Author: SME Chamber

The Faculty for the Built Environment
is currently undertaking a research initiative in relation to the use of
treated sewage effluent.  It would be very much appreciated if you could
contribute 15 minutes of your time to access and complete the following
questionnaire which is being used as the main research tool https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3LX8WMZ . Your contribution is very much
appreciated and will contribute towards the research initiatives.

The European Parliament will slim
down from 766 MEPs this summer to 751 after the 2014 elections, but how to
decide which countries should give up a seat? MEPs decided to opt for the
fairest and most equitable solution when they adopted a proposal on it.

The EP currently boasts 754 MEPs but
this will be increased to 766 once Croatia joins in July. After next year's
elections, this number will have be reduced to 751. Under the proposal adopted
by MEPs on 13 March, Germany will lose three seats and 12 countries will each
lose one seat: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Greece,
Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Portugal and Romania. EP elections should
take place in May 2014, as requested by a resolution adopted by Parliament on
22 November 2012.

Why the
reduction?

When the Lisbon treaty was being
negotiated, it was decided to put a cap on the total number of MEPs to prevent
the European Parliament growing indefinitely every time a new member state
joins the EU. This is why the treaty sets a number of restrictions:

The
maximum number of MEPs is 750 plus the president

The
maximum number of MEPs per country is 96

The
minimum number of MEPs per country is 6

The division of seats should be
according to degressive proportionality, meaning the more citizens a member
sate has, the more seats it will get, but also the more citizens each MEP will
represent. So MEPs from smaller countries represent fewer people than their
colleagues from larger states.

The allocation of seats is also being
adjusted to take into account changes in the population of member states. While
some got bigger, others got smaller.

Procedure

Parliament can submit a proposal on
its composition to the European Council, which must then decide by unanimous
vote. EP can then approve or reject the decision by the Council, but it cannot
change the content of the proposal.

What about
the Commission president?

In response to a request by MEPs, the
European Commission announced on 12 March that it recommends political parties
to nominate a candidate for the next Commission president in the next EP
elections.

Europe Direct Firenze has announced
the International Photo Competition EAT
IN EUROPE 2013. This year, the main themes are "food" and "nutrition".

The main purpose of the competition
is to promote an active reflection on the importance and the value of food in
European societies, which are apparently highly evolved, but often have to face
up to serious problems, such as general food wasting, undernourishment and
malnutrition.

Special attention will be paid not
only to the photos, but also to cooking recipes from the countries which are
allowed to participate in the contest: member States of the European Union,
countries of the basin of the Mediterranean (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan,
Libya, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey), the Balkans,
Norway, Iceland and Switzerland. Futher information can be found http://www.edfirenze.eu/2013/03/eat-in-europe-photo-con/

Photos
have to be sent exclusively by email to 
later than 23.59 of 30th of April 2013.

Getting involved in FP7 Energy
projects can be challenging and Energy NCPs across Europe are very interested
in supporting you. One part of the challenge can be finding members of the
project consortium. To better understand the experience of partner searching a
brief survey has been set up online to determine the methods used to find these
partners. The survey includes 10 question which will take 4-8 minutes to
answer. The survey can be accessed at : http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/G6TVQKW

Important meeting for all
businesses regarding the New Euros introduced from May 2013. Which will require
an update to the machines that check/accept money. On 1st May 2013 the new series of Euro Bank notes will
start circulating. Starting with the €5 and next year €10.

This means that you (and your staff) should be trained
to accept and recognize these new bank notes and any machines you have that
check that the money is authentic (money checkers) or accept money (cigarette
and vending  machines) need also to be
upgraded to accept the new bank notes.

GRTU is holding a training and information session
with the collaboration to the Central Bank of Malta to:

–   Inform
you of the new Euros and how they will start circulating

–   Inform
you on what you need to do and what support you can be given

–   Show
you what the new Euro bank notes will look like and its enhanced security
features

–   Train
you on how to recognize counterfeits both with the old Euros and the new

Time: 16:00 – 18.00

Venue: GRTU, Exchange Building, Republic Str,
Valletta 

The meeting is free of charge only for GRTU Members
but

registration is required on 21232881 or

Vince Farrugia, Director General of
GRTU and Maltese Employers Representative at EESC was one of the speakers at
the EESC ECO (Economic and Monetary Union and Economic and Social Cohesion)
section meeting on the own-initiative opinion on the Future of the Euro.

