Author: SME Chamber

A total of 200 applications which between them are requesting grants amounting to €13.9 million have been submitted in the latest call for applications issued by Malta Enterprise for five schemes co-financed through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

The scheme most in demand was that for Innovation, for which 85 applications were submitted, evidence of the local entrepreneurs' increasing awareness about the need to constantly innovate their products, service offering or processes they implement in their operations as a means of ensuring their long term sustainability and competitiveness.

Almost 50 applications were submitted for assistance through the International Competitiveness scheme, which assists enterprises to seek and enter foreign markets; around 30 for the Small Start-Up scheme; and around 20 each for the Environment and the R&D schemes.

As for the previous calls of these Schemes, through which Malta Enterprise approved almost €35 million in assistance to around 570 beneficiaries – albeit these also included the Energy and eBusiness schemes – the response has been very encouaraging.

Indeed, the amount being requested reaches €14 million and thus significantly exceeds the remaining budget of €8.5 million from the ERDF funds. The value of the projects for which applications have been submitted is envisaged to reach a global investment of around €35 million.

Wholesale and retail trade businesses accounted for 20.4 per cent of the total registered business units in 2011, according to this week's latest release by the National Statistic's Office. In 2011, the number of registered business units rose by 2.8 per cent to 64,933 from 63,139 in 2010.

The majority of the increase are micro businesses. By legal organisation, 64.3 per cent of all business units were ‘sole ownerships/partnerships'. These amounted to 41,739 registered units.

2011 has registered the lowest number of births and deaths of business units since 2006. In 2011 births amounted to 4,160 and deaths amounted to 1,594.

Size of businesses in 2011 were recorded as follows:

Micro Enterprises 0-9 employees: 62,979

Small Enterprises 10-49 employees: 1,512

Medium Enterprises 50-249 employees: 361

Large Enterprises 250+ employees: 81

The total business units amounted to 64,933. The majority are Micro Enterprises totaling 97.0 per cent of all business units.

GRTU Director General and EESC Employers Representative Vincent Farrugia has this week participated at the EESC Transport, Energy, Infrastructure and the Information Society, which amongst several other papers discussed the draft EESC Opinion on: Digital market as a driver for growth. Mr Farrugia was Rapporteur of a related paper on Expanding the use of eProcurement in the EU, which was adopted as EESC Opinion last year.

The digital economy profoundly alters habits and affects the entire social and economic fabric of our societies. Its security and interoperability are crucial. The Union's Digital Agenda is one of the flagship initiatives of the EU 2020 strategy.

Aware of the challenges, the Danish presidency has asked the EESC to identify what needs to be done in order to make it a driver of growth. Any consideration of the digital economy should involve social and civil dialogue, as well as agreements and partnerships.

The market for the market's sake is not an end in itself. ICTs must be a means to serve the economy and must not threaten our economic, social, human and cultural gains. Producing and trading online and developing the digital economy changes the employment market. The EESC called for more visibility and information for entrepreneurs and consumers, and appropriate safeguards for all.

The EU is lagging behind the great designers and providers (United States) and the great manufacturers (Asia). It should urgently implement the whole of its digital strategy and shift its approach towards confronting the challenges, both short-term (IPRs) and long-term (ageing of the population). The EESC's priorities are:

Triggering growth through ICTs

Creating growth by means of confidence in the digital economy

Developing productivity and inclusive growth

ICTs as a lever for sustainable growth

Post Crisis policy measures in the financial sector give way to longer-term growth goals Commission report finds – Resilience in the financial sector has improved in the aftermath of the financial crisis, and action is now focusing on longer-term growth goals, although vulnerabilities remain, according to an annual European Commission report on financial integration and stability.

The European Financial Stability and Integration Report (EFSIR) will be presented at today's joint conference with the European Central Bank (ECB) in Frankfurt. The event brings together policymakers, financial market leaders and academics for discussion on financial stability and integration in Europe.

"We all know that 2011 was a difficult year for Europe," said Internal Market and Services Commissioner Michel Barnier, a keynote speaker at the event. "The report's careful analysis of past and current challenges is a solid basis for continuing our reform programme and shaping future policies. The reforms we are introducing are essential to restore financial stability and to pave the way for a more resilient and integrated European market in financial services. In turn, this is the essential basis to allow for long-term growth to return in Europe."

Background

This year's report:

• 1. presents a comprehensive account of the main market trends and developments in 2011 that had a direct impact on financial stability and integration;
• 2. sets out the major policy steps taken in 2011 to redress the crisis situation and provide the foundations for more stable and sustained growth;
• 3. provides an overview of broad trends in the evolution of the structure of the EU banking sector;
• 4. gives an assessment of the impact of the crisis and regulation on the insurance sector; and
• 5. considers how household sector financial wealth and household borrowing evolved in the crisis.

