Author: SME Chamber

GRTU – Malta Chamber of SMEs expressed its concerns and the
concern of owners of entertainment establishments in Malta's entertainment
mecca Paceville to the most senior officers of the American Embassy in Malta
last Thursday, following the publication last week of the USA State
Department's advice to American citizens visiting Malta on what they perceive
as negative features of Paceville.

From the discussion it transpired that there was no
action from the Embassy in Malta that could have lead to such advise and on the
contrary the interest of the Embassy is to move ahead in the relationships
between the Maltese Government and the USA so that it may become possible for
American navy personnel in the Mediterranean sea to be able to again spend
holiday time in Malta and to have longer stay of American     personnel aboard navy ships in repair at
Malta   dry docks.

GRTU and the American Embassy officials also discussed
various possibilities on how to attract new business to Malta from the USA
particularly in the near future as Libya continues to reform and lead towards
new opportunity for foreign investment where Malta could play a pivotal role in
the settlement of business persons and families willing to do business in North
Africa and operation from residential and office base in Malta. The general
feeling acquired throughout the friendly discussion was that the American
Embassy will do its utmost to encourage the growth of American-Maltese business
opportunities, and their  advise
regarding  Paceville is that which is
normally stated about an active and popular entertainment  similar anywhere else in Europe.

Participating in the discussion from the US Embassy
were Deputy Chief of Mission Mr Michael De Tar, Consul Ms Beth Herbolich and
Regional Security Officer Mr Paul Margules, while Vince Farrugia Director
General and Philip Fenech Deputy President and President of the Hospitality and
Leisure division GRTU spoke on behalf of GRTU members.

GRTU had a very successful meeting with Honorable Anton
Refalo the Minister responsible for Gozo. The GRTU delegation lead by Director
General Vincent Farrugia presented the following points.

Capital
Financing for Gozo: The need
for separate project Capital Financing for Gozo projects through the issue of
special Gozo Development Bonds was one major suggestion. GRTU strongly believes
that Gozitan depositors should be given an enhanced Bond offer, open also to
Maltese and foreign depositors, to enable the creation of special financing
bonds that can be utilized for the promotion of Public and Private projects in
Gozo.

Better access to finance for Gozo private enterprises: GRTU is
proposing an agreement with the Commercial Banks so that an agreed ratio of the
total value of deposits by Gozitan depositors in Local banks is reserved for
utilization as the basis for advances for projects proposed by Gozitan
business.

State Aid: GRTU is giving
all its support so that as soon as possible Micro Credit, Micro Invest and
Micro Gaurantee schemes are immediately revamped with the special enhanced
advantages for projects proposed by private entrepreneurs in Gozo.

Parking in Rabat: GRTU presented to the Minister proposals for the
better utilization of available parking spaces in Victoria until the Ministry's
proposed new Capital Investment in roofed parking is executed.

Parking in Xlendi: GRTU strongly urged the Ministry to take action
against the use of car parking places in the Xlendi Bay parking area by boat
trailers and boats and other non-car-parking. Too many parking slots are being
occupied by trailers etc… The parking area should remain for the exclusive
use of car owners making use of the services provided by the Business Community
in Xlendi.

Village Monti: GRTU stressed that too many unauthorized Monti
are opening up in various localities with Monti hawkers coming over
specifically from Malta together with an increase in the number of foreign
owned stalls. GRTU proposed that these Monti hawkers come under stricter
control as they provide gross unfair competition to licensed established
Gozitan retailers. This situation cannot be tolerated any further as these
hawkers are acting with complete disrespect to health, safety, food hygiene,
customer protection, guarantees, Eco Tax, Vat, and income tax laws.

Individual cases: GRTU informed the Minister that GRTU is
conducting on a regular basis a door to door business survey and will be
bringing to the attention of the Minister an up to date list of
individual complaints by Gozitan businesses seeking solutions to their
problems.

