Author: SME Chamber

Il-Malta-EU Steering & Action Committee (MEUSAC) flimkien mal-Awtorità ta' Malta dwar l-Ambjent u l-Ippjanar (il-MEPA) se jorganizza laqgħa ta' konsultazzjoni dwar proposta tal-Kummissjoni Ewropea dwar ir-reviżjoni tal-lista ta' sustanzi ta' prijorità fil-qasam tal-politika dwar l-ilma (Direttiva 2000/60/KE u Direttiva 2008/105/KE). Sustanzi ta' prijorità huma dawk is-sustanzi kimiċi identifikati fost dawk li jippreżentaw riskju sinifikanti għall-ambjent akkwatiku.

Din il-proposta tinkludi fost l-oħrajn iż-żieda ta' ħmistax-il sustanza ta' prijorità, inklużi prodotti għall-protezzjoni tal-pjanti, sustanzi użati fil-prodotti bijoċidi, kimiċi industrijali u ingredjenti mediċinali attivi. Il-Kummissjoni qed tipproponi wkoll titjib fil-monitoraġġ u r-rappurtar ta' dawk il-kimiċi li jikkontaminaw l-ilma, kif ukoll mekkaniżmu sabiex tinkiseb informazzjoni aħjar dwar il-konċentrazzjonijiet ta' sustanzi oħrajn li jniġġsu u li fil-futur jistgħu jiġu kkontrollati fuq livell Ewropew.

Il-laqgħa ser issir bil-Malti nhar it-Tlieta, 3 ta' April 2012, fl-10.00 a.m., f'Dar l-Ewropa, il-Belt Valletta.

Biex tirreġistra, inti ġentilment mitlub tikteb lil

Why did you become an entrepreneur? Not by choice…I was thrown in at the deep end when I joined my father, Edgar Ellul, in the business at 16 years old.  It was an interesting and challenging time for me, especially being a woman in a mostly-male dominated world.  Together we introduced new ways of doing business, and coming from living abroad for 10 years, customer service and satisfaction were our main priorities and the cornerstone to developing a thriving concern within a few years of taking over.

 

How have you come to chose your line of business?

Again, not by choice.  My grandfather, Joseph Ellul, started up GG soon after WW2, also with some innovative ideas of his own, like a chain of several newsagent/stationery shops all around Sliema.  I was fascinated by him even at a young age and was always running around with him on his visits to his little empire whenever I used to be here on holiday.  Although I did not choose this line of business, the family influence was very strong and I wanted to be a part of this small niche he had carved into the local market within a short time.  This tradition is still being carried on today with my own 2 children, Rachel Hyzler and Jeffrey Farrugia, making their own way within the company to become leaders one day too.

Where did you go on your last holiday?

The Scottish Highlands, which was like going to the end of the world.  What I liked most was seeing more animals than people, plus driving for miles without seeing another person or car in sight.  A welcome change from Malta for sure!

What is your earliest memory?

I was about 5 yrs old when I was injured in a minor car accident in Canada.

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

Mother Theresa, because she did nothing but good in the world in such a natural way.  Her actions show us humility, compassion and love, and she treated everyone equally with respect and dignity, no matter who they were or where they came from. 

The Finance Ministers of the Eurozone are to finalise a deal next week on enlarging the Eurozone's capacity to bail out a country with debt problems- The aim is to provide greater protection against the possibility that sovereign-debt problems might affect large eurozone countries such as Italy and Spain.

The German government had opposed increasing the €500 billion limit set for the eurozone's permanent bail-out fund, the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), which is to start operations in July. But it has softened its stance and agreed to the use of €200bn in unallocated funds from the temporary bail-out fund, the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF), which was set up in the early months of the sovereign-debt crisis. So the overall size of the eurozone's protective firewall will be €700bn, though the effective lending capacity will be less.

The deal will be agreed at the end of next week, when finance ministers and central bankers from the member states of the EU gather in Copenhagen for an informal meeting (30-31 March).

IMF assistance

Increasing the eurozone's bail-out capacity is a pre-condition for members of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to provide additional funds for lending to eurozone countries.

Christine Lagarde, the head of the IMF, has warned that without an increase in available funding, the likes of Spain and Italy might get into difficulties financing their debts on capital markets.

The annual general meeting of the IMF will be held in Washington, DC, on 20-22 April. At the meeting, member countries are expected to agree to increase the fund's capacity to lend to the eurozone by $500bn (€380bn).

GRTU has this week written to the Department for contacts following a number of complaints received from its members, artistic service providers, stating that tenders were being issued with thresholds outlining that: "The maximum amount of sub-contracting must not exceed 40 % of the total contract value. The main contractor must have the ability to carry out at least 60 % of the contract works by his own means."

This, GRTU has found, is prohibitive and heavily limits the participation of such micro service providers and self-employed because while being able to fulfil an important part of the tender requirements, their share still constitutes much less than the 60%. GRTU is speaking especially for those micro and self-employed enterprises who's main operation relies most especially on their artistic ability and do not have the capital to invest in materials of production such as printing machinery.

