Author: SME Chamber

The Employment and Training Corporation (ETC) would like to remind all those employers, including self-employed persons, who have applied for funding under the Training Aid Framework, that they can claim the reimbursement of the expenses they incurred on training their employees once the training programme is completed.

Through the Training Aid Framework, ETC is giving financial assistance to those companies that invest in the training of their workforce. The training can be a course at the University of Malta or at a foreign university.  This can even lead to a PhD.  Self-employed persons are also eligible. Each company is eligible for a maximum of €250,000 each year.  The subsidy varies according to the type of training and the size of the enterprise.  The Training Aid Framework is partially funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) of the European Union.

Employers awaiting payment of the training grant are urged to contact the ETC on 2220 1312 or by email at and they will be guided how to claim their funds.

On the 27th of January DG SANCO published the EU Consumer Market Monitoring Survey 2011. The survey was carried out by the market research company GfK Group in spring 2011 and covers both food and non-food within the goods markets and both regular services and one-off services.

The aim of the survey is to assess consumer experiences and the perceived conditions of 51 consumer markets, out of which 21 are classified as goods markets and 30 as service markets. The survey is intended to provide information for the Consumer Market Scoreboard and help the Commission to identify markets that are perceived and experienced as not delivering the desired outcomes for consumers with purchasing experience.

According to the survey the performance of both the goods markets and the services markets is nearly identical to the results in the 2010 survey; citizens perceive and experience the functioning of the services and goods markets similar to the previous year. In general, the services markets are performing less well than the goods markets. However, there are indications that the difference in the performance between the services and the goods markets is decreasing but this needs to be confirmed in future surveys.

The survey shows that just over half of the EU citizens find it easy to compare products or services. This is a slight increase compared to 2010 and is mainly due to an improved perception of comparability in the goods markets. It is concluded that further work is needed to make it easier for consumers to compare products or services in a simple, objective and reliable way.

The survey reveals that consumers' trust is still a problem as it obtains the lowest score of all components. However, the work on increasing consumers' trust is efficient as the scores on trust are slightly increasing.

According to the survey the majority of consumers do indicate to have received the services or products as they desired and just over 10% of consumers experience a problem with a service or product or a supplier/retailer. The goods markets are scoring better than the services markets as fewer problems are encountered in the goods markets. Of the consumers who do experience a problem, almost 20% do not complain although they feel that they have a legitimate reason to complain. The survey concludes that the most likely reason for consumers not to complain is due to the fact that the problem is not that important or of only small value.

The full report can be found at:

http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/strategy/docs/EC_Market_Monitoring_2011_en.pdf

Attakk bla sens mill-GWU fuq il-GRTU: Id-Direttur Generali tal-GRTU kategorikament jichad l-insinwazzjonijiet tas-Segretarju Generali tal-GWU – Fil-program "Affari Taghna" li ser jixxandar illejla fuq l-istazzjon ONE illum il-Gimgha 17 ta' Frar, is-Segretarju Generali tal-GWU Tony Zarb, jattakka bl-aktar mod insensat lid-Direttur Generali tal-GRTU Vince Farrugia, f'attentat car u bla sens li jcekken il-kredibilita' tal-GRTU u d-Direttur Generali ta' l-istess GRTU. Tony Zarb jinsinwa li d-Direttur Generali tal- GRTU f'laqgha tal-MCESD ghajjar lill-haddiema ‘grieden'. Id-Direttur Generali tal-GRTU jichad dan bl-aktar mod kategoriku.

