Author: SME Chamber

GRTU DG and EESC Employers' representative, Vince Farrugia, has this week also participated in the Launch of the European Citizens' Initiative in representation of EESC. In his intervention Mr Farrugia congratulated the EU institutions for this initiative. He said that for this action to be effective we need to involve the largest number of citizens. Vince Farrugia mentioned that from the experience he has of representing SMEs he feels people fail to understand that behind every business there are citizens.

 

The faces behind the owners of small business in Europe are those of at least half the citizens of the United Europe. There are 23 million SMEs, most of them small businesses, and if we take just a figure of 10 as representing employees and family of owner we are talking of half the EU population, this without taking into consideration others involved. These citizens depend on the success of the European Union and its initiatives. They are people firsts, citizens first, and obstacles to their functioning as citizens in a free Europe are obstacles to their economic activity, to their way of living and to their security as citizens.

The Commission has identified this through the important Citizens Report of 2010 and others, including the important Monti report on the Single Market. Ongoing are a number of institution run initiatives in which I am myself involved as EESC Rapporteur on issues like removal of: Cross Border Tax Obstacles for EU Citizens, Obstacles for the furtherance of E-Procurement, Double Taxation and now also obstacles to Citizens on Inheritance Taxes. I also drafted an important report on Budget Surveillance where I insisted on action to safeguard from budgetary austerity important commitment initiatives.

The system of research by the institutions and work on what the consultations bring to the fore are evident, but we know all too well that this is not good enough, not sufficient to diminish the growing disenchantment of EU Citizens with the EU. That is why the European Citizen's Initiative is so important. Essentially the Commission is saying that "what we do is never good enough" now "you as citizens have the right too take own initiatives. Don't just sit there and criticise but mobilise and throw Initiatives at us backed by a million signatures so you really force us to act the way you want".

"This is a tremendous challenge. It is really our duty as leaders in our communities to accept this challenge" concluded Vince Farrugia. "It is now up to the citizens to act in a concerted form. Not just parading and barricading. But concrete organised initiatives backed by committed citizens."

"The ball now is in the citizens court. The leaders, myself included, are often criticised for not doing enough even though we hardly have time for ourselves. We now must act as leaders to cause our citizens to come forward and help them organise to bring to the fore new initiatives that are really citizens' initiatives"

 

Nikolina Aguis and Edward Arrigo are the first two proud winners of Euro 50 cash voucher each. They participated in the recovery of glass through Green MTs initiative for increasing glass collection from Siggiewi. Siggiewi is the first locality indergoing such an initiative. In our third week of collection, Green MT recovered nearly two tons of glass from Siggiewi last Monday.

 

Green MT will be providing eight cash vouchers of Euro 50 each monthly in localities where a glass collection will be held. Coming Monday 2^nd April, a collection for glass starts from Mgarr Malta and on Thursday 5^th April another first collection of glass takes place in Ghasri Gozo.

Glass is being collected in plastic crates provided to the community by Green MT under an agreement with the individual Local Councils. The Scheme intends to have collections from minimally ten Local councils in Malta and all Local Councils in Agreement with Green MT in Gozo. This is an island wide initiative to decrease glass going to land fills. We do not want another Wied Fulija anywhere else in Malta. Enough is enough and we will continue to work with Government Authorities to provide an acceptable parameter to the Competent Authority so that glass fraction is reused locally thus creating more economies of scale.

Once we get the public on board of this initiative, our next step is to segregate glass according to its colour. This would be more beneficial…however we have made a start on the long and ambitious road…and each and every resident has a duty to either use the system or else use the glass Bring In Sites.

Vincent Farrugia EESC Employers Representative and GRTU Director General this week spoke in support of the Opinion presented by Lannoo and Burns regarding a Commission proposal establishing a Programme for the Competitiveness of Enterprises and small and medium-sized enterprises (COSME) (2014-2020).

 

The EESC Opinion

The EESC Opinion states that the programme should:

1. address all businesses;

2. focus its resources on essential priorities: information, support and advice, access to markets and to financing, adaptation of EU requirements and standards, cooperation, incorporation of the priorities of EU 2020 Strategy (innovation, green economy and the employment of young people);

3. establish a fifth specific objective to this end: to support SMEs and their access to advice, focusing on small and microenterprises.

The EESC stresses that there is an insufficient level of governance partnership in the proposal. The EESC calls for the creation of a working group that would allow European SME organisations to be consulted during all stages of planning, implementing and monitoring the COSME programme.

Important points presented in the paper were also:

1. a distinction to be made between, on the one hand, access to markets and on the other, information, advice and setting up SMEs;

2. support for action already undertaken by SME organisations and public organisations in the Member States;

3.  a modification of the missions and organisation of the Europe Enterprise Network to ensure that it complements the action of SME organisations and involves them directly in its work. The network must be more visible and its potential should be fully used.