The Minister and his advisor Mr Frank Psaila gave a detailed
explanation of the work and planning on new projects being carried out by the
Gozo Ministry with the aim to advance the interest of enterprises in Gozo and
help sustain the viability of Gozo Enterprise, highlighting especially the
utilization of EU Funding. A number of specific proposals were also presented
for resolution of specific problems highlighted by GRTU.

GRTU is also insisting that Malta Enterprise should establish
a semi-autonomous Gozo Enterprise. Decisions on assistance to Gozo enterprises
should no longer be taken at Malta Enterprise in Malta. Gozitan enterprises
through Gozo Enterprise should be able and capable to take decisions affecting
Gozo enterprise directly. This includes any policies relating specifically to
Gozo.

The Honourable Anton Refalo was accompanied by Mr Frank
Psaila, his advisor while Michael Galea, Vice President GRTU and Mr Maurice
Borg, GRTU Council Member represented GRTU enterprises in Gozo.

It was agreed that the process of further structured meetings
will continue

The
Malta Resources Authority emotionally reacted to GRTU's public statement on
mixed diesel/bio diesel sold through independent private petrol stations.

GRTU
Malta Chamber of SME's on behalf of all private petrol stations just stated the
obvious fact: fuels provided by independent private stations are the direct
responsibility, in terms of quality, of the major distributors of fuels to
petrol stations. Petrol Station owners do not mix fuels and the modern petrol
station pumps clearly establish any default at the part of the petrol station.

What
GRTU state is the simple fact: Petrol station owners are not responsible for
the quality of the fuel delivered through their services. Any liability or
praise for that matter is due elsewhere.

Petrol
station owners stated this to avoid unnecessary references to petrol station
owners on matters of quality. It is their right at Law to state such a fact.

GRTU
Malta Chamber of SMEs has always stressed in all its presentations to Government,
on behalf of small and micro businesses, that the way forward on public
contracts is quality standards and approved skills.

Similarly,
skills standards are never ever enforced. The end result is that contractors do
their best to deliver a service within the bounds of the limited funds
available. The basic truth is that contracts that aim at high quality standards
of services through the engagements of approved standards and appropriately
skilled personnel are very expensive.

The
truth is that if Government wants to safeguard the community from abusive
standards, Government must be willing to pay more. The Government strategy to
cut out the self-employed and small businesses from all sub-contracting is in,
GRTU's view, completely wrong and an insult to qualified and hardworking
self-employed and small business providers.

This
strategy is particularly bad for Gozitan micro and small businesses whose main
participation in major Malta Government contracts is through sub-contracting.
Most Gozitan micro business owners do not even dream of becoming paid employees
of major Maltese contractors. It is even cruel for anyone to create a situation
where micro business owners are forced to become employees of other contractors.

GRTU
urges Government to reverse this malicious strategy before it results in a
sharp increase in registered unemployment. The option Government is giving to
many self-employed depending on Government contracts is to close business and
register for work. A double punishment as it is in the nature of the
self-employed to be free and not to be forced to seek salaried employment. GRTU
still believes that reason ought to prevail and that Government will change
their dangerous strategy.

In order to
adapt EU payments market to the opportunities of the single market and to support
the growth of the EU economy, the European Commission recently proposed new
rules that will bring more competition to the electronic payments market,
providing consumers with more and better choices between different types of
payment services and service providers.

For
example, during the past years new actors have emerged in the area of internet
payments offering consumers the possibility to pay instantly for their internet
bookings or online shopping without the need for a credit card (around 60% of
the EU population does not possess a credit card), establishing a payment link
between the payer and the online merchant via the payer's online banking
module.

These
innovative and often less costly payment solutions are already offered in a
number of Member States (e.g. Sofort in Germany, IDeal in the Netherlands,
Trustly in Scandinavia). However, these new providers are not yet regulated at
the EU level.

Furthermore,
the new rules will contribute to the reduction of charges paid by consumers for
card payments. The card charges imposed on merchants will be capped and
merchants will no longer be allowed to surcharge consumers for using their
payment card.

