Author: SME Chamber

The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), which is supposed to set standards for responding to piracy and counterfeiting, is coming under attack in the Parliament and in some member states, with civil-liberties campaigners complaining about its sanctions. International negotiations on the agreement were concluded in October 2010, but its ratification is now the subject of heavy lobbying on both sides.Jan Philipp Albrecht, a German Green MEP, said he had enough support from his own group and the centre-left Socialists and Democrats (S&D) to submit a resolution to the Parliament's plenary session in March to ask the European Court of Justice (ECJ) for a review as to whether the deal violates EUlaws. Such a review could take as long as two years.

 

Hannes Swoboda, the leader of the S&D group, said "there is a need for greater international co-operation [to combat counterfeiting] but we question whether ACTA would be the righttool to achieve this".

"Since the Parliament can only say ‘Yes' or ‘No' and we cannot amend the text, we as a group might not be able to approve the agreement."

The Parliament's approval is required before the treaty can come into force. The accord also needs to be ratified by national parliaments. It has already been signed by 22 member states. However, Poland is re-considering its approval and the Czech Republic has suspended its approval procedure.
David Martin, a UK centre-left MEP, was appointed on Monday (6 February) to draft the Parliament's stance on ACTA. He replaces Kader Arif, a French centre-left MEP, who resigned from the task in protest against the way the accord had been negotiated by the European Commission. He criticised the Commission for not involving MEPs more during the negotiations.

Martin said he would "not be rushed" in drafting his review and recommendation. He said that he could seek the legal advice of the ECJ "to ensure that ACTA respects the existingbody of EU law".

Albrecht said that MEPs were under pressure from voters to conduct a careful review." Daniel Caspary, a German centre-right MEP, said a thorough debate was required, meaning that MEPs were unlikely to stick to the provisional timetable, which foresees a plenary vote in June.

A first debate on the agreement is scheduled for 29 February in the Parliament's international trade committee. A vote in that committee will not be scheduled until after that committee has received the opinions of four other committees – development; civil liberties, justice and home affairs; legal affairs; and industry, research and energy. A workshop on the content of the agreement is planned for 1 March.

The GRTU would like to forward to you an invitation to an ‘Information Session on the new EU Energy Labels'  to be held on Friday 6^th March 2012, at the Corinthia Palace Hotel & Spa, Balzan, 8:30am – 11:00am. Participation is free of charge.

 

The aim of this information session is to provide you with a better understanding of the requirements stemming from the latest EU Energy Label legislation for different types of household appliances that came into effect recently.

This event is being organised by Project in Motion Ltd in collaboration with the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority (MCCAA) and the GRTU.

The Come On Labels project is co-funded by the European Commission under the Intelligent Energy Europe Programme – http://www.come-on-labels.eu/

This Legal Notice tries to regularise the employment of workers under the title of self-employment. GRTU has raised this issue both here in Malta with the responsible Ministry, at the Employment Relations Board  (ERB) when the ERB asked for GRTU's advise and in Brussels directly with DG Enterprise and with DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion and GRTU as the Maltese national organisation representing the self-employed sector and micro, small and medium employers, is satisfied that the new legal regulations regulating the employment of individuals on a relationship of self-employment does not hamper genuine entrepreneurs who seek to farm out work to professional and independent self-employed and that under the excuse of self-employment no unfair competition is created to hamper the opportunities for work for those who as a vocational choice prefer to work as independent small private entrepreneurs better known as self-employed.

Overall the new regulations concluded after lengthy consultations achieve a fair balance between the rights of genuine self-employed and the right of enterprise to choose the form of engagement best suitable to encourage further private initiative and economic growth.  GRTU, however stresses that this is one other case were in spite of the Small Business Act provisions action is being taken by Government without any statistical evidence justifying the requirement and without any measure of the impact of these new bureaucratic burdens on business and employment. GRTU continues to emphasise that it is the right of enterprise to seek first and foremost how to continue to offer on the market good quality service and products within the most competitive environment and in the absence of excessive bureaucratic burdens.

