Author: SME Chamber

Gas Distributors have now been hanging on a thin line for quite a number of years now. Since October 2008, Government with a simple stroke of a pen issued Legal Notice 249 of 2008 which has instantly struck them off the map in the most unethical of ways.

Whilst GRTU is always in favour of continuing discussions on this issue, we truly wonder how a Government cannot even decide on such a trivial issue. For this particular issue we all know the facts, one cannot please three different entities – Liquigas, EasyGas or the existing Gas Distributors.

Discussions started in December 2010 just after the end of year strike and by July 2011, after long hours of discussions a draft legal notice was issued for consultation. The consultation was over by 6^th September but still there was not to be decision as Government does not have the will power to come to terms with the fact that not all decisions can please everyone.

Beyond this, another attempt by Government was put in place, a legal notice that would without fail put an onus on the ownership of cylinders. This was introduced on 29^th November 2011, but to date the cylinder saga continues and the mess grows deeper.

A third attempt is now being put in place, that of creating an official clearance house under one roof. Even this will go to the deep end if it is not supported by legislation which takes the holistic approach required by our market.

To add insult to injury, MCCAA, the Authority responsible for Competition continues to flog dead horses. This is an Authority that has either risen from the dead or was given instructions by Government to stand tall with the business community. The Office of Competition, OC, (it's no longer called ‘fair competition') struggles with the fact that gas distributors are represented by GRTU. This simple fact seems not to be to their liking. They state that this is in breach of European law. We believe otherwise. God forbid, we have joined the European Community so that businesses can no longer be represented by legitimate Constituted Bodies at law.

As has been for many and many years gas distributors are in charge of separate territories, meaning each gas distributor has a specific area assigned to him to service. The OC, Office of Competition, is has felt the need and therefore is currently carrying out an investigation into the territories assigned to be services by these gas distributors. There is in reality no reason behind this investigation. Real experience of the system for so many years has shown us that this system works and it constitutes a social obligation at law.

Furthermore the importing companies have their side of the story too. One of which has made massive investments and continues to insist that the company has bought the whole distribution system. On the other hand, the other importing company not being in a dominant position continues to drive the market in the directions it desires. There is no telling what the next move will be.

When is this government going to learn that there is a time to listen, a time to discuss, a time to evaluate but also a time to decide?

When is this Government going to decide and implement what it deems as decent in 2012?

When is this Government going to wake up to the realities of the problems faced by this sector?

If it is not able to decide it should move on and let others do the job. Delaying such decisions brings about indecisions that affect human beings, their families and their lives. Gas Distributors ARE human beings, they have families and children at home, they have loans to pay, they have decisions to make. The way this Government has badly handled this sector leaves so much to be desired.

Gas Distributors have a social agreement with the community at large and they will continue to serve the community at large. But the knives behind their backs are becoming unbearable by the day. Each day is another dismal morning.

Government has to wake up to a stark reality, that of either putting its foot down and really put in place a distribution system that works within our community as it has done for so many years or else take braver decisions. A decision that will not please everyone, we can live with that, but no decision is utterly another lost day for this sector of the business community.

GRTU has this week organised in conjunction with ETC an information session which was very well received by members. GRTU called the session and invited the ETC to explain the support and schemes falling under the ETC that target employers. The ETC explained that it has undergone significant restructuring and part of the restructuring was aimed at being more responsive to the needs of the employer.

 The ETC has in fact launched an Employers' Services Department. The head of the department Mr Tonio Montebello explained that he himself comes from the private sector and he is trying to revamp the services offered to employers by the ETC to make them more responsive and effective to the needs of employers. He went on to list and explain the services and the schemes:

Services

Vacancy Services (local & EU jobseekers)

Advertising of vacancies on the ETC website, job centres, job banks and daily automailer

Matching of vacancy with suitable job seekers

Personalised Recruitment Services

Employment of Foreign Nationals

EU Nationals

Non-EU Nationals

Employment Licences (Work Permits)

Manpower Records

Engagement / Termination Forms

Employees Lists

Employment Histories

Schemes

Employment Aid Programme

• Facilitate the integration of disadvantaged and disabled people in the labour market. The disadvantaged groups are:

a. Youths under 25 and within 2 years of completing full-time education – 50 % of the Wage costs plus half the employer's NI; Duration of Assistance – 52 weeks

b. Any person who wishes to re-enter working life and who has been absent both from work and from education for at least 2 years.