More information:

Read the European Financial integration and stability report:

http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/economic_analysis/financial_integration_reports_en.htm

 

In December, Eurydice officially launched Eurypedia – the European Encyclopedia on National Education Systems. Eurypedia is a new, online resource for understanding education systems in Europe and learning about recent reforms.

 

Aiming at providing the most accurate picture of the education system organization in Europe, Eurypedia  contains more than 5000 articles and covers 38 school and university systems within the 33 countries participating in the EU's Lifelong Learning Programme (all 27 EU Member States as well as Croatia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and Turkey). Eurypedia is a wiki-based tool and its articles are drafted and published directly by the Eurydice National Units, in collaboration with their respective education Ministries and/or national experts.

All Eurypedia content is available in English and, where applicable, in the language of the country. Information in Eurypedia is conveniently organized by topic and country and can be used to either learn about aspects of one particular education system or to compare topics between countries.

Eurypedia is available online at:

http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/education/eurypedia

In all sectors, whether these sectors are covered by a Wages Council Wage Regulation Order or not, the employer may introduce schemes to bank hours, whereby up to three hundred and seventy-six hours of the normal annual working hours in each calendar year may be banked, thus allowing extra hours over and above the normal weekly working hours to be worked during periods of higher work activity which would be redeemed during periods of lower activity by having working hours below the normal weekly working hours.

 

Provided that the average weekly working time, including overtime, shall not exceed an average of forty-eight hours over the applicable reference period in terms of the Organization of Working Time Regulations 2003, unless the employee concerned has given his consent in writing to work more than a weekly average of forty-eight hours.

LN 46 of 2012 permits the employer to introduce schemes to bank hours, whereby up to 376 hours of the normal annual working hours in each calendar year may be banked, thus allowing extra hours over and above the normal weekly working hours to be worked during periods of higher work activity which would be redeemed during periods of lower activity by having working hours below the normal weekly working hours. Provided that the average weekly working time, including overtime, shall not exceed an average of 48 hours over the applicable reference period as stipulated by the Organization of Working Time Regulations 2003, unless the employee concerned has given his consent in writing to work more than a weekly average of forty-eight hours.

Only those hours on any day in a week which attract the normal hourly rate of payment can be banked. Similarly, any hours of work which have been banked in order to be utilized during weeks of lower work activity shall only be so utilized on a weekly day of work where the hours of work are paid at a normal rate.

The legal notice provides a number of safeguards to prevent abuse and also deals with the relationship of entitlements such as leave with banking hours. This information was provided by the Department of Industrial Relations.

Why did you become an entrepreneur? At first I was employed by a local firm and as time went by I ended up being a shareholder. At a later stage I decided to open up my own business and started everything from scretch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How have you come to choose your line of business?

About 40 years ago I received some correspondence from a foreign company producing household goods and since this company was not represented in Malta I decided to start importing these products.

Where did you go on your last holiday?

South of Germany – The breath taking views of the Alps and country Side.

What is your earliest memory?

When we used to use the paraffin lamps.

If you could chose to be someone famous who would you be and why?

Michael Buble – For his style of music !

In March 2012 compared with February 2012, the volume of retail trade rose by 0.3% in the euro area (EA17) and by 0.7% in the EU27. In February retail trade fell by 0.2% and 0.5% respectively. In March 2012, compared with March 2011, the retail sales index dropped by 0.2% in the euro area, but grew by 1.0% in the EU27.

 

Monthly comparison – In March 2012, compared with February 2012, "Food, drinks and tobacco" remained stable in both the euro area and the EU27. The non food sector increased by 0.1% and 0.6% respectively. Among the Member States for which data are available, total retail trade rose in ten, fell in nine and remained stable in Ireland and Sweden. The highest increases were observed in Bulgaria (+3.9%), Poland (+2.6%), Austria and the United Kingdom (both +1.9%), and the largest decreases in Portugal (-2.2%), Estonia (-2.0%) and Slovenia (-1.4%).

Annual comparison

In March 2012, compared with March 2011, "Food, drinks and tobacco" fell by 0.3% in the euro area and remained stable in the EU27. The non food sector rose by 0.3% and 2.2% respectively. Among the Member States for which data are available, total retail trade rose in fifteen and fell in six. The highest increases were observed in Latvia (+10.0%), Estonia (+9.3%) and Luxembourg (+7.2%), and the largest decreases in Portugal (-5.0%), Spain (-3.9%) and Malta (-2.7%).