Here rather than reducing, Government is increasing bureaucratic burdens, in a labour market which in Malta is already very restrictive and at a time when our overseas competitors are liberalising and not further restricting the labour market.

Il-President Paul Abela u l-vici President Philip Fenech tal-GRTU attendew u ppartecipaw f'Business Breakfast bit-tema "Is the Political Crises Over?" organizzat mill- Intercontinental u s-Sunday Times.Il-President Paul Abela intervjena u qal li "kullhadd ghandu r-responsabbilta' tieghu.
Taghna hi li ninvestu u nhaddmu n-nies u naqdu dmirna ha tikber l-ekonomija u ahna nsostnu li xoghol il-politiku li jitla' fil-parlament hu li jizgura stabbilita' matul il-legislatura kollha u li jtina strutturi, ligijiet u pjanijiet li fihom l-ekonomija tista tikber ghal gid ta' kulhadd. In-nies tan-negozju jridu klima ta` certezza u nikkundannaw lil dawk li minflok jaghtu din ic-certezza u stabbilita' joholqu incertezza u instabbilita'. Ahna nippretendu li meta nippjanaw biex Elezzjoni issir fi zmiena hadd fil-parlament m'ghandu jivvinta kif johloq incertezza.

Ahna insostnu li l-partiti ghandhom isolvu l-problemi ta' nuqqas ta' qbil bejniethom gol-partiti stess u   mhux ihawwdu lin-nies. Ir-rapporti li ghandna min shabna fi Brussell huma li pajjizna qed ikun irredikolat minhabba l-fatt li meta l-pajjizi l-ohra fl-Unjoni Ewropeja jkollhom problemi kbar li jikkawzawlhom l-instabbilita' ahna f'Malta fejn problemi ekonomici kbar m'ghandniex, xorta qed inbghatu minn incertezza ekonomika kawza ta' ribeljoni ta' membru wiehed parlamentari."

"Ahna nixtiequ li kemm il-Gvern kif ukoll l-oppozizzjoni jaqblu fuq pjan legislattiv sa l-ahhar tal-legislatura u li l-elezzjoni issir fi zmienha fl-2013. Il-Membri Parlamentari m'ghandhomx ikunu inkoragguti, hu min hu fil-Gvern li x'hin ifettilhom jistghu jirrikattaw lill-Gvern elett mill-poplu. In-nies tan-negozju jridu li l-Prim Ministru u il-Kap tal-Oppozizzjoni jaqblu fuq din: Gvern li jitla` bil-maggoranza tal-voti ghandu dritt jiggverna ghall-perjodu kollu tal-legislatura. Hekk isir fl-Amerika u hekk qed jippruvaw jaghmlu l-Inglizi u hekk hu f'hafna pajjizi. Il-kompozizzjoni tal-Kabinett tinbidel u l-ligijiet jistghu jaghddu jew ma jaghddux imma l-istabbilita' ta' Gvern b'maggoranza ta' voti tal-poplu m'ghandiex tkun mhedda."

Il-GRTU tappella lill-Gvern li din il-kwistjoni tal-ftuh tal-hwienet fil-Hdud u l-Festi jaqtaghha darba ghall-dejjem – mhux sewwa min jaffordja ghandu l-ghazla u min ma jaffordjax m'ghandux ghazla. U min ma jhallasx u jiftah jigu jaghlquh il-pulizija qisna f'pajjiz kommunista u jekk is-sid ma joghbdix itelluh il-Qorti qisu kriminal u jekk ma jhallasx il-multi jibghatuh l-habs. Affariijiet ta' barra minn hawn. Dan kollu ghax sid ta' hanut jezercita il-professjoni tieghu li jaqdi lill-pubbliku. U l-Onor Dr Jason Azzopardi biex jwarrab din l-antikalja jrid imur ghand l-MCESD. Affarijiet tad-dahk kieku mhux ghax jolqtu fil-laham il-haj lin-nies taghna. M'hijiex kwistjoni tal-MCESD din. Baqa' biss tariffi bla sens. Ma mmorrux l-MCESD fuq tnehhija ta' tariffi bla sens.