In most cases the price of the art is much lower than the actual production, as such the 40% limit of the total contract value is prohibitive to the graphic designer, who is still able to deliver a finished product instead of submitting his own quotation.

GRTU called to find a solution to this problem that is creating an unjust disadvantage to these enterprises.

Il-GRTU, Kamra tan-Negozji Zghar u Medji taqbel li t-taxxi ghandhom dejjem jithallsu u l-amnestiji ta' taxxi dovuti huma kefrija kontra min it-taxxi dejjem ihallashom fil-pront. Hu gust wkoll li l-gvern jimponi interessi fuq l-ammonti dovuti ghax mhux sewwa wiehed jaqbad u jiehu krediti minn fuq dahar il-Gvern. Izda hu ingust li l-Gvern jimponi penalitajiet amministrattivi bl-addocc u aktar u aktar ingust li hlasijiet dovuti minflok ta' natura civili jsiru ta' natura kriminali.

Il-Gvern ghalhekk jaghmel sewwa, u l-GRTU tinsisti dwar dan, li jtajjar l-multi aministrattivi u l-arretrati ta' hlasijiet ta' penalitajiet ingusti amminstrattivi marbutin ma' taxxi u licenzji. Din kienet sistema' burokratika u diskriminatorja kontra n-negozji.

Id-decizjoni tal-Gvern fil-passat li jfajjar il-penalitajiet amministrattivi marbutin ma' registrazzjoni u hlas tal-Eko-Kontribuzzjoni (Eco-Tax) kienet esagerazzjoni u decizjoni zbaljata. Il-GRTU ghalhekk kienet ilha titlob ghat-tnehhija ta' dawn il-penalitajiet ghaliex huma hziena fihom infushom kif ukoll huma diskriminatorji kontra n-negozji z-zghar. Hu ghalhekk li l-GRTU tesprimi sodisfazzjon ghall-pass ghaqli li ttiehed.

GRTU this week wrote to MEP Cuschieri as Maltese MEP and substitute member of the REGI Committee since the Committee of the European Parliament organised on the 19th of March an exchange of views and an initial examination of the working paper of Van Nistelrooj, rapporteur, and Krehl on the regulation on common rules regarding the European Cohesion / Structural Funds.

 

 

 

 

 

GRTU call for support to highlight SMEs and micro enterprises and support the positions taken by UEAPME, the European Association of Craft, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, representing GRTU at EU level. GRTU explained that this support is important and our lobby will be more  effective, especially since many measures favorable to small business, such as governance according to article 5, targetting SMEs, support for mentoring actions and accompagniement by intermediary organisations of small businesses, certain measures of administrative simplification, e-Cohesion, simplification of rules of payment… are strongly opposed by many members states as well as by some organisations with very large companies.

Listen to GRTU comments, information, analysis and reports on GRTU, Green Mt and other relevant information for people in business on

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Every Friday at 7pm

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GRTU has for the past month been carrying out a survey to provide statistical answers to the above questions. This is in line with GRTU's renewed efforts this year to expose SMEs to what is available, discover any short-comings in the way schemes are being administered and propose changes with the aim of improving the situation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Funds, schemes, grants, tax credits are available no doubt BUT:

Do SMEs know about them? Are they accessible? Are they really suitable to the needs of SMEs? Do they exclude large amounts of possible users?

The full results of the survey will be unveiled today during the conference on access to finance being held at the Corinthia Palace Hotel starting at 13.00 hrs.

The survey found that 32% of respondents benefitted from a type of fund, grant, scheme, tax credit, etc… with the majority saying they received between €5,000 and €250,000.

69% of those that did not benefit said that it is because they never tried, 18% said they had not felt the need until now and 13% said they attempted but had their application refused. The refusal was because they either did not match the criteria themselves or of the scheme and a small group said they were refused for no apparent reason or because the project was not deemed to be innovative enough. The largest chunk, 33%, made the first steps but got discouraged on the way due to bureaucracy.

When we asked them what schemes had they heard about, aimed at helping SMEs access funds, the most popular was the JEREMIE initiative being administered by BOV, however still 39% said they never heard of any. 53% however chose to say that they know of the existence of schemes that can help them access loans at lower collateral and guarantees, with only 10% of these saying they actually tried to make use of them with half of these being successful.

We asked respondents to tell us form where do they most frequently learn of schemes and how would they like to receive the information. Highest ranking were Government in general through advertising and promotions and the GRTU, followed by the initiatives and information provided more directly by the Government authorities. Their preference is to learn by email and through information sessions and direct one to one meetings.

59% said they were not completely satisfied with the schemes currently offered by Government authorities. They said improvements were needed in the amount of bureaucracy and paperwork applying entailed. They also complained that the payments took too long and that the schemes did not match their real needs. Most also complained that if they found a scheme they were interested in they would probably find that there is something in the criteria that made them ineligible to apply or else if there is a scheme which they can apply for they would have no real interest in it.