Diskors tal-President tal-GRTU – Malta Chamber of SMEs  -Fl-okkażjoni tat-Tnedija tal- Istandards tax-Xogħol fis-Settur tal-Motor Damage li giet organizzata flimkien mall-Kunsill Malti ghall-Kwalifiki u l-Malta Chamber of Motor Assessors illum 4 ta' Mejju 2012. Ghall-okkazzjoni attendiet l-Onorevoli Dolores Cristina – Ministru tal-Edukazzjoni u x-Xoghol

 

Paul Abela qal li ghanijiet primarji tal-imprenditur huma li jkabbar u jikseb aktar valur ghall-intrapriza tieghu. F'dinja li titmexxa mit-teknologija fejn l-ambjent ta` madwarna u r-regoli li nghixu fihom jinbidlu kontinwament, hu diffiċilissimu, b'mod speċjali għall- intraprża żgħira, żżomm aġġornata mal-avvenimenti mportanti kollha li jkunu qed jiġru. Għal imprenditur li ma jiflaħx iħallas paga oħra u li ma jistax jeħodha fuq dahru wkoll bl-impenji aktar importanti tal-intrapriza tieghuli jżomm aġġornat hi ġlieda li kważi jitlef kuljum.

Il-GRTU hi leħen l-intrapriża privata u tradizzjonalment tirrapreżenta , u tipproteġi l-interessi tal-imprenditur. Ahna nifhmu dak li ftit jifhmu, li xogħol l-imprenditur hu xogħol diffiċilissimu, ta` tensjoni għall-persuna u xogħol li wieħed għandu jammira. L-intrapriża żżomm l-ekonomija għaddejja u tħaddem bosta membri mill-familji tagħna.

Bdejna minn numru żgħir ta` negozjanti li ngħaqdu biex iwaqqfu l-inġustizzji li kienu qegħdin isiru għaliex fehmu li kien ħaqqhom trattament aħjar. Illum aħna organizzazjoni nazzjonali, membru tal-għola istituzzjoni konsultattiva u prezenti kemm fuq livell nazzjonali kif ukoll dak Ewropew.

Il-GRTU hi organizzata fuq skala Nazzjonali, Settorjali, kif ukoll ta` Kunsilli Lokali. Fuq livell Nazzjonali l-GRTU tiġbor l-opinjonijiet tas-sidien tan-negozji żgħar u medji u s-self employed minn kull qasam ta` negozju u tressaqhom lill-awtoritajiet fil-proċess ta` konsultazzjoni li ma jispiċċa qatt. Fuq livell Settorjali l-GRTU tiġbor ukoll lis-sidien tan-negozji, qasam b'qasam, u dawn fl-mkien janaliżżaw il-proposti u l-miżuri, proposti mill-awtoritajiet, l-istituzzjonijiet jew l-imsieħba speċjaliżżati, u b'hekk jgħaddu l-kummenti tagħhom u jitgħalmu jaddottaw dak li jkun qed jinbidel. Fuq livell ta` kunsilli lokali l-GRTU żżomm kuntatt kontinwu mas-sindki u l-kunsilliera kollha għaliex hi l-unika organiżżazjoni li tirrapreżenta lis-sidien kollha ta` Malta u Għawdex fil-lokalita` individwali tagħhom. Huma ħafna d-deċiżjonijiet li jittieħdu fil-lokalita li jaffetwaw lis-sidien.

Bħala forza pubblika l-GRTU taħdem favur it-tkabbir tal-ekonomija lokali u s-sostenibbilita tal-lokalitajiet. Taħdem ukoll fuq livell Ewropew bis-saħħa tar-rappreżentanza attiva f'organiżazzjonijiet Ewropej li jirraprezentaw l-oganiżazzjonijiet nazzjonali bhal EuroCommerce li titkellem f'isem sidien tal-ħwienet, wholesalers u kummerċ internazzjonali u UEAPME li titkellem f'isem entrapriżi żgħar u medji. Il-GRTU hi wkoll irreġistrata bhala Employers Association u għandha rappreżentanza diretta f'isem is-sidien tan-negozji zgħar u medji Maltin fl-European Economic and Social Committee. 

Il-GRTU mhux biss hi grupp ta` pressjoni iżda hi l-one stop shop u l-aħjar business partner ta` l-imprenditur. Izzomm l-intrapriżi aġġornati b'kull avveniment importanti li għandhom ikunu jafu bih, nikkonsultawhom fuq tibdil ta`liġijiet ġejjin mil-lokal u mill-Unjoni Ewropeja, nieħdu hsib in-negozju tagħhom fil-lokalita bir-relazzjonijiet tajba li għandna mal-kunsilli lokali, noffru servizz ta` parir legali u nżommu l-membri tagħna aġġornati fejn jidħlu fondi.