 

Il-GRTU tibqa' issostni li b'risponsabbilta' li s-sidien tal-hwienet ghandhom jiehdu hsieb taghhom infushom u tal-familja taghhom u tal-imjegati u l-familji taghhom u jaghmlu kull sforz ha jgawdu il-Hdud u l-Festi mal-familja, imma l-ghazla ghandha tkun taghhom u mhux imposta bla sens u b'diskriminazzjoni mill-Gvern. Mhux post il-Ministru li jindahal aktar meta ghandu u m'ghandux jiftah il-hanut is-sid li jimxi mal-ligi. Il-pulizija ghandhom hafna aktar x'jaghmlu milli joqghodu jarrestaw lis-sidien tal-hwienet Onorevoli Jason Azzopardi. U l-MCESD m'ghandux hin x'jahli fuq kwistjoni li messa ilha li giet solvuta.

Wara kollox il-Gvern ha id-decizjoni li m'hemm xejn kuntrarju li l-hwienet kollha jifthu l-Hdud u fil-Festi diga' hadha bi ftehiem mal-GRTU u m'hemm l-ebda decizjoni importanti x'jiehu li ghandu ghalfejn idahhal fiha lill-MCESD. Kulhadd jista' jiftah fil-Hdud u l-Festi Onorevoli Jason Azzopardi. Basta jhallas 700 ewro. M'hemmx principji. Kwistjoni biss jekk sid ta' hanut meta jiftah jaqlax bizzejjed biex ihallas is-700 ewro u jifdallu. Kwistjoni jekk hanut jaffordjax jhallas jew le. U jekk inti b'hanut f'Malta. Ghax f'Ghawdex din il-ligi diga' bdilniha. Wkoll bi ftehim mal-GRTU. F'Ghawdex m'hemmx restrizzjonijiet.

Illum min jaffordja jhallas €700 jiftah jekk irid u haddiehor ghax zghir u ma jaffordjax anke jekk irid jiftah ma jiftahx. Ara l-akbar grupp ta' supermarkets diga' habbar li se jiftah il-gurnata kollha kemm f'jum San Pawl u kif wkoll is-Sibt sa l-ghaxra ta' bil-lejl u il-Hadd wkoll. Ghax ghalihom 700 ewro tihmil id-drass. Imma ghaz-zghir hafna  ma jifthulux biex jaghmlulu kompetitizjoni. Ara l-Kamra tal-Kummerc favur din il-kummiedja.

Il-GRTU trid li din il-farsa tispicca. Trid li l-ghazla jekk hanut jiftahx jew le biex jaqdi lil  kommunita'  tkun f'idejn is-sid tal-hanut. Is-sidien tal-hwienet kollha jaqblilhom li ma jkunx hemm aktar xkiel zejjed. Jaqblilhom ghax il-valur tan-negozju taghhom joghla u jinzel skond kemm is-sid ghandu liberta' ta' kemm jista` jiftah fi granet u f'hinijiet li jaqbillu li jiftah il-hanut. Illum hanut f'zona fejn m'hemmx xkiel ta' Hdud u Festi jiswa' mod u l-iehor f'zona fejn ma tistax tiftah jekk ma thallasx is-700 ewro jiswa anqas. Ghalhekk is-sidien intelligenti jridu l-helsien ghax l-ghazla jifthux tkun f'idejhom u in-negozju taghhom jkun jsarraf aktar. Huma jafu jekk jaqblilhomx jifthu jew le. Huma jafu jkejlu jekk is-suq jitilfuhx jekk jibqghu maghluqin jew isalvahwx jekk jifthu. U jekk ma jafux jaghmlu il-kalkoli taghhom u m'ghandhomx il-hila jiddeciedu u jridu lil Gvern jiddeciedi ghalihom allura ghandhom problema gravi. Ghax hadd ma jidhol fin-negozju u jippretendi li il-Gvern joqghod ifissdu. Hekk ghada tahseb il-Kamra tal-Kummerc. Mhux hekk izda ghal-GRTU.