Consumers
will also be better protected against fraud and other abuses and payment
incidents through improved security measures.

Commissioner Antonio Tajani (DG Enterprise) and the High
Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Baroness Catherine
Ashton, will be leading a business delegation to Thailand, Vietnam and Myanmar
from 12 to 16 November 2013.

The aim of the mission is to bring together political
and business leaders to explore business opportunities. The sectors targeted
for this mission will be: tourism, energy and infrastructure, business
environment support services (including distribution services and retailing),
agri-business and manufactured goods.

More information can be found here: http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/initiatives/mission-growth/missions-for-growth/antonio-tajani/asia/vietnam-myanmar-thailand/index_en.htm

If you are interested in joining the mission to one or more
countries, please do not hesitate to contact us. You can also express your
interest directly to the European Commission .

N.B : the topics energy and infrastructure and business
environment support services (including distribution services and retailing)
will only be addressed on the mission to Myanmar and not in Thailand and
Vietnam.

Following
Vice-President Tajani's successful Mission for Growth to Peru in January 2013
and as a concrete follow-up to this Mission, Director-General Daniel Calleja
Crespo of Enterprise and Industry Directorate-General will lead a technical
mission to Peru with a European business delegation of around 30 entrepreneurs
between 2 and 5 December 2013 in order to discuss with politicians and
entrepreneurs of Peru how to foster our industrial cooperation.

As for
our previous Missions, this visit will have the objectives to:

–  promote European business policies and to develop ties between
Peruvian and EU companies by organising an interesting program for companies
who accompany us (e.g. match-making events, discussions with investment
agencies, etc.).

–  initiate, with the Government representatives at high level,
discussions on monitoring the Memoranda of Understanding signed by
Vice-President Tajani during his January 2013 Mission.

Moreover,
from 2nd to 5th December 2013, the Government of Peru will host the 15th
session of the General Conference of the United Nations Industrial Development
Organization (UNIDO) in Lima. The mission therefore intend to participate at
this very important event.

Key
industrial sectors to target during this visit should be Machine
tools/industrial machinery; Key enabling technologies; Construction and
engineering; Mining and raw materials; Consumer goods; Tourism.

Expressions
of interest for the Mission can be made on:

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/initiatives/mission-growth/missions-for-growth/index_en.htm

This B2B
Mission will target numerous industry sectors; however, innovative and
environmental technologies will be crucial topics on the agenda since the
Mission will be organised in conjunction with the Water Technology &
Environment Control Exhibition and Conference in Tel Aviv 22-24 October 2013
(www.watec-israel.com).  The delegation
will be led by EU Vice-President Antonio Tajani.

The
Mission has the objectives to help Maltese and other European SME companies to
operate in Israel by participating in matchmaking events with local
entrepreneurs.   The main industrial
focus will be on the following sectors:

Environmental technologies: water management, water treatment,
soil management, renewable energy, including solar panels, etc.;

Key Enabling Technologies, machinery and machine tools, ICT;

Raw Materials;

Space Technologies;

Homeland Security;

Processed Agricultural Products (PAPs);

Fashion & High-end industry;

Automotive
Industry;

Venture Capital.

Applications
from

SMEs to join the Vice President's delegation will be accepted until 30
August 2013. Early applications will increase your chances to become part of
the Vice-President's official delegation.

Citizens of the
EU do not need a Visa to enter Israel; however a passport valid for a minimum
of six months from the date of entry is required.

Il-GRTU Malta
Chamber of SMEs ilha tishaq is-snin li kull meta jitfassalu jew jinbiddlu
il-pjanijiet ta' Progetti Pubblici in-negozji fil-Lokalita' ghandhom ikunu
ikkonsultati. Il-GRTU insistiet biex fl-Att dwar in-Negozji Zghar (Small
Business Act) jidhol specifikament id-dritt tan-negozji li jinsistu fuq il-kejl
tal-impatt ekonomiku fuq in-negozji taghhom f'kull decizjoni tal-Awtoritajiet
Pubblici li taffetwa l-andament tan-negozji taghhom.

