEX, the European Asylum Support Office, Europol and the three supervisory
authorities which are important for the proper implementation of the Economic
and Monetary Union."

The agreement on the 2014 EU budget, which is the
first under the multiannual financial framework (MFF) for 2014-2020, meets
three objectives:

–     It
preserves member states' budgets from additional pressure which might force
them to strengthen their consolidation efforts at national level by setting the
level of funds significantly below the 2013 budget;

–     It leaves
sufficient margins under the MFF ceilings to allow the EU to cope with
unforeseen situations;

–     It ensures that European taxpayers' money is
spent on the most urgent political priorities, notably on measures to boost
growth and create jobs, in particular for young people.

There are more
than 186 000 organic farms across Europe, cultivating an area of 9.6 million
hectares, i.e. 5.4% of the total agricultural area in the European Union (EU),
the report "Facts and Figures on Organic Farming" issued today by the
European Commission points out.

The report gives an overview of organic
agriculture in Europe based on the data available and its evolution over recent
years. It shows in particular that organic holdings are overall bigger than
conventional farms in the EU and their managers are younger. Permanent pasture
represents the biggest share of the organic area (about 45%), followed by
cereals (around 15%) and permanent crops (about 13%). Besides poultry, which
registers the highest number of animal organic heads, the rest of organic
livestock is led by sheep (46%) and bovines (30%) at European level.

Full report:
http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/markets-and-prices/more-reports/pdf/organic-2013_en.pdf

Il-MEUSAC,
flimkien mal-Ministeru għat-Trasport u Infrastruttura, se jorganizza sessjoni
ta' konsultazzjoni fuq Proposta għal Regolament li jistabbilixxi qafas fuq
l-aċċess għas-suq għas-servizzi portwarji u t-trasparenza finanzjarja
tal-portijiet. KUMM(2013) 296.

Din
il-konsultazzjoni ser tiffokka l-iktar fuq:

Il-bżonn li jiġu żviluppati konnessjonijiet taż-żoni interni li
huma identifikati sew bħala sfida importanti u dan diġà huwa indirizzat permezz
tal-politika tat-TEN-T.

Tliet kwistjonijiet li jistgħu jżommu lis-servizzi portwarji
milli jkunu organizzati bl-aħjar mod: (i) pressjoni kompetittiva dgħajfa li
huma suġġetti għaliha ħafna mis-servizzi portwarji minħabba r-restrizzjonijiet
fuq l-aċċess għas swieq; (ii) monopolji jew oligopolji li jistgħu jwasslu għal
abbużi tas-suq; u (iii) piżijiet amministrattivi żejda marbuta mal-użu ta' dawn
is-servizzi f'ċerti portijiet, minħabba nuqqas ta' koordinazzjoni fi ħdan
il-portijiet.

L-investimenti
meħtieġa biex il-kapaċitajiet portwarji jiġu adattati għall-ħtiġijiet li qed
jinbidlu huma possibbli biss f'qafas politiku u regolatorju stabbli li jnaqqas
l-inċertezzi ekonomiċi u li jiżgura kundizzjonijiet ekwi.

Din il-laqgħa
ta' konsultazzjoni ser issir nhar l-Erbgħa, 27 ta' Novembru 2013, bejn l-10.00
u nofsinhar, ġewwa Dar l-Ewropa, 254 Triq San Pawl, il-Belt Valletta.

Biex
tirreġistra, inti ġentilment mitlub tibgħat email fuq l-indirizz
elettroniku , sa mhux aktar tard minn nofsinhar
tat-Tlieta,
26 ta' Novembru.

Chemical
products are used every day at work, for example cleaning products, lubricants,
paints and glues. Labels on these products tell us useful information about:

the type of
chemicals the product contains;

what hazards are associated with the
product;

how to use the chemical safely.

Over the next
few years, new legislation, known as the CLP regulation (classification,
labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures), will change the way
chemical products are classified to identify hazards and how this information
is communicated on labels and safety data sheets (SDS).

The CLP
regulation implements the United Nations' Globally Harmonised System of
Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) in the EU. GHS is being adopted
worldwide to improve and harmonise worker and consumer safety and facilitate
global trade.

Some of the
differences you may see are:

classification criteria and
classification methods are different for some types of hazard, so some chemical
products may be classified more or less severely;

new hazard pictograms will replace
danger symbols on labels;

new wording in hazard (H) and
precautionary (P) statements will replace risk (R) and safety (S) phrases;

classifications for both the CLP and
the previous legislation on SDS, and label information moved from Section 15 to
Section 2 of the SDS.