Il-GRTU ssostni li is-Segretarju Generali tal-GWU qieghed, bla ebda etika ta' xejn jikwota bl-addocc minn dak li ntqal waqt diskussjoni fl-MCESD. Skond l-etika u skond ir-regolamenti ta' l-istess MCESD, diskussjonijiet u l-minuti tal-MCESD huma kunfidenzjali u dan biex kull diskussjoni tkun libera. Id-diskors li qieghed ikun ikwotat minn Tony Zarb hu diskors tad-Direttur Generali tal-GRTU li kien immirat kontra l-attitudni negattiva u zbaljata tal-GWU li tmaqdar biss u teqred il-hin kollu dwar l-avvanz ekonomiku u socjali li qieghed jaghmel pajjizna li skond il-GRTU qieghed isir bil-ghan car li jaqta' n-nifs lin-nies fin-negozju u jwerwer lill-konsumaturi milli jixtru u lis-self employed milli jinvestu. Id-Direttur Generali tal-GRTU sostna fl-MCESD, u ghadhu jsostni, f' isem il-GRTU li qieghda ssir hsara kbira lill-kummerc f'Malta u l-image ta' Malta barra minn Malta, meta l-GWU jaghmlu attakki bla sens u kontinwi fuq dak li qieghed jakwista pajjizna fil-qasam tax-xoghol u ta' l-avvanz ekonomiku fi zminijiet difficli ghaz-zona tal-Ewro u ghall-hafna pajjizi Ewropej akbar minn Malta.

Id-Direttur Generali tal-GRTU kritika ukoll lil GWU ghall-kampanja li qed taghmel biex tattira lis-self employed biex jidhlu fil-GWU dan wara li l-GWU kienet ilha ghexiren ta' snin tajjar lis-self employed Maltin bhala evasuri tat-taxxi u hallelin u tinstiga biex l-awtoritajiet jibghatulhom l-inspectors u jsallbuhom.

Kien f'dan il-kuntest li d-Direttur Generali tal-GRTU kien iebes fil-konfront tal-GWU u accenna li post fil-GRTU ghal min jevadi u jinnegozja b'mod illicidu ma hemmx u li dawn it-tip ta ‘grieden' jekk trid tehodhom il-GWU affari taghhom. Qatt u fl-ebda kuntest id-Direttur Generali tal-GRTU, jew xi wiehed mill-mexxejja tal-GRTU, ma jasal li b'xi mod ikun insulenti lejn il-haddiema. L-istabilimenti u l-intraprizi li jmexxu l-imsiehba tal-GRTU jiddependu, l-ewwel u qabel kollox mil-hila u inizjattiva' tas-sidien li jmexxuhom, imma jridu ta' kuljum mil-abilita' u l-entuzjazzmu tal-haddiema taghhom. Il-GRTU temmen li huwa bl-isforz ta' kulhadd, sidien, haddiema u Gvern, li l-pajjizna nistghu ngibuh il-quddiem.

Ghalhekk li l-GRTU u d-Direttur Generali Vince Farrugia jichdu l-insilwazzjoni li qieghed jaghmel is-Segretarju Generali tal-GWU. Id-Direttur Generali tal-GRTU illum fetah proceduri fil-Qorti biex l-abbuz min naha tas-Segretarju Generali tal-GWU jigi mrazzan u fil-granet li gejjin ser jiehu passi biex il-verita' kollha tinstema' fil Qorti fi proceduri ta' libel.

GRTU has written to the Malta Resources Authority, the Planning & Priorities Coordination Division and the Enemalta following a meeting held at GRTU on Friday 27^th January, where the renewable energy section within GRTU met to discuss issues which are concerning our members. In the letter GRTU asked to meet the authorities concerned to discuss points that require their attention.

The most important issues that arose and will be discussed where:

Setting up of guidelines so as to make renewable energy more attractive for Maltese citizens to invest in such technologies

Establishing timeframes for rebates, installing electricity meters and feed in tariffs

Creating a one-stop-shop so as to eliminate a lot of problems to both consumers and retailers

Installation periods for photovoltaic schemes

Commencing of discussion so as to stabilize a new PV Grant Scheme – It was agreed that new scheme shouldbe introduced even if all installations have not yet been completed.

Possible available funding forthe newgrant scheme

Augmentation of feed in tariff according to how much electricity is generated and produced

Recognizing domestic accounts as residential

GRTU should be meeting the authorities in the coming weeks to discuss.