Is-sidien tan-negozji ma
jircievu assistenza, sussidju u kumpens m'ghand hadd, hlief f'kazijiet
eccezzjonali, u kull meta jinghalqu t-toroq, isiru ix-xogholijiet, jinbiddlu
il-pjanijiet ta' Progetti, jew jintilfu il-postijiet ta' parking, it-telf  ta' negozju ibatuh huma. Il-GRTU kitbet
lill-Gvern fejn ghamlet accenn partikolari ghall-bidliet fil-pjanijiet dwar
il-progett tal-Belt, l-eghluq hesrem tal-Family Park f'Marsascala u il-waqfien
tat-Time Managed Parking Scheme fin-Naxxar.

Is-Sidien
tan-negozji tal-Belt ilhom isofru ghal zmien twil hekk kif kien miexi
il-progett kbir tad-dahla tal-Belt u kienu qed jittamaw illi flok ir-ritmu
tax-xoghol jitnaqqas, ir-ritmu jigi mghaggel aktar, halli il-progett jitlesta
kemm jista jkun malajr, inkluzi ukoll ix-xogholijiet fil-kumpless kummercjali
tas-City Gate Arcades. Is-sitwazzjoni illum hija li issa gie imhabbar bla ebda
konsultazzjoni li t-tmiem tal-progett ser jiggebbed b'sena ohra u dan ifisser
li d-dannu li qed isofru in-negozji ser jibqa jiggebbed. Ir-rizultat ser ikun
illi aktar negozji fil-Belt jiddeciedu li jcekknu l-operat kummercjali taghhom
biex inaqqsu l-ispejjez u dan sfortunatament dan ifisser telf ta' impjiegi.

Id-decizjoni
li jinghalaq fl-aqwa tas-sajf il-Park tal-Familja f'Marsascala hi decizjoni
b'impatte negattiv fuq hafna negzoji. Dan hu progett li kien qed issir dejjem
aktar popolari ma' hafna familji Maltin, b'impatt pozittiv fuq hafna negozji
fil-madwar. Issa id-decizjoni ta' waqfien hesrem qed ikollha impatt negattiv
fuq hafna negozji u hwienet f'Marsascala. Din ukoll hi decizjoni li b'konsultazzjoni
setghet ittiehdet mod iehor u zgur li l-impatt ekonomiku fuq in-negozji ma giex
imkejjel.

Fil-kaz
tat-Time Managed Parking Scheme tan-Naxxar ukoll gew milquta hazin in-negozji
fil-lokalita'. Il-GRTU hija l-Ghaqda Nazzjonali b'rapprezentanza diretta f'kull
Lokalita' u tahdem mal-Kunsilli Lokali kollha u mal-Malta Transport biex
tinstab soluzzjoni, lokalita' b'lokalita', biex fl-ispazji limitati ta' parking
fiz-zoni kummercjali ma jkunux ikkapparati l-gurnata kollha tant li jaghmluha
impossibbli jew difficli li xerrejja jiefqu, jipparkjaw ghall-zmien qasir u
jinqdew bin-negozji. Il-GRTU issostni li hwienet u negozji ohra huma ta'
servizz kbir fil-komunita' u hu ghalhekk li tinsisti li jkun hemm koperazzjoni
bejn il-partijiet kollha u ma jittiehdux decizjonijiet hesrem u bla
konsultazzjoni mar-rapprezentanti tan-negozji fil-komunita'.

Il-GRTU
tappella lill-Awtoritajiet kollha u lill-Kunsilli Lokali biex ma jinsew qatt
l-obbligu taghhom li jkejlu l-impatt ekonomiku fuq in-negozji fil-komunita' tad-decizjonijiet
kollha li jaffetwawhom u li jzommu miftuh il-process kontinwu ta'
konsultazzjoni li jaffetwaw lin-negozji.