Author: SME Chamber

During this period, the Commission
will launch a Green Paper (framing questions and calling for policy or
legislative options) and carry out an impact assessment involving 5 Commission
DGs. Also DG COMP has announced a major study to collect evidence on the impact
of recent retail developments on consumer choice and innovation while DG MARKT
is launching its study on national legal systems covering B2B relations.

The
agreement with Colombia and Peru should be provisionally applied in the
first trimester 2013, the Central America
agreement is expected to be followed in the course of the second quarter 2013.
Both agreements still have to be ratified by all member states to be fully
implemented.

SINGAPORE

The
European Commission and Singapore
completed the negotiations on an FTA on 16 December. The trade deal will remove
non-tariff barriers and provide better market access. Both the EU and Singapore will
now seek approval for the agreement from their respective political authorities
and envisage initialing the draft agreement in spring 2013.

As from 1 February 2014, all credit
transfer or direct debit payments in euro made within or between any of the 27
EU Members States, Iceland, Liechtenstein,
Norway, Switzerland and Monaco must be SEPA compliant. What
does this mean for Maltese businesses in practical terms?

In a nutshell, with effect from 1
February 2014:

(i) The beneficiary's International
Bank Account Number (IBAN). Therefore payers must take steps to convert all
beneficiary account numbers to IBAN format. Local banks are temporarily
offering free conversion services to their customers to facilitate this
process, so contact your bank to avail yourself of this service.

(ii) 
The Business Identifier Code (BIC) of the beneficiary's bank. So payers
need to obtain this information from their creditors if they do not already
have it.

In view of these requirements, all
businesses should make it a point to quote their own IBAN and their bank's BIC
on all their invoices, so that this information is readily available to their
own debtors when the latter need to effect settlement of those invoices.

All this calls for close liaison
between management, the Accounts and I.T. Departments, and external I.T.
providers, and will require time and resources to implement. Provision must
also be made for testing, and to give appropriate training to staff.

The clock is now rapidly ticking
towards 1 February 2014, so there is no longer time to waste. Time is of the
essence to ensure a smooth transition to SEPA. So GET READY for SEPA….ACT NOW!

* A microenterprise is one which
employs fewer than 10 persons and whose annual turnover and/or annual balance
sheet does not exceed € 2 million.

GRTU Survey with Local Councils – Full report – As previously mentioned in GRTU's
Newstring, we have conducted a survey to determine the different trends within
each locality in the way they prepare for the festive season. The following is a full report of the
results gathered:

93% of the localities in Malta and Gozo
decorate the main streets or squares of their locality. Most of the Council's
finance these activities 100% and they engage contractors to decorate.

A large number of localities plan
activities for the children and elderly residents, which range from outings to
parties. Some localities are however developing a growing interest in the
festive season and are putting in a great deal of effort and through in
preparing that special thing that makes them different from other localities,
that appeals to their residents and others outside and makes it that bit more
special.

Nadur
Local Council

Organization of an open market and have
invited ABBA GOLD from the UK
to perform in the locality.

Qala
Local Council

Each year they perform plays and read
poetry with direct reference to Qala traditions.

           
Poala Local Council

They have yet again created a festive
activity called ‘Milied f'casal'. One this night the main square is closed off
to traffic and food stalls are placed around the square.

           
Mellieha Local Council

They have prepared for their annual 4
day event known as ‘Milied Melliehi'.

           
Qormi Local Council

Christmas concert and their local
marching bands perform in the streets

           
Rabat (Gozo)
Local Council

Concert is in the main square where
local artists perform such as Winter Moods, Ira Losco and so on.

           
Gzira Local Council

A Christmas Village
and a live crib

           
Floriana Local Council

Will yet again hold a New Years
Eve  event at the Fosos in collaboration with Valletta Local Council.

These are just a few of the
localities questioned. It was also determined that 39% of the Local Councils
have increased their initiative to further develop festive activities, however
some have also stated that it has become difficult to engage and find support
within the business community. Most of these localities have also mentioned
that there is an increasing number of residents that have volunteered to help
with these activities.

GRTU and Atlas Insurance PPC Ltd have
together entered into a corporate agreement were GRTU members will benefit from
various initiatives that will be introduced with the primary aim of assisting
the members with all their insurance needs. This agreement was signed by
President Paul Abela on behalf of GRTU and Managing Director Michael Gatt on
behalf of Atlas Insurance PPC Ltd.

Previously to this signing a Health
and Safety seminar was also held by GRTU with the support of Atlas, which was
followed with positive feedback. It was stated during the meeting that
this  agreement is just the beginning of
a fruitful collaboration between our two parties.

GRTU always aims to provide
additional services to its members and act as a one stop shop for business
needs.