What is COSME?

COSME has a planned budget of €2.5bn (current prices). Its objectives are:

1. facilitating access to finance for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs)

2. creating an environment favourable to business creation and growth

3. encouraging an entrepreneurial culture in Europe

4. increasing the sustainable competitiveness of EU companies

5. helping small businesses operate outside their home countries and improving their access to markets

COSME will:

1. ensure continuity with initiatives and actions already undertaken under the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (EIP), such as the Enterprise Europe Network, building on results and lessons learnt.

2. continue the many successful features of the EIP, while simplifying management of the programme to make it easier for entrepreneurs and small businesses to benefit.

3. support, complement and help coordinate actions by EU member countries. COSME will specifically tackle transnational issues that – thanks to economies of scale and the demonstration effect – can be more effectively addressed at European level.

 

COSME is expected to contribute to an annual increase of €1.1bn in the EU's GDP. The Enterprise Europe Network is expected to assist 40,000 companies with partnership agreements, resulting in:

1,200 new business products, services or processes annually

€400mn annually in additional turnover for assisted companies.

Access to finance will be easier for entrepreneurs, in particular those willing to launch cross-border activities, resulting in an expected annual increase of €3.5bn in additional lending and/or investment for EU companies.

What happens now?

The Commission's proposal will be discussed by the European Parliament and the Council, which must agree to adopt it. COSME should start on 1 January 2014.

Fil-25 ta' Jannar 2012 l-GRTU organizzat laqgha ghall-membri taghha mall-Onorevoli Jason Azzopardi, Ministru ghall-Kompetizzjoni Gusta, Negozji Zghar u l-Konsumatur, fejn fost affarijiet li gew diskussi qamet diskussjoni dwar l-possibilta' li tigi mahfura s-somma ta' Ewro 700 sabiex sid ta' hanut jkun jista jiftah f'Festi Pubblici li jaqghu matul l-Gimgha. Il-GRTU giet mitluba sabiex tahdem fuq il-granet ta' Festi Pubblici li jaqghu matul 2012 u tipprezenthom lill-Ministru sabiex jigu diskussi fil-Kabinet. Il-Gvern laqa' t-talba li għamlitlu l-GRTU sabiex l-istabbilimenti kummerċjali kollha f'Malta u Għawdex jirbhu d-dritt ghall-hanut jew stabbiliment taghhom li jiddeciedu huma jekk jifthux biex iservu l-pubbliku f'numru ta' festi pubblici minghajr ma jhallsu s-somma ta' Ewro 700. Il-lista li talbet l-GRTU ghan-nom tas-sidien ghas-sena 2012 hi din:

Il-Gimgha 10 ta' Frar (ma lahqitx intlahqet decizjoni), fejn l-ħwienet jistgħu jiftħu mill-4 ta' filgħodu sat-8 ta' filgħaxija, is-Sibt 31 ta' Marzu, il-Hamis 7 ta' Ġunju, il-Ġimgħa 29 ta' Ġunju, is-Sibt 8 ta' Settembru, il-Gimgha 21 ta' Settembru. 

Il-Festi pubbliċi għas-sena 2013 huma:

Il-Hadd 10 ta' Frar (f'dan il-kaz ser jahbat Hadd il-Karnival), il-Hadd 31 ta' Marzu,il-Gimgha 7 ta' Ġunju, is-Sibt 29 ta' Ġunju, il-Hadd 8 ta' Settembru, is-Sibt 21 ta' Settembru

Id-dati ghas-sena 2013 hawn fuq msemmija huma suggett ghad-disussjoni minhabba li hemm xi festi li jaqghu l-Hadd li jridu jimbidlu ma granet ohra li jaqghu matul il-gimgha. Il-GRTU taghmilha cara li din hija issue ta' Festi Pubblici li jaqghu matul il-Gimgha u mhux issue ta' Sunday Trading.

Dawk l-istabbilimenti kummerċjali li huma liċenzjati bħala stabbilimenti ta' catering jew bħala nightclubs, diskoteki jew post ieħor fejn isir iż-żfin, jistgħu jibqgħu miftuħin sal-4 ta' filghodu fil-lejl tas-7 ta' April 2012.

Il-ħinijiet tal-ftuħ tal-istabbilimenti kummerċjali għall-perjodu tal-Milied, jiġifieri bejn l-1 ta' Novembru u s-7 ta' Jannar se jibqgħu l-istess mingħajr ebda eċċezzjoni fejn dawn jistgħu jiftħu mit-Tnejn sal-Hadd mill-4 ta' filgħodu sal-10 ta' filgħaxija.

Il-festi pubbliċi li jaqgħu f'dan il-perjodu li huma t-8 ta Diċembru, it-13 ta' Diċembru, Jum Il-Milied u Jum l-Ewwel tas-sena se jkunu jistgħu jiftħu bejn l-4 ta' Filgħodu u l-10 ta' filgħaxija mingħajr ebda eċċezzjoni.