GRTU wrote to Valletta mayor Alexei Dingli to draw his attention once again to a situation that has persisted for too long and keeps repeating itself. GRTU clearly told the mayor that it is totally unacceptable that when there is an event or special occasion in Valletta permissions are given out to operators that do not hold a permanent license to operate in Valletta in direct competition with licence holders that have made a significant investment in Valletta, pay salaries to their employees with fixed employment and are tax complaint.

When there are events or special occasions, instead of giving the opportunity to Valletta shop owners to make up for the very hard days they are currently experiencing, permissions are given to competitors operating from shabby stalls, have not invested a cent in the city of Valletta, operate under very poor standards, employ precarious workers and are in complete disregard of taxation.

The stalls are placed in front of their premises even though they are in direct competition with them, sometimes their own suppliers. We remind you that there exists a law on sale from hawkers and similar temporary operators.

The only excuse given by the Valletta Local Council is that the operators given permission are those sponsoring events and are therefore given freedom to subcontract to 3^rd parties, this is not always the case and in any case this is no excuse. The question is beyond any form of control so much so that "foreign" operators are opening up in the streets of Valletta in disrespect of any taxation laws.

GRTU urged the mayor to acknowledge the seriousness of the situation and desist from further creating this scenario.

GRTU also informed Ministers Jason Azzopardi, Mario De Marco and Karm Mifsud Bonnici of this communication and immediately received the backing of honorable Azzopardi stating that he fully endorsed the position expressed by the GRTU.

Green MT, the National Authorised Waste Packaging Compliance Scheme and GRTU subsidiary has embarked on an education campaign in all schools within those Local Councils that are in agreement with Green MT.

Eco Councillors are visiting each individual School and discussing with Heads and Assistant Heads and Eko Skola representatives how to improve recovery of separated waste from Schools and the infrastructure required together with other initiatives that the school and the Scheme decide to set up together.

During the last month Eco Councillors visited Schools in Mosta, Dingli, Marsascala and also St Lucia where talked directly to the students. Students were made aware on all aspects of separating waste. Students were further instigated to think about future visions and concepts including a ‘zero waste‘ ideology. Eco Councillors answered to questions placed by a number of students. During these talks students were also given notepads made from recycled paper.

Green MT has also met Wasteserv and discussed the possibility of visits by students to the Materials Recovery Facility, where an agreement was reached that such visits will be effected on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Green MT aims to further develop its education campaign within Schools through a number of other initiatives which will include a mascot and also a number of jingles which will be utilised shortly and in tandem with an advertising campaign aimed to increase recovery of recyclables in Malta and Gozo.

The European Economic and Social Committee study group on the EU Communication on Double Taxation in the Single Market approved the report submitted by Vince Farrugia, Maltese enterprise owners representative at the EESC, as Rapporteur responsible for the EESC Opinion on double taxation.

In the Opinion Mr Farrugia presented he argued that double taxation is a serious obstacle to cross-border activity impeding the effective functioning of the Single Market with negative economic implications on investment and employment. Double taxation discourages investment and jeopardises competitiveness thus impinging negatively on economic growth and the attainment of the EU2020 targets. The EESC is therefore in favour of initiatives towards the removal of double taxation as outlined in the communication by the Commission by promoting the efficient interfacing of different tax regimes.

Vince Farrugia also made the following recommendations:

· The removal of double taxation should be undertaken in a manner which is proportional to the objectives being sought and respects the fiscal sovereignty of individual Member States.

· Issues which arise from double taxation have a disproportionately higher impact on individuals and small and medium sized firms which typically do not have the resources to deal with such problems. As a result proposals aimed at dealing with double taxation need to be coherent with measures which deal with double taxation for citizens and encompass solutions for individuals and SMEs.

· The EU Forum on Double Taxation forum is considered as a first step towards the establishment of an EU Commission observatory. The Forum would also include representation from social and organised civil society.

· The establishment of a code of conduct which would allow for a common understanding and application of tax concepts between different Member States, so as to avoid situations of double taxation and reduce instances where Double Tax Conventions (DTC) are not effective.

