GRTU has this week held a successful information session for its members organised by the EU Desk in collaboration with Malta Enterprise. The assistance presented by Mr George Francalanza of Malta Enterprise were:
Business First
Malta Enterprise's one-stop-shop service for businesses, that implements Government's promise and part of Government's strategy to facilitating the day to day operations of local enterprises and support their growth and successful operation. It provides information on what is necessary to start a business, centralised registartion of formalities and a commitment towards a delivery time not exceeding 10 working days.
Address: Main Office at the Former Institute of Health Care at St Luke's
Opening hours: 08.15-17:00 on Mon, Tue and Fri (Extended hours on Wed and Thu till 19:00)
Services:
Provision of support, services and schemes offered by Malta Enterprise
54 services offered by other departments and entities
Company name search and company name reservation
Registration of companies or self-employed
Commencement and termination of employment
Company or self-employed registration for tax or VAT purposes
Trading Licences issued by Commerce Division or Malta Tourism Authority
New electricity and water connections
Employment Licences with respect to third-country nationals, long-term residents, asylum seekers and currently Bulgarian/Romanian nationals
National or Schengen VISA
Residence permits
Tourism Accomodation Development license
More services to be added on demand
Business Advisory Services
Enterprises may benefit from the expertise of the advisors that will support them in their particular needs for development. Malta Enterprise would finance up to ten hours of free advisory services to help the enterprises and the assigned advisor to carry out preliminary assessments in the areas of:
Business Start-up Support
Business Planning and Modelling
Market Development and International Competitiveness
Human Resources Management
Product and Service Development
Quality Certification and Improvement
Supply Chain Management
Assistance is capped at €2,500 per annum.
MicroInvest
Supports micro enterprises (less than 9 full time employees) and the self-employed through a tax credit representing 40% (60% in Gozo) of the eligible expenditure:
Refurbishing and upgrading of business premises
Machinery, equipment and technology to improve operations
Machinery or technology which saves or generates energy
Investment required to become compliant with regulations
One motor vehicle used for the carriage of goods
Wage costs covering a 12-month period for new jobs created
These investments can be made until 2012 and the assistance is capped at €25,000. Applying is very easy and original fiscal receipts must be presented.
Quality+
Encourages SMEs to continuously improve the quality of their products, services and processes through the achievement of recognised quality certifications and quality marks, environmental certification, franchise licences and licences required for participation in a value chain. The assistance would be a deduction from the taxable income equivalent to 150% of eligible costs (over any normal statutory tax deductions) and is granted on approved projects on a maximum of €20,000 in eligible costs.
Examples of Certifications/Marks:
ISO 9001:2008, ISO17025:2005, ISO17020, ISO 14001 (Environment)
EMAS & Ecolabel
ISO 22000 (Food Safety & Hygiene)
Hazard Analysis Critical and Control Point (HACCP)
MSA EN 14804:2005 (Language Study Tour Providers)
Halal certification & MS1500:2004
CE Mark & BSI Kitemark
Create
This incentive aims to support creative businesses engaged in:
visual arts
crafts
film and video
music
performing arts
literary works
design including fashion and architecture
digital media.
The support is given up to €25,000 tax credit equivalent to 60% of qualifying expenditure on:
machinery and equipment
registration of intellectual property
subcontracting of pre-publication costs
subcontracting of translation services for creative works
Qualifying expenditure extended to cover additional costs (e.g. rent and refurbishment costs) to help the development of creative communities in designated artistic zones thus sustaining the development of said zones and interdisciplinary creative cluster developments:
Valletta
Savina Square, Rabat, Gozo
Arch. Saver Cassar Street, Rabat, Gozo
Saint Mary Street, Rabat, Gozo
The Collachio Area, Birgu
nternational Competitiveness
Supports qualifying enterprises to tap into new international markets, to extend their activities in new markets or to introduce a new service or product in an existing foreign market. Minimum project value is €50,000. Maximum grant value is €100,000. Approved projects may receive reimbursement covering 50% of costs incurred for:
Market development
Wage of newly recruited Business Development Manager
Active participation in trade fairs and conferences relevant to the target market
Small Start-up
Supports the growth of new enterprises (within 3 years of operation) having less than 50 employees. Minimum project value is €50,000. Maximum grant value is €100,000. Approved projects may receive reimbursement covering 25% of costs incurred for up to two years on:
Wages
Renting / leasing of equipment and production facilities
Utilities
Who CAN apply?