GRTU warmly extends the best of
greetings to all GRTU members. This has been another successful year for GRTU
and our social enterprise initiative, Green
MT. The management structure of
GRTU continued to improve with more of GRTU executives specializing on specific
areas of importance for our members.
Our EU & International Support
Services ably managed by Abigail Mamo this year have once again continued to
improve. We continue to publish a highly effective and informative newsletter every
Friday evening: GRTU Newstring. The Newstring is by far Malta's best EU and Business information
electronic publication in Malta.

 More than 25,000 readers now regularly view the GRTU Newstring. The EU Desk has
now become specialist on all EU Communications, Green Papers and Proposals.
This background analysis serves also to support the work of GRTU's Director
General as Maltese Employers' Representative at the European Economic and
Social Committee (EESC) where he succeeds to raise and comment upon a vast
number of issues. Their work is also reflected and supportive to GRTU President
Paul Abela as member of the European Social Fund (ESF), Vice President Michael
Galea as member of the UEAPME Social Dialogue Project and other GRTU
representation at UEAPME, EuroCommerce and during the increasing number of
conferences held in Brussels
and other European Capitals.

The work of the EU & International
Desk is also reflected in the growing number of direct services to individual
members and section committees seeking services or having interest in doing
business with foreign countries, funding and incentive schemes amongst others
and in the number of opinions and papers GRTU now presents to practically all
Ministries and Authorities in Malta.
This Desk also is the main producer of official documents on all major GRTU
events, conferences and proposal for Budget and other schemes of consultation.
This year GRTU was more active at EU level than ever before and our standing as
Maltese Employers Representative of EESC and at ESF as well as our active
pressure at Euro Commerce and at UEAPME has given GRTU a positive reputation
with all EU institutions at EU level in general.

The Localities Support Services is
another growing important part of GRTU management. GRTU through Carmen Borg's
unit now handles all major issues at locality level faced by our growing
membership in each locality. The issues handled react out from traffic
management, special locality events, and municipality support service and
issues of individual concern to businesses in the community. Many members here
benefit from individual support for their business and guidance on specific
matters.

The Environment Compliance Services have
constituted a great innovation within GRTU over these last years. Through the
formidable Green MT team, GRTU now handles the environment
and recycling compliance issues of thousands of enterprises. Under the capable
leadership of the Green MT CEO Joe Attard, the Green MT and GRTU team today are
the main voice of the enterprise on all issues related to the EU Waste
Management Framework.

The general Membership Support Team
under Elizabeth Said remains a reliable and exceptional part of GRTU Direct
services support. This is the Unit which is in constant daily contact with
GRTU's membership base, filing in complaints and issues for the rest of the
GRTU team to analyze and seek solutions and representation to resolve
identified problems.

This administrative team lead by young
yet dynamic Bernice Cutajar does the miracles. The bulk of issues and sheer
volume of paperwork and electronic communication that GRTU has now to handle is
exceptional, yet this team keeps producing results of increasing quality.

In Malta GRTU is probably the most
effective business representative organization recognized repeatedly by the
Prime Minister Hon. Lawrence Gonzi and by all leading Ministers more especially
by Hon. Tonio Fenech Minister, Hon George Pullicino, Hon Mario de Marco, Hon
Chris Said, Hon Dolores Christina and Hon Jason Azzopardi Minist. GRTU's relationship
with these Ministers is strong, regular and extremely fruitful.

This year we also faced tremendously
annoying and grossly unfair criticism from those green with envy at our
successes and from those who still look down on the people we represent, the
owners of small businesses and the self-employed. But GRTU has learned to live
with all of this. 2012 was a good year for GRTU and a good year for the
enterprises we represent. It could have been a year that further dipped our
economy in a second round of recession. It did not happen. Malta is one
spot in the whole EU system that can fell relatively good at the end of 2012
and look forward for a happier 2013.

GRTU did a great job this year. The
results show this will be explained in detail during our AGM this January when
GRTU Director General Vince Farrugia will present the Annual Report. A year of
tremendous work that only a formidable organization can master.

To all at GRTU, to all our members and
supporters and to all the consumers of our members, the Newstring team wishes a
Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

The
European Commission has launched a public consultation in order to collect
views from stakeholders on the review of the Strategy on Air Pollution. This is
the final consultation on the review of EU air policy that follows two years of
discussions within the Stakeholders Expert Group and with the broader public.

The
current consultation aims at identifying the possible options for a
comprehensive air pollution policy package that would aim to ensure full
implementation of the existing legal framework and make further progress to
reduce the negative impacts of air pollution in the longer term.

Air
pollution and the associated threats to the environment and human health
continue to be a concern for many EU citizens. Despite progress in the past
decades resulting from legislation to reduce harmful pollutants some pollutants
are still causing problems.

