Author: SME Chamber

The event will be held on 23-24 May 2012. This event will be attended not only by European SMEs but also by American and Asian entrepreneurs. Apart from sustainable energy and environment sectors, this time round the focus of the event will include also accessible construction that will enable elderly and disabled persons to live independently, better and comfortably.     

By participating you will not only have the opportunity to individually meet with companies active in these sectors and potential partners but we are also offering a full two-day programme which includes:

Seminars

A networking dinner

A visit to the world's currently most innovative construction projects in Stockholm.

Participants are entitled to financial assistance under the Trade Promotion Scheme where travel and hotel costs are subsidised.

For more information contact Abigail at GRTU on

State-aid rules should become more ‘efficient' under plan – Joaquín Almunia, the European commissioner for competition, announced proposals to modernise the European Union's state-aid rules, aimed at making them more efficient and effective.

Speaking at the European Commission's first Competition Forum inBrussels, Almunia outlined ways in which he wants the system overhauled better to meet the requirements of the EU's single market.

State aid has figured prominently in EU member states' responses to the financial crisis. The Commission has introduced emergency measures that allow governments to prop up their financial sectors. However, there is an acknowledgement within the Commission that there must be a more radical overhaul of the system if is to be used more effectively. One EU official said that the changes likely to be proposed would be the "most far-reaching reform of state-aid control in 50 years".

The Commission has extensive powers to police member states' use of state aid. At the moment, a country must notify the Commission every time it decides to provide state aid, and then must wait for the Commission's approval. Under the current regime, there is no distinction between state aid that will have a great impact on competition and aid that will have relatively little.

Quicker decisions

As part of the reforms, cases could be prioritised so that officials can focus more on those that have a bigger impact on the internal market. Commission officials believe that this will free up resources and allow them to devote more time to the most important cases, help them to reach decisions more quickly, and also let them start a greater number of own-initiative investigations into suspected breaches of the rules. Currently, the Commission waits for complaints before starting an investigation.

Among other changes, Almunia is expected to raise the possibility of making it easier for member states to provide what the Commission classifies as ‘good aid': the financial support that member states and the Commission agree is necessary for growth and economic recovery. This could include measures to boost the internal market as well as research and development and innovation spending. Likewise, rules could be modified so that so-called bad aid that does not boost the internal market could be banned.

The Commission's role in state aid is enshrined in the EU treaties. Financial support from governments is controlled to ensure that it does not distort competition and free trade. Mostly, state aid is prohibited – but there are some circumstances when it is allowed, notably to ensure a well-functioning economy.

State-aid rules have come into focus since the start of the financial crisis, which forced governments to make unprecedented interventions, particularly in the financial sector. Nicolas Véron of Bruegel, a Brussels-based think-tank, said that the Commission's role in state-aid decisions during the crisis had been substantial. "It has not been a yes-man, it has not been a rubber-stamping exercise," he said. "They have shown flexibility but have certainly not been toothless."

Today's Competition Forum is also due to discuss how competition can be used as part of the EU's overall policies to boost the EU's competitiveness and innovation and whether more can be done to ensure the competitive use of intellectual property rights.

Why did you become an entrepreneur? It was in my husband's business at first and then slowly I started my own.

How have you come to chose your line of business?

My shop is located in Mdina and being Mdina a tourist location I thought that souvenirs would do well

Where did you go on your last holiday?

Costa Concordia last June 2011

What is your earliest memory?

Many memories and nothing particular that I can currently remember but lately my son's wedding

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

I am happy as I am but if I had to chose I would chose to be someone that is in a position to help others

GRTU, along with the Chamber of Pharmacists and the Government, is now in the process of launching POYC in another district in Malta, a district that was previously covered by the Luqa Health Centre Pharmacy.

The rollout, despite the usual teething problems, is going well, and patients are registering themselves with the pharmacies of their choice and warmly welcoming the new system. This is a testament to the POYC system, which has proven over and over again to alleviate the hardships that people used to face when collecting their free medicine entitlement. The success has been achieved largely due to the hard work of the pharmacy owners, the pharmacists and staff, and despite the fact that the Government has repeatedly failed to keep its contractual and operational promises. A ray of hope has been the new Medicines Procurement System implemented by the Ministry Of Health, that follows very closely the advice GRTU has been giving the Ministry to overhaul its antiquated tender systems and put in place more modern procurement system. The new system has practically solved the old out of stock situation.