Din kwistjoni li suppost ftehmna li nsolvuha fuq mhedda ta' ghaxar snin billi ndahhlu riformi wahda wara l-ohra sakemm fl-ahhar ngibu bidla lejn il-liberalizzazzjoni shiha. Hekk riedet il-GRTU bidla bil-mod halli kulhadd jipprepara ghaliha. Issa ghadda zmien bizzejjed. Issa kull ma baqghalu jnehhi l-Gvern hi din il-mizata redikola ta' 700 ewro intaxxata fuq min irid jiftah. Il-GRTU b'responsabbilta' tat parir lill-Gvern sa mis-sena l-ohra biex jaghmel il-pass li jmiss. Il-Gvern izda minflok li ha l-parir intelligenti tal-GRTU, l-assoccazzjoni nazzjonali li ilha waheda 63 sena tirraprezenta lin-negozji fil-kommunita', beza' u rega qed ikaxkar saqajh. Is-sena l-ohra talab lill-GRTU ghall-sena ohra. Is-sena ghaddiet u rega qed jibza'. Qisu hemm xi babaw. Kull ma hi decizjoni li jnehhi tariffi bla sens ghax kif issostni l-GRTU id-decizjoni li kulhadd jista' jiftah ilha li ittiehdet.

Id-Direttur Generali tal-GRTU Vince Farrugia f'isem il-GRTU din il-gimgha kiteb lill-Ministru Tonio Fenech u lill-Ministru Jason Azzopardi biex din il-kwistjoni jaqtuha darba ghal dejjem. Dan il-GRTU ghamlitu wara li l-Gvern rega' iddecieda li jirrifjuta t-talba tal-GRTU u jhalli kollox kif inhu, jigifieri li min mhux suppost jiftah u jrid jiftah jkollu jhallas €700 jew jekk jiftah jissogra li jigu l-pulizija jaghlquh u jtellghuh il-qorti qisu xi kriminal. "Il-GRTU issostni li z-zminijiet inbidlu u llum m'ghadux iz-zmien li l-Gvern joqghod jindahal fuq meta konsumaturi ghandhom jaghzlu li jmorru jixtru u meta sid ghandu jiftah jew ma jiftahx" sostna id-Direttur Generali.

"Ir-responsabbilta' minn issa l-hemm ghandha tkun fuq is-sid tan-negozju u ahna nemmnu li b'responsabbilita' l-maggoranza assoluta tas-sidien tal-hwienet fil-komunita' se jaghzlu li l-Hadd jibqghu maghluqin. Hekk jaghmlu l-Ghawdxin ghax f'Ghawdex il-GRTU ilha li helset lis-sidien tal-hwienet ghawdxin  minn dan ix-xkiel. Esperementajna u irnexxiet. Issa l-Gvern ghandu jmexxi u mhux jibqa jkarkar. Illum in-nies biex jixtru juzaw l-internet u jekk il-hanut jinzamm maghluq il-bejgh xorta jsir. Fi zmien tal-e-commerce il-ligijiet restrittivi antiki m'ghadhomx aktar jaghmlu sens. U huma fuq kollox ingusti. Ghalhekk il-GRTU qed tkellem lil Gvern car: tajjar l-ixkil li baqa', u inqala l-barra minn din il-kwistjoni. U m'hemm bzonn l-ebda MCESD biex tiddeciedi. Li l-Kamra tal-Kummerc harget kontra l-pozizzjoni tal-GRTU ma nistghagbu biha xejn. Jidher li fil-Kamra tal-Kummerc hemm min hu komdu bil-fatt li min jaffordja jiftah wahdu bla xkiel ta' kompetizzjoni min negozji z-zghar li ma jaffordjawx is-700 ewro. Dwar is-Sunday trading il-Kamra tal-Kummerc hi ghall-kollox kontra il-kurrent. Probabbli hi l-unika Kamra tal-Kummerc fl-Ewropa li ghadha trid il-pulizija iddejjaq lis-sidien tal-hwienet ghax jifthu f'jum ta' festa u jirroftaw li jhallsu din it-taxxa bla sens. L-unika Kamra probbabli li tahseb li sid ta' hanut li jkollu il-liberta' li jaghzel hu jiftahx jew le jkun imcahhad u mhux egevolat. Ma naqblu xejn ma min fil-Kamra tal-Kummerc qed jirraguna b'dan il-mod" jsostni Vince Farrugia Direttur Generali tal-GRTU