Il-GRTU tirrapreżenta l-akbar ammont ta` intrapriżi u għal daqs tant hi l-akbar organiżżazjoni rappresentattiva ta` dan is-settur. Kien għal raġunijiet li semmejt li l-GRTU ddeċidiet li taħdem flimkien mal-Kunsill Malti għall-Kwalifiki u l-Malta Chamber of Motor Assessors sabiex jiġu żviluppati standards tax-xogħol f'dan is-settur.  U dan għaliex, il-GRTU temmen illi l-istandards tax-Xogħol għandhom valur kbir u utili fl-industrija. Jistgħu, nghidu ahna, jintużaw bħala kriterji għar-reklutaġġ ta' individwi, għad-disinn u l-evalwazzjoni t'impjiegi, għall-analiżi tal-ħtiġijiet ta ' taħriġ, ghat-tfassil ta' programmi ta' tagħlim u għall-evalwazzjonijiet tar-rendiment kontinwu. L-istandards jipprovdu punt ta' referenza essenzjali għall-individwi li jaspiraw fil-progressjoni tal-karriera tagħhom.

L-istandards tax-xogħol jassistu lil min iħaddem f'firxa ta' attivitajiet fuq il-post tax-xogħol, fosthom ippjanar aħjar.  Fil-fatt l-istandards tax-xogħol jistgħu jintużaw għall-iżviluppar ta' taħriġ u pjannijiet għar-reklutaġ ta' ħaddiema prospettivi, għall-identifikar ta' lakuni fil-kompetenzi tal-ħaddiema u anke għall-bażi tad-deskrizzjoni tal-impjiegi.

Sabiex jiġu implimentati dawn l-istandards tax-xogħol, hemm bżonn li kull industrija jkollha rappreżentanza f'għaqdiet ta' ħiliet settorjali li għandhom jiġu stabbiliti mill-Gvern biex jindirizzaw xi nuqqasijiet fil-ħiliet tal-ħaddiema fi ħdan l-Industrija. Ix-xogħol ta' dawn l-għaqdiet ta' ħiliet settorjali huwa li jirrappreżentaw l-interessi kemm ta' min iħaddem u dan sabiex min iħaddem ikollu vuċi fit-tfassil ta' korsijiet fis-sistema edukattiva, kif ukoll tal-gvern u dan għas-sosteniment ta' dawn l-għaqdiet ta' ħiliet settorjali.

L-użu tal-istandards tax-xogħol, bħala munita komuni bejn is-sistemi differenti ta' edukazzjoni, jgħinu sabiex jitneħħew l-ostakli bla bżonn għall-individwi li juru

ix-xewqa li jidħlu fis-sistema edukattiva formali u wkoll jagħti lok għall-aktar trasparenza lill-individwi li jkunu jridu jipprogressaw fil- karriera tagħhom fi ħdan l-industrija. Fi kliem ieħor, l-istandards tax-xogħol jipprovdu munita komuni għal sistema li tippermetti:

mogħdijiet aktar ċara bejn is-sistemi ta progressjoni akkademiċi, vokazzjonali u professjonali;u

individwi li jiksbu l-kwalifiki meħtieġa sabiex jaħdmu fl-industrija.

L-individwi jitgħallmu f'kuntesti u forom differenti u għalhekk l-istandards tax-xogħol għandhom potenzjal li jkunu għodda li tgħin fir-rikonoxximent, fil-valutazzjoni u fiċ-ċertifikazzjoni tal-kompetenzi tal-individwi li jiġu assessjati skont il-kriterji stabbilitif'dawn l-istandards tax-xogħol.   Barra minn hekk, ħaddiema jistgħu jużaw dawn l-istandards tax-xogħol bħala għodda biex jagħmlu awto-evalwazzjoni tal-kompetenzi tagħhom. Bħala GRTU, aħna nemmnu illi kemm min iħaddem kif ukoll l-impjegat għandu jiġi nkoraġġut sabiex itejjeb il-karriera tiegħu billi kontinwament jikseb għerf u ħiliet li jistgħu jgħinuh fuq il-post tax-xogħol tiegħu.  U għalhekk kif ġa semmejt nemmen li dawn l-istandards ser ikunu mezz fejn min iħaddem u l-impjegat kemm dak li ġa qiegħed fuq il-post tax-xogħol kif ukoll dak li jixtieq jaħdem fis-settur speċifiku, ser ikollhom ippreżentati lilhom kriterji li jridu jilħqu sabiex jissejħu kompetenti f'dak ix-xogħol speċifiku.

Il-GRTU fehmet dan kollu u għalhekk b'impenn iddeċidiet illi taħdem flimkien ma' setturi differenti sabiex tgħinhom jiżviluppaw standards tax-xogħol illi jkunu ta' benefiċċju kemm għal min iħaddem kif ukoll għall-impjegati. 

Fl-aħħarnett, nemmen li din mhix ser tkun l-unika darba li ser naħdmu mal-Kunsill Malti għall-Kwalifiki u nawgura li kif ħdimna mas-settur tal-Motor Damage Assessment, naħdmu ma' setturi oħra sabiex ikollna industrji b'nies kompetenti u kompettittivi fil-qasam tax-xogħol tagħhom.