The agreement governing POYC, however is now reaching the end. Government was contractually bound to start negotiations on a new agreement two years ago. Despite the many representations by both the GRTU and the Chamber Of Pharmacists, Government procrastinates…and procrastinates…and then procrastinates again. This has now become an unacceptable way of doing things and shows the deep disregard and the lack of respect that the Government has towards the sector of private pharmacies.

The Government is being warned. When action will be taken by GRTU, it will be drastic and unexpected. Unless Government gets its act together and sits down at the negotiating table, that action will come. We have had enough of dilly-dallying civil servants who build little empires and perch on them like Prima-Donnas. We have had enough of having to have to threaten action for someone to do his duty. This time, we will not sabre rattle. We will take action.

GRTU has met Mr Godwin Warr and his colleagues from the Commerce Department, as responsible for trade licences, for an introductory meeting prior to the launch of the formal consultation of the revision of the Trade Licensing Act.

 

Mr Warr explained that the requirement for a revision was pushed by the need to simplify the legislation and iron out any issues that used to create complications and confusion sometimes.

The most important revision is that we will be moving away from the requirement of submitting applications for a trade licence for most sectors. Meaning that the sectors that are not connected with health or food shall no longer need to apply but simply notify the Department. With the notification one will be able to pay immediately instead of waiting for the acknowledgement. This should further accelerate the process.

The list of sectors and activities falling under the scope of the Department will be clarified. The requirement to submit a full MEPA permit will be waived and replaced by the requirement to only provide the MEPA permit number.

The commitment to issue a licence within 10 days is reiterated. Cancellation of licence will also be simplified however it is imperative for the fees and arrears to be paid. In addition the revision would introduce the concept that licences are automatically renewable subject to the conditions of the licence being respected.

GRTU in general welcomes the changes proposed. The consultation document will be published shortly and members are invited to participate.

GRTU takes this opportunity to remind all businesses that all economic operations require a trade license to operate.

SIGGIEWI will shortly become the first Local Council in Malta to effect a weekly recovery of glass through a kerbside collection weekly from its residents. Green MT , the National Authorised Waste Packaging Compliance Scheme has agreed with the Local Council of Siggiewi to recover glass through kerbside collection once weekly.

 

Currently Eco Councillors from Green mt are effecting a door to door education campaign outlining the pilot project to all Siggiewi households. Households who would like to participate are to collect a black crate (600x 400x 300mm) from the Local Council after 20th February 2012 upon presentation of identification. The black crate is to be filled with glass bottles or jars and will be collected every Monday at 9.30 am from the kerbside.

The waste carrier effecting the recovery will empty the black crate and leave it where it was when it was full. Green MT and the Siggiewi Local Council anticipate that at least 2000 households will use this kerbside collection system for glass.

Green MT and the Local Council are very confident that through this initiative 130 tons of glass can be collected on a yearly basis, thus a minimum of 2500 kilos weekly. Green MT members place nearly 5000 tons of glass (packaging waste) on the market and the Scheme is obliged to recover at least 3500 tons of this material fraction. Collections from Bring In Sites amount to around 2500 tons yearly and as such the Scheme is proactively looking at sources where this fraction can be collected. Of course, Green MT will be working with other Local Councils to provide this kerbside collection for glass.

Recovering more glass from source is a must for the Scheme and we will do our best to convince the public at large to use this glass kerbside collection system in the weeks to come.

Il-GRTU dil gimgha kitbet lil Onorevoli Ministru tal-Finanzi Tonio Fenech dwar kwistjoni li qamet waqt laqgha li l-GRTU organizzat il-gimgha li ghaddiet ghan nisa fin-negozzju fil-prezenza tal-Onorevoli Jason Azzopardi nkarigat mill-SMEs. Waqt il-laqgha fost l-issues diskussi qamet diskussjoni nteressanti u li wiehed ghandu jiehu nota taghha dan ghaliex taghmel sens u ma tikreja l-ebda konflit bejn negozzji ohra.