The
consultation is divided into two parts:

a
short questionnaire for the general public: http://ec.europa.eu/yourvoice/ipm/forms/dispatch?form=TSAPforGP

a
more extensive questionnaire for experts and practitioners from national
administrations, regional and local authorities, researchers, businesses,
stakeholders, health, environmental and other groups with experience in
implementing EU air quality legislation:
http://ec.europa.eu/yourvoice/ipm/forms/dispatch?form=TSAPforExperts

The
questionnaire asks opinions about the following issues:

–        ensuring compliance with EU air quality
requirements;

–        reducing exposure to damaging air
pollution in the long term;

–        revising the Ambient Air Quality
Directive (AAQD);

–        revising the National Emission Ceilings
Directive (NECD);

–        on major air pollution sources, such as
road and off-road transport, agriculture, small/medium combustion sector, and
the shipping sector.

The
deadline to reply to the questionnaires is the 4th March 2013.

The
European Commission has recently published a guide to human rights for SMEs
which you will find attached to this email. This guidebook aims to give SME
entrepreneurs guidance on how to address and minimise risks related to possible
human rights violations that can occur within a company or in its relations
with other businesses, e.g. suppliers. The guide is based on the UN Guiding
Principles on Business and Human Rights and translates these principles into
the context of European SMEs.

So what exactly are the UN Guiding Principle on
Business and Human Rights?

The
UN Guiding Principles define what governments and businesses should do in order
to avoid and address negative impacts on human rights by businesses. This guide
focuses on what is expected of businesses. The UN Guiding Principles give all
businesses – small and large – the recipe for what it takes to respect human rights.

What kind of enterprise is this guide for?

This
guide has been written for small and medium sized enterprises in the European
Union.  All enterprises, from small and
medium-sized enterprises through to large multinational corporations, have a
responsibility to respect human rights.

But what are human rights?

Human
rights are the rights we are entitled to simply because we are human beings.
They represent the universally agreed minimum conditions that enable all people
to maintain their dignity. Human rights are inherent to all of us, whatever our
nationality, place of residence, sex, national or ethnic origin, colour,
religion, language, or any other status.

I manage a company, so why should I take an
interest in human rights?

Like most managers, you probably aim to treat your employees and
customers respectfully. By actively dealing with human rights, you can make
sure that this is the case. It's an opportunity to make sure your business puts
people first and is a business you can be truly proud of.

So will respecting human rights make my
business more profitable?

Increasingly
the answer is yes, but not always and maybe not immediately. Dealing explicitly
with human rights can function as a radar or early-warning system. It enables
you to identify potential problems and to resolve them before they become more
serious and more costly. A human rights focus may also improve customer
relations and reputation, and enhance employees' job satisfaction, with a
positive impact on productivity and efficiency. It may help you to avoid
additional costs associated with attracting and keeping the right staff,
gaining permits or dealing with public opposition to new business ideas you may
have. Avoiding and addressing negative human rights impacts can also inspire innovative
solutions and improvements that help you to be a stronger, more resilient
business. The bottom line is that you have a responsibility to respect human
rights whether or not it brings financial benefits to your business.

My company complies with the law. Isn't that enough?

If
you are operating in the EU and you comply with the law, you will usually have
come a long way towards ensuring that you do not negatively impact human
rights. For example, complying with health and safety regulation helps you to
avoid negative impacts on the right to life, the right to a safe work
environment and the right to physical and mental health.

Can I deal with human rights within my existing
management processes and systems?

Often
you should be able to respect human rights by adjusting existing processes and
systems. For example, if you carry out risk analyses you may be able to expand
them to include identification of your risks of negative impacts on human
rights. You may also have in place management systems to help you handle health
and safety, environmental impacts or quality more efficiently. Such systems can
be used to help you avoid and address possible negative human rights impacts.

Am I expected to do this on my own?

Yes
and no. The responsibility is yours, but you will probably find it useful to
collaborate with others and benefiting from lessons learned. The authorities
will guide you and support you in your initiatives.

Human
Rights considerations in you own activities

1. When you recruit employees…

2. Once you have recruited employees and they are working for you…

3. When setting salaries and deciding
who to promote…

4. When one of your employees gets pregnant or has a pregnant spouse…

5. If you advertise products…

6. If you sell products directly to
consumers…

7. If your employees work under highly stressful conditions…

8. If your employees work with
harmful substances…

9. If your business uses machinery or
vehicles…

For
further information:
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/sustainable-business/corporate-social-responsibility/human-rights/

The European Employment Service
(EURES) of the Employment and Training Corporation (ETC) and the European Union
Programmes Agency (EUPA) are organising the European Jobs and Mobility Fair.
The European Jobs and Mobility Fair will take place on Friday 14th and Saturday 15th December, at the Grand Hotel
Excelsior, Floriana. Opening hours are: 09:00hrs
– 13:00hrs, and 15:00hrs – 19:00hrs, on both days.

Click here for more information:
http://llp.eupa.org.mt/news.php?act=news_detail&id=102