Manufacturing which include the production, manufacture, improvement, assembly, preservation, processing of any goods, materials, commodities, equipment, plant and machinery;
Information and communication technology (ICT) development activities, software development, and ICT enabled services;
Research and Development and Innovation;
Waste Treatment and Environmental solutions;
Biotechnology;
Start-up enterprises proposing innovative products, services and processes, which are typically more advanced in terms of technology, know-how and skills than those prevailing in their respective market.
Innovation Actions
Stimulates innovation within SMEs in selected sectors by supporting the development of innovative processes, products and services. Minimum project value is €50,000. Maximum grant value is €150,000, capped at 50% for small enterprises, 40% for medium enterprises and 30% for SMEs in the transport sector. Approved projects may include:
Subcontracted services acquired for implementing an Innovation Management Technique (IMT)
Investment costs in tangible and intangible assets
Innovation Actions (Environment)
Supports SMEs to adopt environmentally-friendly measures by addressing water and air quality; waste streams; and resource utilisation. Minimum project value is €20,000. Maximum grant value is 50% of eligible expenses capped at €150,000 for SMEs (capping for SMEs in the transport sector is €100,000). Approved projects may include:
Plant, machinery and equipment
Costs for attainment of EMAS; ISO 14001; Eco-Label; and other environmental certifications recognized by the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority (MCCAA)
Research & Development
Supports enterprises carrying out Industrial Research and Experimental Development activities leading to the development of new or significantly improved products, processes or services. Minimum project value is €60,000. Grant capped at €300,000, ranging from 25% to 70% of eligible expenses. Eligible expenses include costs on:
Personnel
Instruments and equipment
Contractual research, technical knowledge and patents
Material, supplies and similar products
Who CANNOT apply for International Competitiveness, Innovation Actions, Innovation Actions (Environment), Research & Development?
Undertakings who's primary production is in agricultural products
Fisheries and aquaculture sector
Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (NACE Section G)
Tourism activities: Hotels and restaurants (NACE 55 and 56); Travel agency activities, tour operator activities, other reservation services and related activities (NACE 79); Creative, arts and entertainment activities (NACE 90); Libraries, archives, museums and other cultural activities (NACE 91); Sports activities, and amusement and recreation activities (NACE 93);
the coal, steel, shipbuilding and gaming industry;
financial and insurance activities (NACE Section K);
the synthetic fibres sector.
Helpline on telephone number 144
Websites:
Why did you become an entrepreneur? I feel that industry has always been in me and I like it because it is and something productive and positive.
Green MT , the National Authorised Waste Packaging Scheme is responsible for the emptying and maintenance of 275 Bring In Sites in Malta. (Dome shaped ex Wasteserv). The Maltese islands are facing gale force winds later today Friday 8th March, and should last up to eighteen hours. With this in mind Green MT assessed those sites that are prone to such winds and instructed one of its contractors to chain together 12 bring In Sites in Marsascala, Mgarr Malta, Sleima and St Julians. The works are being supervised by waste managment supervisors at the Ministry of Resources and Rural Affairs.
GRTU has once again requested an extension to the Malta Environment and Planning Authority in respect to a consultation document issued late last year in relation to Environmental Permitting and General Binding Rules which will formally effect all major sectors of GRTU.
Green MT, l-Iskema Nazzjonali Awtorizzata' ghall-Gbir ta' Skart tal-ippakeggjar flimkien mal-Kunsill Lokali tas-Siggiewi ser iniedu inizjattiva' biex jingabar izjed hgieg mir-residenzi gewwa is-Siggiewi. Din il-gimgha l-iskema Green MT ghaddiet 2,000 kontenitur tal-plastik biex jinghataw lill-residenti fis-Siggiewi li huma interessati li jippartecipaw f'din l-inizjattiva'.
GRTU has this week organised an information session for members in collaboration with the Internationalisation Unit at Malta Enterprise. Mr Robert Falzon presented the services and support offered by the Internationalisation Unit to local enterprises of all sizes. Malta Enterprise aims to support SMEs to develop and diversify their activities, penetrate new markets, increase competitiveness, develop new products and services, and consolidate their existing market share.