"Ricerka li ghamlet il-GRTU u hafna kummenti li ta' spiss nircievu juru li l-facilita' li tista' tixtri fi x'hin trid mill-internet hi raguni ewlenija ghaliex il-bejgh mill-hwienet naqas drastikament. Ma nistawx nibqghu naghmluha difficli biex il-konsumatur jasal ghand il-hanut meta hu l-iktar komdu ghalih. Illum b'xi mod jew iehor il-konsumatur se jinqeda' jew mill-internet jew mill-hwienet. Il-hanut iz-zghir xorta ghandu postu imma jrid helsien assolut u mhux restrizzjonijiet. Helsien li jsib in-nicca tieghu fis-suq u jikkompeti fejn ghall-haddiehor l-ispejjez ikunu kbar wisq. Jikkompeti kif inhu u bla impozizzjoni. Illum  iz-zghar li ma jifilhux ihallsu ma jistghux jikkompetu. Illum il-hwienet iridu jikkompetu f'kull hin. Il-kuncett ta`xiri illum hu differenti minn dak li kien qabel ghalhekk illum ghandna investimenti massivi bhal The Point u shopping malls godda, ghax iz-zmien inbidel. Iz-zghir irid il-liberta' biex hu wkoll jibdel skond il-mezzi li ghandu u skond l-iskemi favorevoli li l-GRTU tinsisti kontinwament li l-Gvern ghandu jipprovdilu. Iz-zghir ghajnuna jrid mhux xkiel. liberta' mhux protezzjoni ta' zmien il-brodu" jikkonkludi Vince Farrugia

This Legal Notice tries to regularise the employment of workers under the title of self-employment. GRTU has raised this issue both here in Malta with the responsible Ministry, at the Employment Relations Board  (ERB) when the ERB asked for GRTU's advise and in Brussels directly with DG Enterprise and with DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion and GRTU as the Maltese national organisation representing the self-employed sector and micro, small and medium employers, is satisfied that the new legal regulations regulating the employment of individuals on a relationship of self-employment does not hamper genuine entrepreneurs who seek to farm out work to professional and independent self employed and that under the excuse of self-employment no unfair competition is created to hamper the opportunities for work for those who as a vocational choice prefer to work as independent small private entrepreneurs better known as self employed.

 

Overall the new regulations concluded after lengthy consultations achieve a fair balance between the rights of genuine self employed and the right of enterprise to choose the form of engagement best suitable to encourage further private initiative and economic growth.  GRTU, however stresses that this is one other case were in spite of the Small Business Act provisions action is being taken by Government without any statistical evidence justifying the requirement and without any measure of the impact of these new bureaucratic burdens on business and employment. GRTU continues to emphasise that it is the right of enterprise to seek first and foremost how to continue to offer on the market good quality service and products within the most competitive environment and in the absence of excessive bureaucratic burdens.

