Author: SME Chamber

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.

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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.

The critical situation Europe is experiencing has placed economic growth at the forefront. Consumer's confidence, industrial production, manufacturing and trade sale are topics on everybody's lips. But what exactly are consumers' expectations? Is it possible to make sustainable consumption a mass-reality in times of crisis? These and other questions were thronged and tackled at the 2012 European Consumer Day, held today in Copenhagen and organised by the European Economic and Social Committee and the Danish Consumer Council.

Marking the 2012 European Consumer Day, the conference "Sustainable consumption^[1] in a time of crisis" brought together European and Danish representatives to analyse present and future strategies to promote sustainable consumption and production alternatives.

"I am convinced that the difficult times we are facing are an opportunity to promote sustainable consumption. Fundamentally transforming the foundations of our economy is the greatest contribution we can make towards building a sustainable future, where consumers are expected to play an active role. Let us give them tools to make smart, well-reasoned choices and to be better informed! Let us make sustainable products a real choice for consumers!" stated EESC President Staffan Nilsson, at the opening session of the conference.

"The current economic crisis has given us a opportunity to think about our economic patterns. We should empower consumers to make a green choice and thus contribute to a economy where we address resource efficiency in our daily lives as consumers", added Ole Sohn, Danish Minister for Business and Growth.

The future is at stake

The current European system of production and consumption is seen as environmentally unsustainable, especially in its dependence on energy, materials, land and water, and its impacts on the global climate and biodiversity. If everyone in the world lived a European lifestyle, we would need over 2.5 planets. That's why a dialogue is needed; involving EU institutions, national and local governments, and all the social partners. This dialogue must also be connected to action.

In Europe, consumption growth outweighs gains from improved technologies, and the largest environmental pressures from consumption are related to the life-cycle of food, housing and mobility. "Today it is often much more expensive or not even an option if consumers want sustainable products and services. That needs to change. Sustainable consumption ought to be the easiest choice for consumers", insisted Rasmus Kjeldahl, Executive Director of The Danish Consumer Council.

Sustainable consumption must be seen as an opportunity to boost new economic models while preserving the environment and our resources. The EU is already experiencing some tendencies that lead to a shift towards sustainability. "Recent policy initiatives and forthcoming legislative reforms will help consumers become prominent participants in a sustainable European economy. In particular, we should ensure the implementation of proper information standards that can guide consumer choices", concluded Malcolm Harbour, President of the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee at the European Parliament.

For further information please contact:

Alejandro Izquierdo Lopez |+32 25469406 or

 

MEUSAC will be organising an information session on its recent proposal on a Generalised Scheme of Tariff Preferences (COM (2011) 241). Tuesday 27, March 2012 | Time: 10.00 – 12.00 | Venue: MEUSAC, 280, Republic Street, Valletta

The Generalised Scheme of Tariff Preferences is an international trade tool through which the European Union (EU) has been granting tariff preferences to developing countries since 1971. The aim of this tool is to assist developing countries in generating or boosting their export revenue by providing them preferential access to the EU market through reduced or zero tariffs. The proposal suggests the removal from the general arrangement of all eligible developing countries which have been classified by the World Bank as high-income or upper-middle income during three consecutive years. This measure, together with the exclusion of those countries which negotiated a preferential market access arrangement with the EU and the deduction of 33 overseas countries/territories, could lead to a reduction of the existing list of beneficiary countries from 176 to 87.

The session will be conducted in Maltese.

Should you be interested in attending kindly contact .