c. Any person living as a single adult looking after dependants.  

d. Any person who has not attained upper secondary level qualifications or equivalent (ISCED Level 3) and who has been made redundant in the past six months 

e. Any person older than 50 who does not have a job or who is losing his or her job (i.e. has been served with a redundancy notice of termination of employment) 

f. Any long-term, registered unemployed person.

g. Any person who is a registered disabled person and who has a recognised, serious, physical, mental or psychological impairment.  In this case, as from 1/1/2011 age of eligibility will be put up to 65. Level of Assistance – 75 % of the Wage costs for the first year and 60% for the second and third year.; Duration of Assistance – 156 weeks

Work Trial Scheme

20 hrs / week, 12 weeks max, 50% of min wage

• youth, inactive person, over 25 unemployed for over 6 months, recent redundant persons
• Bridging the Gap Scheme
• up to 40 hrs / week, up to 52 weeks max, up to 80% of min wage
• disadvantaged / disabled persons

Training

Traineeships

• a dual system of occupational training. Short term apprenticeships as duration cannot exceed one year, but allows ETC to respond quicker to Employers' needs

Training Subsidy Scheme

1. for the self-employed and employees of micro enterprises
2. to develop their skills by participating in further off-the-job vocational education and training
3. 75% of the direct training cost up to a maximum of €1,000

 Training Programmes

Training Aid Framework (TAF)

Financial assistance to employers wishing to invest in the training of their workforce.

available for companies in the private sector

subsidy will vary according to the type of training and the size of the enterprise

Training can be in-house or out-sourced and can be given in Malta or abroad through distance learning

Each company will be eligible for a maximum of €250,000 each year

Apprenticeships

Participation in the ETC Apprenticeships

Technician Apprenticeship Scheme

Extended Skill Training Scheme

icw MCAST / ITS

Duration varies from 18 months to 36 months

These recommendations should serve as a basis for Small (10 to 50 employees) and Medium-sized (up to 500 employees)

Enterprises (in the form of unlisted Swiss corporations)

to ensure the exercise of responsible and sustainably value-added direction and control after the completion of the start-up period. Successful SMEs always further long-term satisfaction and voluntary loyalty of:

customers and suppliers,

employees and the general public, as well as

the owners of the enterprise.

These recommendations present handy and simple direction and control instruments and contain best practice advice for entrepreneurially managed SMEs. The recommendations are to serve their audience as a means of reflection. Divergences should be reasonably justifiable. With regard to small enterprises and other businesses in the start-up period, these recommendations can be taken as an incitement.

Opportunities for SMEs

SMEs can be successful on a sustainable basis when they:

• emulate other exemplary enterprises,
• adopt the merits observed in these,
• simultaneously exploit the particular capabilities of the SME, such as flexibility, quick decision-taking processes and the long-term time horizon of their owners, and
• possess a unique corporate strategy.

Structure

The recommendations are divided into four levels based upon the four pivotal success factors for the effective direction and control of the SME:

➊ Situational Level: Due consideration of particular circumstances within the SME

➋ Strategic Level: Targeted direction of the SME

➌ Integrated Level: Efficient BoD and EM teams in the SME

➍ Controlling Level: Effective supervision within the SME

For the recommendations use link: http://www.google.it/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=best%20practice%20in%20sme%20recommendations%20for%20the%20direction%20and%20control%20of%20small%20and%20medium-sized%20enterprises&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CC8QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kmu.admin.ch%2Fpublikationen%2Findex.html%3Flang%3Dit%26download%3DNHzLpZeg7t%2Clnp6I0NTU042l2Z6ln1ah2oZn4Z2qZpnO2Yuq2Z6gpJCDeH94hGym162epYbg2c_JjKbNoKSn6A–&ei=LZBOT7SlOIvsOYP52cEC&usg=AFQjCNE-5AQBJW-qwgNDKWD37CjbvKp3Hg&sig2=4rUv1cv8_H0Ohq3Sdm3oQg

GRTU is organising an information session during which the Employment and Training Corporation (ETC) will give a short presentation on support/ schemes for businesses to help them employ.