Here rather than reducing, Government is increasing bureaucratic burdens, in a labour market which in Malta is already very restrictive and at a time when our overseas competitors are liberalising and not further restricting the labour market.

GRTU in agreement with Government submitted on behalf of members, following approval in retailers` section meetings, a request for the suspension of the legally enforceable charge of €700 on each retail outlet wishing to open (unless their particular operation and locality from which they operate gives them an automatic right to open) on the following listed Public Holidays:

• Friday 10^th February

• Saturday 31^st March

• Thursday 7^th June

• Friday 29^th June

• Saturday 8^th September

• Friday 21^st September

 

 

 

 

 

By general consent of retailers and their employees no request was submitted for the opening of Shops on Christmas Day and on Good Friday.

GRTU strives for the freedom of shop owners to be given the opportunity to decide themselves as on which dates to open for business but insists on due respect to traditions and the special characteristics of the Maltese. GRTU continues support shop owners' and their employees' freedom to choose to reserve a day of rest preferably on Sunday which in Malta is for most the family day of rest.

The shift GRTU is demanding is from a legal imposition to a choice by shop owners, who in their vast majority are owners-managers and family businesses.

 

 

 

 

 

By general consent of retailers and their employees no request was submitted for the opening of Shops on Christmas Day and on Good Friday.

GRTU strives for the freedom of shop owners to be given the opportunity to decide themselves as on which dates to open for business but insists on due respect to traditions and the special characteristics of the Maltese. GRTU continues support shop owners' and their employees' freedom to choose to reserve a day of rest preferably on Sunday which in Malta is for most the family day of rest.

The shift GRTU is demanding is from a legal imposition to a choice by shop owners, who in their vast majority are owners-managers and family businesses.

Following last year's controversy on the opening of shops on public holidays that fall close to special occasions which are deemed to be very important shopping days, where the GRTU strongly advocated for the outlets to be given the opportunity to open without the legal obligation to pay €700 euro's per shop, there seemed to be an agreed commitment by Government that during 2012 the issue would have been managed over a whole year basis.

 

 

 

 

 

The GRTU therefore presented its request, which is simply a formality as bureaucrats also have access to calendars so the exercise could be done automatically really. Now we are informed that in spite of last year's commitment, Government still has failed to decided in time to liberate the 10th of February, an important shopping day in view of Valentines Day.

The GRTU therefore regretfully informs all shops who had planned to open on 10th February that they may have to incur the extra charge if they are not already exempt as Government has refused GRTU's request on behalf of all retailers who wished to open.

We are told Government is still deciding on the other four days which the GRTU has presented.

Report says that gains made by the Single Market Act – will not claw back all the losses caused by the crisis – National industry ministers and European Union policy-makers meeting in Copenhagen this week will hear businesses demand that more public services should be outsourced to the private sector to promote growth. 

A report published yesterday indicates that gains made by the Single Market Act – the European Commission's blueprint for opening up the single market – will not claw back all the losses caused by the financial crisis.

The study, carried out by Copenhagen Economics and commissioned by the Confederation of Danish Industry, a member of Business Europe, predicts a loss of potential gross domestic product (GDP) of 20% in the EU between 2008 and 2017, representing €240 billion per year. Implementing all the priorities listed in the Single Market Act would increase the overall GDP of the EU an estimated 5%.

With no room left for further loosening of fiscal policy in the EU's member states, the report's authors suggest that, to help make up the shortfall, the EU needs to make it easier for the private sector to deliver services normally run by public bodies. This, they add, could lead to a 10%-20% increase in cost savings.

Breaking ‘taboos'

Sinne Backs Conan, a European affairs director with the Confederation of Danish Industry, said that a major increase in the use of the private sector was a "taboo" that had to be broken, in the same way as the financial crisis was forcing the EU to look at pension reform and tax harmonisation. "The private sector can unlock growth. We have to be more radical," she said.