Author: SME Chamber

GRTU
has this week held a meeting in conjunction with MCCAA on the new law requiring
them to indicate not only the unit price on their shelves but also prices by
weight, price per Kilo or Liter.
This
stems for the transposition of an EU Regulation related to consumer protection
in the indication of prices of products offered to consumers. It specifies
that:

when goods are offered for sale
they shall have indicated the actual price and the price according to the base
weight

where the pre-packed solid
food has a liquid medium, the price according to the base weight shall
refer to the net drained weight of the product

By
virtue of Legal Notices 46 and 47 retail outlets with an area of less than
200sqm are exempt from this new imposition of displaying prices also according
to the base weight and all retailers are exempted from this obligation  on
goods weighing less than 50 grammes or 50 milliliters.

Businesses
that will be affected have already started preparing for this regulation that
will be legally binding on them as of 1^st March 2013.

There was an intensive
discussion during the meeting and retailers were provided with practical
methods to implement this regulation in a way that best fits their needs. A
copy of the presentation and official documents are available by emailing .

Freight
transport is one of the major issues of discussion in Malta and it employs
hundreds of workers on the island. However, it is also the cause of congestion
and environmental problems, especially when it deploys its activities into city
centres.One
problem is that residents experience high levels of CO2 emissions and another
difficulty is that a lot of roads are damaged due to heavy vehicles passing
through such roads.

Malta
is represented in the C-Liege Project through Paragon Europe that is
coordinating the deployment and implementation of UFT measures in the Local
Council of Hal Tarxien.

During
the past 12 months, Paragon Europe together with the support of Chev. Paul
Farrugia, Mayor of Hal Tarxien, has organised three roundtables, where major
Maltese stakeholders (Transport Malta, GRTU, traffic police and other
neighbouring Local Councils) gathered and discussed best practices that would
assist Hal Tarxien to solve some of the problems related to freight traffic in
the city centre. Moreover, a public event was organized on December 19th 2012,
and the citizens were invited to bring their suggestions and ideas to improve
the measures previously identified.

Chev.
Farrugia and the other stakeholders agreed on working on four actions. The
first will be a pilot re-routing of traffic in Id-Dejma road, where freight
traffic will be closed to vehicles heavier than 3.5 tonnes during rush hours
(7-10am and 4-7pm) in order to relieve an already congested road. The second
includes the deployment of extra loading and unloading bays to support shop owners.
The third and the fourth will represent management measures.

A
Freight Quality Partnership will be set up, creating a permanent forum in Hal
Tarxien chaired by a City Logistic Manager and the Mayor to regularly discuss
freight transport issues and come up with concrete policies. The FQP will also
be in charge of creating a Local Freight Development Plan, the last of the four
identified measures, which will contain the mid and long-term measures to be
discussed and implemented.

Chev.
Paul Farrugia has expressed his concern regarding the problems that freight
traffic is creating in his city and committed himself to making Hal Tarxien the
first Maltese Local Council to have such a permanent forum and pointed out the
importance of a freight transport long-term plan during the C-Liege Workshop
held in Newcastle in October 2012. During his speech, Chev. Farrugia declared
that "thanks to C-LIEGE, we will embark on efforts to develop both a societal
and a regulatory framework for sustainable urban logistics. We need to change
mentality. The C-LIEGE project is a boost for my local Council to start
educating our citizens in the values of sustainable mobility."

On
5th February, Safer Internet Day 2013, the Commission has presented the results
of joint work of media, technology, telecoms and online companies undertaken since
their December 2011 commitment to make the internet a better and safer place
for kids (see IP/11/1485).
29
leading companies involved in this self-regulatory exercise have reported on
how they will collectively set a new benchmark for child protection online.

As
a result of their commitments, all devices (including smartphones, tablets,
computers and games consoles) could be equipped with parental control tools and
screens with simple tools for users to report harmful content and contact. The
industry is also working to ensure that parents are aware of, and make use of,
these tools. In addition, best practices have been established in terms of
age-appropriate privacy settings and effective take down of child abuse
material. Also very promising is the commitments received on technology tools
to promote wider use of content classification. Commitments will be deployed
during 2013.