 Contact: Abigail at GRTU on 21232881/3 or by email on to reserve a seat

ETC aims to give a helping hand to businesses by subsidising of providing employment without any costs incurred. This means you can employ someone and the full wage is covered by the ETC. During the meeting the topics presented will be:

Employment Aid Programme: supports employers to recruit disadvantaged persons (youths who have not had their first regular employment, persons absent from work and education for 2 years, Any person living as a single adult looking after dependants, Any person who has not attained upper secondary level qualifications and who has been made redundant in the past six months, Any person older than 50 who does not have a job or who is losing his or her job, person with disability). Employers will receive a subsidy equivalent to 50% of the wage costs i.e. half the basic salary excluding bonuses, allowances, commission or overtime together with half the employer's national insurance.

Training Aid Framework: Financial assistance to those companies that invest in the training of their workforce. Training can be in-house or out-sourced and can be given in Malta or abroad through distance learning. The Training can be a course at the University of Malta or at a foreign university. The training can even lead to a PhD. Self-employed persons are eligible.

Work Trial Scheme: The scheme offers businesses the opportunity to evaluate a potential employee prior to employment, facilitating prospective recruitment. 20 hours of work exposure per week, for a maximum of 12 weeks in exchange of work exposure. The advantage to train and mould a potential employee's attitude and behaviour in conformance with the organizational culture. No financial costs are incurred by the employer during the training period, giving them the opportunity to overcome the skills gap by getting jobseekers' skills in line with needs of the company prior committing to employ.

Bridging the gap: The employer interviews and selects the client. The employer will be free from obligation such as National Insurance contributions, wages and sick leave benefits. The employer will have the support of the ETC officials throughout this work-exposure phase.

Recruitment Services / Open days / participation in job fairs

NEW Employers' Services department

The CE marking website is now online. Through this website the European Commission provides a one-stop-shop for information in 24 languages.Manufacturers, importers, distributers, and consumers can find all the necessary information about CE marking regulations, directives, standards and useful contact points in each EU Member State.The website guides manufacturers through the process of affixing the CE marking to a specific product, by clearly illustrating the key steps to undertake. Distributors or importers can also find useful information.

Background:

The CE marking is required for many product categories. It indicates that the product meets the requirements of the relevant legislation.

For more information please see CE marking website:

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/single-market-goods/cemarking/index_en.htm

The latest interim forecast of the European Commission, presented on 23 February, points to a stagnation of the EU economy and to a mild recession in the euro area. However, modest growth is predicted to return in the second half of the year.

Growth revised downwards

Against the backdrop of a waning growth momentum and continued low confidence, real GDP is expected to stagnate in the EU and to shrink by 0.3% in the euro area in 2012. This constitutes a downward revision of 0.6 percentage points in the EU and 0.8 percentage points in the euro area compared to the autumn forecast of 10 November 2011. Contrary to earlier interim forecasts that built on the analysis of the seven largest EU economies, projections for the current forecast are based on estimates for all EU Member States.
Divergences between Member States remain pronounced.

At the level of the individual Member States, growth divergences remain pronounced. In 2012, GDP growth is forecast to be positive in seventeen countries (Bulgaria, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, France, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Austria, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom) stagnant in one (Czech Republic) and negative in nine countries (Belgium, Greece, Spain, Italy, Cyprus, Hungary, the Netherlands, Portugal and Slovenia). Growth will be highest in Poland (2.5%), Lithuania (2.3%) and Latvia (2.1%) and lowest in Greece (-4.4%) and in Portugal (-3.3%).
Inflation easing only gradually

On the back of persistently high energy prices, inflation has remained higher than forecast in autumn and is expected to decelerate slowly over the forecast horizon. For 2012 as a whole, the HICP inflation rate is now projected at 2.3% in the EU and 2.1% in the euro area. In 2011, it is estimated to have amounted to 3.1% in the EU and 2.7% in the euro area.

Domestic and global demand prospects

The economic outlook is conditioned by a less supportive global economy, with the ongoing weakening of global demand weighing on net European exports. EU business and consumer confidence are still at low levels, although a recent slight improvement has been noted as the financial sector has shown signs of stabilisation. Also, in the light of subdued demand, credit conditions are not expected to constrain investment and consumption over the forecast horizon. Overall, a gradual return of confidence and a recovery of investment and consumption are expected in the second half of 2012.