You should look out for these changes, make sure you understand the new
information and comply with any new safety instructions.

As part of the
EU's efforts to deepen economic relations with countries in the dynamic ASEAN
region, Vice President Antonio Tajani, European Commissioner for Enterprise and
industry, has led a "Mission for growth" to Vietnam.

He was accompanied by 47
representatives from EU industry associations and companies, in particular
those operating in key areas of EU-Vietnam business: the tourism, agri-business
and manufactured goods sectors. This visit was part of a series of missions to
help European enterprises better profit from fast growing international
markets. Trade and investment between the EU and Vietnam has been steadily
growing over recent years, with EU companies considering the country as a
potential production base, a lucrative and growing market and one of the key
gateways to the wider and increasingly integrated ASEAN market. However, when
compared to Asian competitors, the share of European trade and investment is
slowly falling as European small and medium sized enterprises (SME's) face
difficulties in establishing a permanent foothold in Vietnam.

The main
objectives of this Mission for Growth to Vietnam were: to promote innovation
and sustainable and inclusive growth in the EU and in Vietnam; to help EU
companies, and in particular SMEs, to operate in the ASEAN region; and to
promote EU industry in targeted sectors.

GRTU has been
made aware of important developments in relation to EU-Russia trade,
particularly as regards road customs clearances and operations. In the coming
weeks, importers and exporters of freight to Russia may be facing increasing
difficulties when dealing with the Russian customs authorities.

Up until
this point, customs operations for road transport vehicles have been covered by
the TIR convention, an international customs transit system which provides road
hauliers with reduced administrative burdens and guarantees through the use of
the internationally recognised TIR carnets. 
However, the Russian customs authorities are currently implementing
restrictive customs measures which are in breach with the TIR convention. These
measures would de facto mean the end of the TIR system in Russia, and it is
expected that, starting on 1 December 2013, all road transport operators
relying on TIR carnets will no longer be accepted in Russia. 

Even
though, the Supreme Arbitration Court of Russia has rendered a legally-binding
decision making these restrictions illegal, the Russian government does not
seem inclined nor willing to take action. European road hauliers will have to
adapt to an alternative system which is currently still unknown. This will
inevitably increase red-tape and legal uncertainty for European businesses
wishing to import or export freight to the country.

In
practice, these protectionist measures will push European road hauliers to stop
delivering to Russia, thus globally impacting trade flows between the EU and the
Russian Federation.  

EuroCommerce
raised its concerns to the European Commission (DG TRADE) during today's
conference on "Chemical Trade with Russia", co-organized with FECC – European
Association of Chemical Distributors. 

Kindly inform GRTU if you are affected in any way.

GRTU would like
to take the opportunity to thank its members for their participation during the
meetings held with the Authorities concerned regarding the L.N. 244.2013 –
Animal Welfare Act (CAP. 439), Protection of Animals offered in Pet shops
(Minimum Standards) Regulations, 2013. GRTU would also like to remind Pet Shops
owners that the said L.N. will come into force on April 2, 2014.

The GRTU
will be organizing a General Meeting in the coming days with the participation
of the Authorities concerned to discuss further the said L.N.  In the meantime inspectors will be visiting
pet shops as agreed during the said meetings. The aim is to guide pet shops to
help them be in line with the Law. Section 5 
of the said LN will also be discussed after various complaints GRTU
received from pet shop owners.

GRTU
would also like to inform its members that during a meeting held with Hon
Rodrick Galdes, Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries & Animal
Rights,  pet shop owners contribution
towards  L.N. 244/13  has been discussed in detail.

Hon
Galdes has promised his support towards this sector and the GRTU  and 
said that together we will be working towards the betterment of this
sector.

Those
wishing further assistance are welcome to contact Carmen Borg on 21 230459 or
79 232884.

Access to
finance is still among the top concerns of the EU's small and medium sized
enterprises and younger and smaller firms are the most badly affected,
according to the "Access to Finance" survey released today by the
European Commission and European Central Bank.

About one third of the SMEs
surveyed did not manage to get the full financing they had planned for during
2013 and 15% of survey respondents saw access to finance as a significant
problem for their companies. Companies believed that bank financing conditions
worsened during 2013, with respect to interest rates, collateral and required
guarantees.

Full report can be found:
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/finance/files/2013-safe-analytical-report_en.pdf