· Efforts should be aimed at ensuring limited need for arbitration.

· Studying the full scale of the double non-taxation phenomenon and its economic and social implications, as well as those that would potentially occur through measures aiming at its removal.

· All proposals should be assessed by means of thorough social and economic assessments and that such assessments should present impacts on each Member State.

This is the second report submitted by Vince Farrugia on issues related to tax burdens affecting EU citizens and EU businesses. The first Farrugia report endorsed by the EESC Plenary session as an EESC Opinion dealt with the EU Communication on Removing Cross Border tax obstacles for EU citizens (COM (2010) 769), the third report on taxation related issues which will be presented shortly to the EESC, for which Mr Farrugia is Rapporteur, is on two Commission documents, the Commission Communication on Tackling cross-border inheritance tax obstacles within the EU and the Commission Recommendation on is on the relief for double taxation of inheritances.

Ir-regolamenti l-godda li hareg il-Ministru tas-sahha bhala responsabbli mill-Awtorita' ghas-sahha u s-sigurta' fuq il-post tax-xoghol fl-ahhar ta' Jannar – Regolament tal- 2012 dwar is-sahha u s-sigurta' fuq il-post tax-xoghol (Hlas ta' Penali) – mill-Occupational Health & Safety Authority (OHSA) – jinkorporaw bidla pozittiva li l-GRTU f'isem in-negozji micro, zghar u medji Maltin ilha tirsisti ghalih is-snin. Ghaliex biha il-GRTU rebhet glieda kbira li ilna nahdmu ghaliha.

Sal-Lum il-bicca il-kbira tar- regolamenti li kien johrog il-Gvern kienu jfajjru multi f'multi ghal bosta snin fejn insistejna li l-penalitajiet ikunu "dejn civili" u li l-hlasijiet jistghu jithallsu bin-nofs fuq tlett snin. In-negozji li jridu hu li mhux biss jithallsu fil-pront irrispettivament mill-pozizzjoni finanzjarja tan-negozju milqut, imma ukoll il-multi kienu ta' natura kriminali, li jfisser li jekk ma jithallsux is-sid tan-negozju jmur il-habs. Sfortunatament hekk ghadhom hafna regolamenti. Dawn ir-regolamenti izda, b'sodifazzjon ghall-GRTU jibdlu dan kollu u l-multi qed ikunu dikjarati li huma ta' natura civili jigifieri  kienet thobb wisq tikkriminalizza l-izbalji tal-kummercjant.

Il-GRTU kienet wahedha tiggieled kontra s-sistema' antika. Dan ukoll kien commitment personali tal-Onorevoli Lawrence Gonzi lill-GRTU li kull meta jidhlu penali jkunu taht forma ta' "dejn civili" u mhux ta' multi ta' natura kriminali li jistghu jwasslu ghal habs bhal ma huma dawk fil-Ligi tal-VAT u li l-GRTU tant iggieldet u ghadha tiggieled kontrihom. Il-GRTU issostni li jek is-sid ta' intrapriza li jahdem u qatt ma jiehu xejn mill-Gvern, jhaddem in-nies u jkattar il-gid b'xi mod jonqos u m'ghandux jintefa' l-habs izda jinghata kastig ragonevoli.