Is-sitwazzjoni ghalhekk hi kif gej;

Dawk is-sidien li jixtiequ jifthu f'dawn il-granet msemmija ma humiex obbligati li jhallsu Ewro 700 sabiex jaghmlu dan. Il-GRTU taghmilha cara li mhux obbligu sabiex wiehed jiftah anzi, tappella lis-sidien kollha biex jekk mhux tant importanti kummercjalment ghandhom jaghtu priorita lis-serhan taghhom bhala individwi u tal-familja taghhom kif ukoll s-serhan tal-impjegati taghhom u l-htigijiet tar-residenti fil-madwar tan-negozju taghhom.   

EESC employers representative and GRTU Director General Vincent Farrugia has this week participated in the 479th EESC Plenary session, where the Opinion which he drafted as rapporteur on Tackling double taxation in the single market was approved and adopted as official EESC Opinion to the Commission Communication COM (2011) 712 final.

 

The issue of double taxation affects most especially individuals and SMEs who cannot afford the lengthy and costly legal and administrative procedures to seek a positive remedy.

The Commission is proposing an EU Forum on Double Taxation to deal with this issue. The EESC on through a previous opinion on the removal of cross border tax obstacles recommended the establishment of a Tax Observatory, that would be more effective as it doesn't simply discuss but observes and acts. It is essential for the single market that the Commission moves as fast as possible from discussion to action. The EESC is therefore recommending for the proposed Forum to be only a first step leading to a full fledged Observatory. The Commission is doing very well in identifying the cross border tax obstacles but citizens and small business owners especially seek determined action to remove these obstacles. Double taxation should be a top priority.

The EESC will be using all possible media presentation and seek the support of associations representing business and civil society together with direct pressure on MEPs to ensure that the tax obstacles hampering the fulfillment of the single market objectives are tackled through a coherent and comprehensive action programme. The EESC is committed to this aim.  

In view that the EU is currently
considering whether or not to commence FTA negotiations with Japan, the
Economic Policy Department would like to have views from the private sector on
the possible negotiations of an agreement.

 

They would appreciate to be informed
whether there are any specific concerns or sensitivities for Maltese economic
and industrial sectors, in particular in relation to offensive and defensive interests
by 4 October 2012.

More specifically, there may be
concerns in relation to exports of tuna, electronics, the import of cars and
the industry involved in car parts, medical devices, pharmaceuticals and
non-tariff barriers in relation thereto.

Contact Abigail Mamo @ GRTU for more
information.

 

GRTU is delighted to announce the appointment of Lucy Neville-Rolfe as the new President of EuroCommerce, GRTU is member of EuroCommerce who represents retail, wholesale and international trade interests, following her election at this week's EuroCommerce General Assembly. Lucy will take up her three-year mandate on 1 July.

As Executive Director (Corporate & Legal Affairs) and member of the Board at Tesco, Lucy oversees corporate governance across six EU member states and brings a wealth of international experience to the European commerce sector. She joined Tesco in 1997 from the Cabinet Office. She also held a number of senior Government positions at the Prime Minister's Policy Unit in 10 Downing Street, at BIS and at DEFRA.

Lucy's key priorities will be to strengthen the visibility of the commerce sector among policy-makers and increase their understanding of the sector's contribution to restoring growth and creating jobs.

Current President Dr. von Leoprechting says, "We are delighted that Lucy Neville-Rolfe has been elected. With extensive experience in both business and government, Lucy brings with her an energy and proven track record of building strong alliances between people and organisations. She has been engaged in European issues throughout her entire career and is ideally placed to represent the interests of the commerce sector in the EU."

Lucy Neville-Rolfe comments, "I am passionate about European business and am looking forward to getting started. If we are to establish sustainable growth in Europe, it is crucial that large and small businesses work collaboratively together so that we can achieve outcomes that benefit us all."

Christian Verschueren, EuroCommerce Director General says, "We would like to sincerely thank Dr. von Leoprechting who has laid the foundation for a stronger EuroCommerce. He has led the organisation through a challenging period for the commerce sector, and has spearheaded the creation of a dialogue with the supply chain partners. We look forward to working with Lucy over the coming years."

GRTU has already expressed its compliments and best of luck to Ms Neville-Rolfe on her new appointment. GRTU looks forward to work with Ms Neville-Rolfe soon.

The European Commission proposes to improve business opportunities for EU firms in procurement markets. The main objective of the initiative is to help open worldwide public procurement markets and to ensure European businesses have fair access to them. The proposal also aims to ensure that all companies (both European and non-European firms) are on an equal footing when it comes to competing for business in the EU's lucrative public procurement market.