The
average age for first going online in Europe is seven. Safer Internet Day 2013
is all about online rights and responsibilities, to encourage people online of
all ages to "Connect with Respect". Events are taking place across
the EU and worldwide and, as of 2014, the EU and US will 'celebrate' Safer
Internet Day" on the same day.

European
Commission Vice President Neelie Kroes said "I am very happy that these
leading companies have responded to the call and worked together across sectors
to produce concrete results. Child protection should get Board level attention.
More is needed. I look forward to implementation in 2013 and to seeing a new
benchmark emerging in the on-line industry: child protection by default".

Company
statements, published today on the Digital Agenda website, show that the
coalition has delivered concrete improvements for children:

Tools
to report online abuse or bullying are gradually becoming universal. Some
companies are going one step further and cooperating with hotlines, for
instance Telefónica, Vodafone, KPN's Meldknop or applications like SecondFriend
available on Google. Facebook has developed the Support Dashboard which enables
staff to better follow up on reports of abuse or content which violates
Facebook community standards and for users to see what action is being taken in
response.

Parental
control tools are now available across more products (computers, tablets,
smartphones games devices, as well as connected TV sets) and services, with
more coming in 2013. For example France Telecom is developing a tool for
tablets and smart phones, and parental controls will be in all of LG's mobile
devices as of April this year. A Commission study confirms this wider
availability but notes that while tools are good at blocking pornographic
materials, there has been limited progress in blocking violent, racist or other
harmful content. Companies are already providing information about their tools
or implementing them by active choice, or by default (Microsoft or Nintendo).
Companies including France Telecom, Mediaset, TeliaSonera, Tuenti and Telecom
Italia are also planning information campaigns for parents.

Content
ratings for apps, online videos and films now widely used based on companies'
own rating systems, or those of national and international bodies. A Technical
Task Force involving companies (including Deutsche Telekom, Mediaset, Nokia,
Opera, Orange, RIM, Telefónica, Vodafone), content rating agencies and
technical experts will work in 2013 to align content systems and ensure that
devices will be able to determine the age-classification of materials.

The
coalition has defined and shared best practices for age-appropriate privacy
settings. All companies are giving up to date information about their privacy
settings which will soon be searchable so that parents, teachers and children
can make better decisions about their privacy on line. Companies have also
committed to make available age-appropriate privacy settings and to offer clear
and understandable information in language that is appropriate for a younger
audience

The
industry is open about what it does to filter out child sexual abuse material
before it is reported, and to take down offensive materials. It is committed to
improving dialogue and links with abuse report hotlines and law enforcement
bodies. In 2012 hotlines to report sexual abuse materials have become more
efficient in monitoring the notice and take down process. Law enforcement
bodies have speeded up their response time in major hosting countries.

Revision of business
classes by MEPA (change of use) – ATTN: Operators in
Industrial Areas, Tourism Accommodations, Retail Outlets, Kidergartens, Crèche,
Day Nurseries and Day Centres, Schools, Colleges, Training Centers, Goldsmiths
and Silversmiths, Taxi and Vehicle Hire Service, Car sellers and dealers

MEPA
launched a revised document on the Classes Order, which basically groups uses
with similar land use and environmental impacts together into Classes, to
replace the Development Planning (Use Classes) Order of 1994. Today change of
use within the same class do not require development permissions, whist most
changes from one class to another do require a development permit. The revision
presented by MEPA will, in a number of cases, remove the need for a full
development permit when the proposed change of use is perceived to have less of
a land use and environmental impact than what is already permitted on site.