Il-GRTU pero tipprotesta kontra l-mod negattiv ta' penalitajiet bl-addocc imposti min naha ta' din l-Awtorita'. Il-GRTU temmen li fil-qasam tas-sahha fuq il-post tax-xoghol, l-aktar fejn jidhlu negozji zghar u self-employed hemm hafna lok ghall-aktar tharrig u informazzjoni u edukazzjoni. Minflok aktar edukazzjoni u aktar skemi mill-Malta Enterprise u l-Awtroita' innifisha halli s-sidien ta' intraprizi u self employed ikunu jistghu jaffordjaw jibdlu u jzommu dejjem up to date l-apparat taghhom izda l-Gvern qieghed jiehu t-triq aktar irhisa ta' multi u persekuzzjoni. Il- GRTU hi kontra dan il-mod negattiv lejn l-intrapriza u s-self employed. Il-GRTU tibqa' tinsisti li waqt li l-enforcement ghandu jsir izda hu aktar importanti li l-Gvern jghin lill- intraprizi z-zghar b'aktar tahrig u skemi adatti biex fl-anqas zmien possibli u b'lanqas tbatija finanzjarja ghas- self employed u s-sidien ta' negozji zghar,Malta tilhaq l-ghanijiet ta' aktar sahha u sigurta' fuq il-postijiet tax-xoghol kollha. Ghas- self employed u s-sid tan-negozju z-zghir dan hu mportanti ghaliex is-sahha fin-nofs hi fil-bicca l-kbira tal-kazi tas-sid stess u tal-familja tieghu kif ukoll tal-impjegati tieghu.

Since the presentation of its proposal for the next multiannual financial framework (MFF) last June, the Commission has proposed over 120 changes to simplify the rules governing EU funding for Small and Medium Enterprises, towns and regions, students, scientists and others. Today's communication "A simplification agenda for the 2014-2020 MFF" brings them altogether in one single document. The key question now is whether the European Parliament and the Member States are ready to make the life of EU funds' beneficiaries easier by reducing the administrative burden on them.

EU Commissioner for financing programming and budget Janusz Lewandowski said."EU funds can play a key role as we strive towards sustainable economic growth by providing extra funds to our business, regional authorities and researchers. We wanted to make the access procedure to those funds less like a maze and more user-friendly."

However,  EU rules are often completed by additional rules at national level. Therefore, efforts at EU level cannot succeed if they are not followed up by similar efforts at national, regional and local levels. That is why the Commission hopes that the legislators in the European Parliament, the Council as well as in Member States will see simplification as crucial.

Examples of simplification of access to funding

• The purchase of machinery in a vocational school was financed from the European Regional Development Fund. The same school got a grant for curricula development from the European Social Fund. Even though both investments were needed to introduce a new training programme, the school had to do all the paperwork twice. Under our proposal, combining money from both funds will be easier; the school will be able to follow one procedure only, allowing it to devote more time to delivering the new training to pupils.
• The current arrangements demand to keep the documents regarding EU co-funded cohesion projects for up to 10 years. For some projects this retention time can reach 15 years. The new rules will cut this time to 5 years. The effect of this simplification is especially important for smaller beneficiaries such as NGOs and SME's.
• Today there are no limits to how many times a project can be audited. Some beneficiaries of ERDF may be subjected to several audits in a year by their national audit authority or the Commission, which is time consuming In the next period the Commission proposes a better coordination with national auditors. Projects under 100 000 euro will not be audited more than once at all and bigger projects no more than once a year.
• In Research it takes on average 350 days to get a grant. The Commission proposes to reduce it by one third (100 days).
• An ESF beneficiary had to keep the bus tickets of participants in a training event for justifying of money spent on the project. Unfortunately, the ink on the bus tickets disappeared after some time and the beneficiaries could not proof the expenditure. In future it will be possible to use options such as flat rates and lump sums to a much greater extent, so it will not be necessary to collect bus ticket at all. The focus must be on project quality and results.

Background

The Commission published its proposal for the Multiannual Financial Framework 2014-2020 on 29 June 2011. By 31 December 2011, the Commission tabled a comprehensive set of 57 sector specific legislative proposals underlying the MFF 2014-2020. Together with the revision of the Financial Regulation, all these proposals make for a coherent set of rules having among others as an important feature the goal of simplification. They should be adopted by the end of 2013 in order to ensure that new programmes can start as of 1 January 2014.

In drawing up its proposals, the Commission assessed the functioning of existing spending instruments and programmes and consulted widely with citizens and stakeholders in view of designing such instruments and spending programmes, which would best match their needs and modes of operation.

The full Communication:

http://ec.europa.eu/budget/biblio/documents/fin_fwk1420/fin_fwk1420_en.cfm%20-%20simplification