Throughout the survey it was evident that there is lack of information and enterprises themselves stated that they need more guidance and information that is accessible. The enterprises answering the questionnaire went on to suggest what they think would constitute good ideas for funding.

Is-Segretarju Generali tal-GWU Tony Zarb personalment u l-media li fuqha ghandu influwenza diretta u sahha intimidatorja ghadu ghaddej b'kampanja ta' mibeghda u ta' assassinju tal-karattru tad-Direttur Generali tal-GRTU Vince Farrugia. Il-kampanja kienet ilha sejra sa minn meta Vince Farrugia f'isem il-GRTU kien hareg pubblikament favur is-shubija ta' Malta fl-Unjoni Ewropeja u accenwat meta Vince Farrugia ikkontesta ghall-Elezzjoni tal-Parlament Ewropew.

Issa din il-kampanja ta' mibgheda hadet is-sura ta' attakk kontinwu ta' assassinju tal-karattru. Id-Direttur tal-GRTU ressaq l-kaz ghand il-Pulizija ghax il-GRTU tqies dan l-attakk fuq il-media bhala att kriminali.

L-perm tal-attakk tal-GWU hu l-frazi li Tony Zarb wara pressjoni ma tieqaf xejn fuq l-ufficjali tal-MCESD gieghel li tiddahhal fil-Minuti tal-MCESD minn wara dahar id-Direttur Generali tal-GRTU. Din xi haga li qatt ma grat qabel fl-MCESD. Qatt qabel ma giet approvata Minuta li tikkwota membru tal-MCESD minghajr l-approvazzjoni specifika tal-membru li jkun qed jigi ikkwotat. F'dan il-kas mhux biss Vince Farruigia gie ikkwotat b'mod falz u barra mill-kuntest imma ukoll ma giex ikkwotat fuq il-punt principali li qajjem f'dik il-laqgha tal-MCESD bhal ma dejjem isir meta jinkitbu l-Minuti tal-MCESD. Id-Direttur tal-GRTU f'isem il-GRTU kien attakka lil GWU li fi zmien ekonomikament difficli ghall-membri tal-EU kollha u l-aktar il-pajjizi z-zghar tal-EU. Il-GWU f'Malta minflok tikkopera ha halli flimkien nsahhu dak li akwistajna bhala pajjiz u li ghandna biex niftahhru bih b'paragun mad-disastri  li ghandhom pajjizi ohra akbar minnha, il-hin kollu teqred u tara kif taqta' qalb in-nies meta taf li b'fiducja u ghaqda nazzjonali biss nistghu nsahhu l-produttivita' nazzjonali li hi l-unika triq ta' progress ghall-haddiema u s-sidien tan-negozji Maltin. Minflok wiegeb ghall-kritika tal-GRTU a tempo vergine dak il-hin tal-Laqgha u talab kull kjarifika li kellu dritt ghaliha Tony Zarb, kontra kull procedura stabbilita' fl-MCESD, hareg mil-laqgha bla ma wiegeb xejn ghal li qal id-Direttur Generali u gimghat wara ivvinta din l-istorja dwar attakk minn Vince Farrugia fuq il-haddiema prekarji. Id-direttur Generali tal-GRTU Vince Farrugia cahad mal mal-ewwel u b'mod dak li qal Toni Zarb izda Vince Farrugia jichad u jibqa' jichad b'mod l-aktar kategoriku. Imkien u qatt Vince Farrugia, li ghandu warajh karriera twiela jaqbez ghaz-zghir, ma qat uza kliem spregudikattiv kontra xi settur ta' haddiema.

Il-Kunsill Nazzjonali tal-GRTU jesprimi unanimament il-fiducja shiha tieghu u tal-imsiehba tal-GRTU f'Vince Farrugia u tesprimi il-graditudni u sodisfazzjon shih ghax-xoghol enormi li Vince Farrugia jaghmel f'isem is-Self-Employed u s-sidien tan-negozji Maltin li b'kuragg u hila juri f'kull cirkostanza f'Malta u fl-Unjoni Ewropeja kontra kull attakk anke jekk ta' natura personali li jsoffri f'isem il-GRTU. Il-GRTU tikkundanna bla riserva dan l-ahhar attakk mimli mibgheda u intimidazzjoni kontra persuna li qatt ma beza' jaqdi dmiru b'integrita'shiha. L-GRTU tinnota b'dispjacir li sfortunatament ghall-Malta, l-GWU ma tinbidel qatt; jew wiehed jaqbel maghha jew mal-linja tal-mexxejja, jew hu min hu, hi min hi, jkollu/ha jsofri l-madmad intimidatorju li f'Malta l-GWU ghandha s-sahha li torkestra. Sfortunatament il-GWU dejjem issib min hu dghajjef u joqghod ghall-intimidazzjoni. Il-GRTU u id-Direttur Generali tal-GRTU ma joqghodu qatt ghall-intimidazzjoni tal-GWU.