Businesses
falling within these classes are urged to attend and be informed what changes
are proposed and how these might affect them. A consultation meeting will be
held as follows:

Wednesday
13th February

15.00
– 16.30

GRTU,
Exchange Building, Republic Street, Valletta

The
meeting is free of charge but registration on or 21232881 is
required

Class
3: Renamed Tourism Accommodation and would include a new category named small
scale boutique hotels

Class
4: Retail will be replaced with five more specific classes

Class
8: Education would be divided in two groups, one for smaller establishments
that cater for less and the other for larger establishments such as schools

Class
11: Would now include also goldsmiths and silversmiths and includes a proposal
to limit the scale of a Class 11 use to 50m2 without prejudice or amnesty

Class
18: Agriculture would be split to have a new section called Agri businesses

Class
21: This would be a new Class for taxi business, vehicle hire services

Class
22: This would be a new Class for sale or display of vehicles

MEPA
also intends to simplify procedures for shifts between different types of
floorspace within shopping and business complexes and change of uses from shops
to offices and offices to dwellings amongst others.

The
full text of the public consultation is available on the MEPA website http://www.mepa.org.mt/public-consultation2

The
Approving Body (Eco Contribution Exemptions) has issued 175 Eco Contribution
Exemption Certificates to members of Green MT Waste Packaging Compliance
Scheme. Green MT submitted an application on their behalf earlier on this year. In
total these 175 producers are projecting to place 10,875 tons of packaging
waste on the market.

In
2011, Green MT members who held an Exemption Certificate actually placed over
13,600 tons of Packaging Waste on the market. Other Green Mt members in the
same year placed 6500 tons of Packaging Waste on the market thus a total of
20,100 tons. Recovery in the same year reached 13,850 tons.

As
such in calendar year 2011, Green Mt was legally obliged to recover 70% for its
members exempt from Eco Contribution, thus 9520 tons and 56% on behalf its
other members thus 3640 tons. In total a recovery of 13, 160 tons.

Green
MT, The National Authorized Waste Packaging Compliance Scheme continues to
operate and reach its legal obligations and insists that all Schemes should
operate on a fair and level playing field, which is currently not the case.

Green
MT producer members can once again rest assured that the Scheme will reach its
recovery targets for 2013 and looks forward to a year of continued cooperation
with all stakeholders to recover more and more packaging waste and recyclables.

Together…we
can do it better!

President
Paul Abela has this morning attended a breakfast session organized by the
Labour Party during which their electoral programme was explained. In his
intervention he stated that he was pleased to see that both the Labour and the
Nationalist Party had taken up a good number of GRTU proposals that formed part
of the official document GRTU presented to both political parties. 

Mr
Abela reminded the Labour Party of what an unjust law the Rent Reform was and
that this law was endorsed by both political parties. The law was passed in
support of the land lord and left the tenant without any protection. The tenant
was given a 20 year deadline, 3 years have already passed and within 17 years
the enterprise leasing the building will be thrown out. Mr Abela appealed to
the Labour Party leader that if he is elected in Government he would seek to
find a solution to this unjust situation. In his reply Joseph Muscat said that
if he is elected to Government he would be ready to meet on the issue.

Vince
Farrugia: Entrepreneurship not the last resort to unemployment – GRTU
Director General and EESC Employers Representative Vincent Farrugia has this
week attended the EESC Single Market, Production and Consumption Bureau and
Section meetings during which Stephanie Mitchell from DG Enterprise and
Industry presented the Entrepreneurship 2020 Action Plan.

In
his intervention Mr Farrugia reminded the European Commission that European
SMEs form 99.8% of total European enterprises. 
They provide two out of three of the private sector jobs and contribute
to more than half of the total value-added created by businesses in the EU. Yet
these, he said, get a very small percentage of direct aid when compared to the
large enterprise. He continued saying that the biggest obstacles remain Access
to Finance, especially as a result of the crises, Succession and Business
Transfers. These 3 problems still remain acute amongst businesses. He argued
that the Action Plan and other Commission documents are presenting
entrepreneurship as the last resort to the unemployed. ‘This is very bad.
Entrepreneurship is not a last resort and those who see it in this way will
fail at Entrepreneurship because Entrepreneurship is a determined and dedicated
commitment.' Mr Farrugia concluded by echoing what Ms Mitchell herself had said
– If you cannot help small
businesses in a direct and specific manner, get out of the way!'   