 

Public procurement affects a substantial share of world trade flows and amounts to €1 000 billion per year. In the EU, public procurement represents up to 19% of GDP and is an essential lever for kick-starting growth again, especially during an economic crisis. The EU's public procurement market is traditionally very open. However, this is not always matched by a similar degree of openness by our trading partners. Worldwide, only a quarter of the world's procurement market is open for international competition. The restrictions applied by our trading partners affect sectors where the EU is highly competitive, such as construction, public transport, medical devices, power generation and pharmaceuticals.

The new initiative proposed by the Commission today will increase the incentives for the EU's trading partners to open up their public procurement markets to EU bidders. It will ensure that EU companies can compete in the internal market with foreign companies on an equal footing. This initiative shall increase business opportunities for EU companies, both in the EU and internationally; boost the potential for small- and medium-sized enterprises to operate in a globalised economy; and increase employment and promote innovation in the EU.

Michel Barnier, European Commissioner responsible for the Internal market and Services, has declared: "The EU should no longer be naïve and should aim for fairness and reciprocity in world trade. Our initiative builds on Europe's belief that the opening up of public procurement generates benefits at global and European levels. We are open for business and we are ready to open up more, but only if companies can compete on an equal footing with their competitors. The Commission will remain vigilant in the defence of European interests and European companies and jobs."

Karel De Gucht, European Commissioner for Trade, said: "I am a firm believer in making sure trade flows freely and government procurement must be an essential part of open trade markets worldwide. It's good for business, good for consumers and brings value for money for taxpayers. This proposal will increase the leverage of the European Union in international negotiations and with our partners to open up their procurement markets for European companies. I am confident that they will then get a fair opportunity at winning government contracts overseas and so generate jobs."

The EU commitments taken in the WTO Government Procurement Agreement and bilateral trade agreements are fully respected with this initiative. The initiative clarifies EU international commitments for the European contracting authorities in a legally binding manner.

Key aspects of the proposal for a Regulation are the following:

The important levels of openness of the EU's public procurement market are confirmed.

The Commission may approve that EU contracting authorities, for contracts above €5 million, exclude tenders comprising a significant part of foreign goods and services where these contracts are not covered by existing international agreements.

In the event of repeated and serious discrimination against European suppliers in non-EU countries, the Commission will have at its disposal a mechanism allowing it to restrict access to the EU market, if the country outside the EU does not engage in negotiations to address market access imbalances. Any restrictive measures will be targeted, for example by excluding tenders originating in a non-EU country or imposing a price penalty.

Finally, the proposal increases transparency on abnormally low offers in order to combat unfair competition by non-EU suppliers on the European market.

Background

The 2011 Commission Communication on a "Single Market Act" and the 2010 "Trade, Growth and World Affairs" both highlighted fair competition and access to public procurement markets as one of the key tools for economic growth and job creation, in particular in the context of the recent economic crisis.

In its conclusions of 23 October 2011, the European Council called for a Commission proposal for an EU instrument for opening up public procurement, pointing out that Europe will continue to promote free, fair and open trade whilst at the same time asserting its interests in a spirit of reciprocity and mutual benefit in relation to the world's largest economies.

In December last year, the European Commission presented an overall programme to modernise public tendering in the EU (IP/11/1580). Today's initiative complements this domestic effort with a set of rules for the external dimension of the procurement policy.

The EU has traditionally been an open economy and an advocate of free trade. This includes public procurement. The EU's approach is not entirely shared worldwide. Most of the EU's major trading partners operate restrictive public procurement practices which discriminate against EU suppliers. The current economic crisis has increased the use of such practices.

See also MEMO/12/201

Further information

http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/publicprocurement/modernising_rules/international_access/index_en.htm

EXPLORE is a
series of six information sessions, each session targeting a different thematic
area, which will include different Managing Authorities and National Contact
Points delivering a presentation on the different funds under the Multiannual
Financial Framework 2014-2020.

Participants will also have the opportunity to
participate in a brokerage session, whereby the representatives from Managing
Authorities and National Contact Points will be present in an adjacent room to
answer queries on a one-to-one basis. 

The
first EXPLORE session will promote EU funding programmes related to the culture
and the arts sector for non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and businesses
active in the sector, as well as local councils that are interested in
implementing ‘artistic' initiatives in their localities.

 

The EU
Funding Programmes that will feature in this session are:

Erasmus+

Creative Europe – Culture Sub-Programme

Creative Europe – Media Sub-Programme

 

A talk
about other national funds namely: the Malta Arts Fund, Malta Film Fund, Video
Games Fund and Kreattiv will also be delivered during the information session.
Personnel from the Malta Arts Scholarship and Valletta 2018 Foundation will
also be present for the brokerage session.

 

Should
you be interested in taking part, kindly fill in the form below and
reply on by not later than Tuesday, January 28,
2014.