Risk assessment

Despite some favourable developments in recent weeks that made the risks to growth more balanced, the downside risks remain substantial. If an aggravation of the sovereign-debt crisis were to result ultimately in a credit crunch and ensuing lower domestic demand, this would probably entail a deeper and prolonged recession. Upside risks to GDP include a stronger-than-expected rebound of confidence and more resilient global demand, stemming from e.g. a stabilisation of housing markets in the US.

Context

The European Commission usually publishes economic forecasts four times a year – comprehensive spring and autumn forecasts in May and November as well as smaller interim forecasts in February and September. As mentioned above, contrary to previous interim forecasts that built on the largest Member States, projections for the current publication are based on estimates for all EU and euro area Member States respectively. The next spring forecast will be published on 11 May 2012.

The EU and its Member States have taken a series of important decisions that will strengthen economic and budgetary coordination for the EU as a whole and for the euro area in particular. As a result, the EU's interdependent economies will be better placed to chart a path to growth and job creation.

Surveillance of economic and fiscal policies

The economic and financial crisis has revealed a number of weaknesses in the economic governance of the EU's economic and monetary union. The cornerstone of the EU response is the new set of rules on enhanced EU economic governance which entered into force on 13 December 2011. It has four main components:

Stronger preventive action through a reinforced Stability and Growth Pact (SGP) and deeper fiscal coordination: Member States are required to make significant progress towards medium-term budgetary objectives (MTO) for their budgetary balances. Expenditure benchmarks will now be used alongside the structural budget balance to assess adjustments towards the MTO. An interest-bearing deposit of 0.2% of GDP will be imposed on non-compliant euro-area countries.

Stronger corrective action through a reinforced SGP: The launch of an Excessive Deficit Procedure (EDP) can now result from government debt developments as well as from government deficit. Member States with debt in excess of 60% of GDP should reduce their debt in line with a numerical benchmark. Progressive financial sanctions kick in at an earlier stage of the EDP. A non-interest bearing deposit of 0.2% of GDP may be requested from a euro-area country which is placed in EDP on the basis of its deficit or its debt. Failure of a euro-area country to comply with recommendations for corrective action will result in a fine.

Minimum requirements for national budgetary frameworks: Member States should ensure that their fiscal frameworks are in line with minimum quality standards and cover all administrative levels. National fiscal planning should adopt a multi-annual perspective, so as to attain the MTO. Numerical fiscal rules should also promote compliance with the Treaty reference values for deficit and debt.

Preventing and correcting macroeconomic and competitiveness imbalances: Over the past decade, Member States have made economic choices which have lead to competitiveness divergences and macroeconomic imbalances within the EU. A new surveillance mechanism will aim to prevent and correct such divergences. It will rely on an alert system that uses a scoreboard of indicators and in-depth country studies, strict rules in the form of a new Excessive Imbalance Procedure (EIP) and better enforcement in the form of financial sanctions for Member States which do not follow up on recommendations.

Enforcement is strengthened by the expanded use of 'reverse qualified majority' voting. Under this voting system, a Commission recommendation or proposal to the Council is considered adopted unless a qualified majority of Member States votes against it.

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.

How have you come to chose your line of business?

When I was younger I used to work as a secretary in a paint manufacturing factory and I liked the way paint and various products were being done.

Where did you go on your last holiday?

Lipari – I liked the place a lot especially its quietness, glamour and nature.

What is your earliest memory?

The sea front house we had in kalkara when I was a child and when my father gave me a duck as a present.

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

I am happy the way I am but I admire Margaret Thatcher and Madonna!

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.

Green MT is proactive is such instances as gale force winds not only create heavy breakages but could also be the cause of accidents of damage to third party properties. Once the weather forecasts were made known , we took ourselves to task and by early afternoon , all these sites would have been chained . The possibility of these sites being a hazard would as such be diminished.

Green Mt is without fail working hand in hand within our Local Councils to make sure that through proactive approaches all residents cooperate in more recoveries of separated recyclable waste.