The
Entrepreneurship 2020 Action Plan will offer finance and support to
entrepreneurs in a bid to kick-start more businesses and revolutionise the
entrepreneurial culture in Europe. The plan of action stresses the importance
of education and training initiatives that will promote the growth and
development of new-generation entrepreneurs. It covers six focus areas,
addresses the need for the EU to create an environment in which entrepreneurs
can flourish and grow.

It
aims to facilitate access to finance. In addition to strengthening the EU's
existing financial instruments, the Commission proposes to simplify tax
structures and establish a European market for microfinance. It will support
businesses in critical periods. The European Commission argues that member
states ought to offer more resources that support new businesses to get through
critical periods. This includes management training, research and development
coaching, and networking with peers, potential suppliers and clients.

The
action plan will encourage businesses to take on new business opportunities of
the digital age. The Commission will also facilitate the transfer of ownership.
This initiative will expand the markets for enterprises and eliminate barriers
to cross-border business transfers. It will also give a second chance to honest
entrepreneurs after bankruptcy. The Commission has proposed a shift focus away
from liquidation to help businesses overcome financial difficulties.

These are funds of paramount importance for Malta to
further its national ambitions and meet our national 2020 targets. Today the
Maltese economy operates under specific economic and social and environmental
planning mechanisms spread over a number of years and within precise planning
and surveillance structures within the framework of European Union systems. In
addition to locally generated funds as a result of Malta's own earning
capacities as guided by national Maltese own fiscal structures and
capabilities, Malta's development and cohesion targets cannot be achieved
successfully in the absence of heavy European Union funding. European Union
Heads of Governments were under great pressure to provide a reduced total EU
multi- annual budget and after Malta surpassed successfully its objective one
threshold it became increasingly difficult for Malta to continue to sustain its
claim for increased funding so essential for our further national advancement.
It is in this framework that the Prime Minister`s success is so impressive.

Malta's membership of the European Union had proved
extremely successful and these additional funds will continue to strengthen
Malta's linkages with the large European Single Market and enhance the great
possibilities for Maltese Enterprise to reach out to a larger market and
provide for more diversified investment possibilities for Maltese
entrepreneurs. These funds will be financing major projects that will ensure
that Malta's economic infrastructure will continue to grow and modernise with
increased investments that lead to the utilisation of higher technologies that
provide for growth in enterprise and the creation of new jobs. Sustainable
economic and social advancement and cohesion within a more functional and
protected environment is much more achievable as a result of these important
additional and substantial funds. That is why for Maltese business owners this
success is so remarkable and commendable.

On the European Semester for economic policy coordination "Only once the dust has settled will people fully appreciate how far we have come" – 2013 has started on a more hopeful note for the euro area, as a euro area. It is now clear that the euro is an irreversible project. There are several signs that the worst is now behind us. In most countries, even those under pressure from the markets – from Greece to Portugal, from Ireland to Italy to Spain – budgetary positions are looking healthier, exports are picking up, on the financial side, spreads are coming down, and financial fragmentation within the euro area is easing. 

These are all helpful signs, but we should not forget that there is still a long, long way to go. After all, we are in the process of overcoming the biggest economic downturn since the 1930s, which in Europe included an existential crisis for euro. A crisis that made people fear for their savings, then fuelled some doubts about the survival of their currency itself. What could be more damaging to confidence, in households and businesses alike?

I would like to underline the importance of this point. The stabilisation of the euro area was our priority for these last three years for a very simple reason:  without stability, there could be no growth, and no job creation. From that perspective, 2012 will come to be seen as a turning-point. A vast amount of work was done in the Member States, in the euro area, and in the Union as a whole. Only once the dust has settled will people fully appreciate how far we have come.