Vince Farrugia said that the future of
the Euro needs a to be taken within the background of what is being called the
Balkanasation of the global financial system. For three decades there was a
seemingly unstoppable increased capital mobility and integration, but after the
2008 crises all this halted abruptly. Cross border flows collapsed and today
remain at 60% below their peak.

A large factor in this drop is the
dramatic reversal of European Financial Integration. European Nations, once in
the vanguard of capital mobility are now turning inward. "This is a very serious situation for
enterprise owners as infrastructure and business investments need capital
movement if Europe is to reach out to further growth in all Member States and
in all regions. Euro Zone cross border landing since the end of 2007 has
dropped by almost 2 trillion Euros. Other types of cross border investment in
Europe have fallen by more than half", emphasized Vince Farrugia.

"I'm
not proposing a return to asset bubbles and volatility that existed in the
pre-crises period however it is important that the Euro is further strengthened
as capital mobility is essential for business and economic growth and the EESC should continue to
strive further so that the remaining barriers to healthy capital transfers are
removed. Openness to foreign investment and capital flows entails risk but also
very clear benefits.  The degree of
openness and pace of movement will depend on the size and sophistication of a
country's financial sector and the strength of its regulation ad
supervision.  The EESC in its opinion
should clearly aim towards this target"

It is also essential that the opinion
emphasizes that we in the Euro Zone should develop further equity and bond
capital markets as capital markets provide a crucial alternative to bank loans
and enable investors to participate in local markets. Furthermore, it is of
utmost importance that Europe establishes the Euro Zone banking Union to
restore confidence and put financial integration back on track. It is essential
that we restore confidence in the Euro Zone future and a healthy flow of
finances.

Vince Farrugia concluded his presentation by insisting on the
rapporteur to produce a more focused opinion.

GRTU President Paul Abela has this
week written to the Minister of Social Diologue Hon. Helena Dalli on behalf of
the National Executive Council of GRTU Malta Chamber of Small and Medium
Enterprises with a proposal on the MCESD Presidency.

GRTU believes that it is opportune
for a new reforming Government to immediately introduce a fundamental reform in
the selection of the Presidency of MCESD. This Council represents the highest
level of statutory consultation of the elected national Government with the
Social Partners and Civil Society. Government is represented on this Council and
indeed through the Principal Permanent Secretary's role as Vice-President, the
Government has a fundamental role. In GRTU's view therefore it is opportune
that government introduces, in agreement with MCESD, a new form for the
selection of the President of MCESD and a selection which is independent of
Government, as follows:

The
Presidency of MCESD becomes a roving Presidency as is practiced in the EU's
highest institutions and as is practiced by statute at the European Economic
and Social Committee.

The
Presidency becomes roving every 2 years between Employers Representatives,
Trade Union representatives and Civil Society representatives and in turn
roving among the member organisations within each group sitting on MCESD main
Council. Over a six year period all groups would thus have an opportunity to
Preside and over a longer period each organisation or Committee sitting on
Council will also have the opportunity to Preside Council and this without the
uncomfortable anxiety of selection on the part of Government.

The GRTU President also reminded the
Minister that GRTU is not in favour of the nominee for Chairman she had
recommended during their meeting. The proposal GRTU is presenting would,
however, resolve all issues of selectivity or any issue of favourable or
unfavourable comment as the selection will be up to the each representative
social partner and civil society group on Council and on a roving basis.
Government would only introduce the Rules of Procedure for approval by Council
prior to publishing as Legal Notice.

GRTU is launching the PVPFS scheme,
which GRTU has tailored with a leading local bank, that ensures that client can
find the purchasing of PVs increasingly affordable through paying by installments
without having to fork out any additional money for this improved facility.

If calculated on an average system
that would cost around €5,000, the utilization of the PVPFS would mean that the
client shall have no upfront payments to make and instead start paying the bank
a monthly fee of €75 for 3 years, which works out to the exact same amount if
they did not use the PVPFS scheme. In addition to this the client will same
circa €82.81* from the electricity bill 
per month.

When working the €75 monthly payment
to the bank and €82.81 electricity saving, not only will the system be paying
itself but the client would be making a profit of around €7.81 per month. For
the next 3 years the client is guaranteed the same €0.22c feed in tariff,
totaling €993 per year. Systems are typically guaranteed for 20 years. Some PV
systems in Malta which have been installed around 30 years ago, still work.

Retailers already having a GRTU approved
certificate:

CD Power Solutions Co Ltd

Bajada New Energy Ltd

Solar Solutions Ltd

BT Commercial Ltd (Eco Save)

Solar Engineering Ltd

International Sales Direct