 

Hafna min dawk prezenti talbu l-intervent tal-GRTU sabiex dawk il-festi li ser jaqghu jew vicin weekend jew parti min weekend u fejn is-sidien jixtiequ jifthu n-negozzju taghhom, ma jigux mgeghla jhallsu 700 ewro sabiex jghamlu dan.

Il-GRTU taghmilha cara li din l-kwistjoni m'ghandhix x'taqsam ma Sunday Trading izda hija issue li dawn il-festi gejjien f'perjodu amalgamat ma' festi u n-negozzji  jixtiequ li f'dawn il-granet joperaw normali bhal granet ohra minghajr ma jidhlu fl-ebda spejjez. Ir-raguni principali hija li l-Gimgha u Sibt huma l-aktar zewg granet importanti ghan negozzji z-zghar fi zminijiet ta' sfidi ekonomici kemm f'Malta kif ukoll fl-Ewropa kollha.

Il-granet li qeghdin nitolbu li jigu mahfura huma;

l-Gimgha 10 ta' Frar

Is-Sibt 31 ta' Marzu

Il-Hamis 7 ta' Gunju

Il-Gimgha 29 ta' Gunju

Is-Sibt 8 ta' Settembru

Il-Gimgha 21 ta' Settembru

 Filwaqt li l-GRTU irringrazjat lill-Onorevoli Ministru tal-Finanzi Tonio Fenech tas-support kontinwu tieghu, talbitu biex jikkonsidra t-talba taghna.

Green MT is the national Authorised Waste Packaging Compliance Scheme. Green MT, a fully owned subsidiary of GRTU, recovers packaging and recyclable waste from 40 Local Councils , one or twice weekly through the grey bag kerbside collection system.

 

Birkirkara is one of the Local Councils where the community has shown through its deeds that it has a proactive approach towards implementation of waste managment strategy within the locaity. After discussions with the Local Council, an agreement was reached to recover differentiated packaging waste throughout the week, thus collecting paper, board, magazines,caton and leaflets on Wednesday and then collecting plastic and metal in the grey bag on Friday.

This implementation followed a door to door education campaign by Green MT Eco Councillors in Birkirkara during the month of January 2012. Leaflets were also distributed to those who were leaving at churches situated in Birkirkara after mass on the morning of Sunday 29th January 2010. Came Wednesday 1st February 2012 the final result was a collection of nearly four tons (4000kilos) of paper and carton from the Local Council of Birkirkara.

Taking into consideration that under normal circumstances a collection of 12 tons weekly is effected in this locality through the grey bag system, the result of 4 tons of segregated paper is very encouraging and Green MT would like to thank all those residents who heartily contributed to such a collection.

We are well aware that in the weeks to follow, this recovery rate will grow . Green mt will continue to support these initiaitves at Local Council level. This is the begining of a long road towards at source segregation. With a helping hand from everyone this will continue to be a success story.

Speaking during discussions in the Single Market Production and Consumption (INT) Section meeting at the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) meeting today in Brussels, Vince Farrugia, Maltese business owners'  representative at EECS and GRTU Director General said that the Mario Monti Report on the Internal Market and the Louis Grech Report on the same subject approved by the European Parliament, clearly define the initiatives and measures that need to be adopted to have a more effective and strong internal market.

 

"There is no need to impose additional burdens on Member States that face no infringement procedures and indeed, because of their adherence to Internal Market Rules, have no development growth problems and unemployment problems, especially youth unemployment. The issue really is one of adherence to the initiatives as defined in the Monti report and addressing the numerous bottlenecks that have already been identified and are being addressed by the various EU Commission proposals and the programme of the 2020 Initiative. Creating further centralisation means punishing more those who are adhering. The issue really is one of Council facing those Member States who are not adhering and as a result bringing the European Union to a state of crisis and causing these States, as Monti is now doing in Italy, to meet their obligations and not imposing a more centralised European system that nobody wants". concluded Mr Farrugia.