Author: SME Chamber

The European Commission assisted by TRL, is holding a competition for students and technically-minded people to propose innovative ideas to reduce or prevent tampering of L-category vehicles. (These are mainly two, three or four wheeled vehicles ranging from powered cycles, mopeds and motorcycles, but also include tricycles, quads and mini-cars). Solutions which would prevent tampering on the engine, transmission or emissions of these vehicles.

The so called ‘harmless' modifications that have no adverse effects on safety or environment will not fall under the scope of possible anti-tampering measures. This will not fall under the scope of possible anti-tampering measures in future legislation. This will ensure that customizing L-category vehicles will also be possible and legal in the future. Only measures against ‘harmful tampering' will be taken on L-category vehicles- tampering which has detrimental effects on safety and/or the environment.

The Competition is open to members of the public, schools, riders associations, and anyone who is technically minded across Europe who could contribute to safer L category vehicles.

There is a €500 first prize, €300 second prize and €200 third prize.

The contact e-mail address for the competition is . Please note that deadline is 10 September 2011.

This Directive ensures that the EU market functions properly, whilst enabling manufacturers to benefit from the advantages of the internal market by means of the Community EC type approval.

The EC Small series type approval requirements are covered by Article 22 of the Framework Directive.

In order to prevent abuse, any simplified procedure for small series vehicles is restricted to cases of very limited production (see Annex XII; EC small series limits).

The current List of regulatory acts setting the requirements for the purpose of EC type approval pursuant to Article 22 can be found in Appendix of Annex IV. For ease of reference, please find the Link to Commission website: http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/automotive/documents/directives/directive-2007-46-ec_en.htm

It is the Commission's intention to draft new a Regulation to define more precisely the technical and safety requirements applicable for EC small series type approval, thus avoid disputes between type approval authorities on interpretation of what are essential requirements.

Interested parties are encouraged to send their comments/suggestions by 13^th September 2011.

Should more information be required kindly contact the Technical Regulations Division, Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority by e-mail: , or

Green MT, the National Waste Packaging Compliance Scheme, continues to excel in its operations across the Board. Despite continued efforts by those who should know better to tar our image, Green MT can today confirm that by end of June 2011, results show that its current members, 993 as at the end of June, will exceed 20,000 tons of packaging waste placed on the market for the whole calendar year of 2011. At the time of writing members have exceeded 1240, so this figure is also set to increase.

 

Green MT has in the first six months of 2011 recovered 6233 tons of recyclable fractions from Local Councils through the grey bag collection, Bring In Sites, Commercial Collections and other private enterprises. In Gozo alone we recovered 410 tons from 11 Local Councils alone. Since the start of operations in July 01, 2009 Green MT has recovered 23,723 tons of recyclable waste fractions.

Green MT continues to provide a service to Local Councils including recoveries from Bring In Sites and also cleaning of the same sites. Of course the summer months have brought with them increased problems next to these sites, mostly mixed waste and other waste streams being dumped there, together with bulky refuse. On instances a number of containers have been burned at a substantial cost to the Scheme. We shall however not be deterred by such actions by those who do not know better. We are here to stay.

Green MT will shortly start one to one discussions with Local Councils to renew agreements for the year 2012. We are committed to provide better services in our community and we will do so despite the obstacles that we find in trying to do so day in day out.

Green MT thanks all those Local Councils and their residents who have contributed so much towards recovering all this volume of recyclable material.

Commissioner Reding is striving hard to cause more women to be nominated on the Board of Directors of Companies. In Malta she has the full backing of Chris Said the OPM Parliamentary Secretary. Reding really threatens to impose a 40% women quota on Boards of listed companies. Business community representatives are dead against this. We at GRTU recognise that there is the need of more women but we would object most strongly to any imposition.

 

Board of Directors like senior management in enterprise are an important economic function and merit and not gender should be the main criteria. GRTU would also object to any selection criteria imposed on private businesses especially small owner managed and mainly family businesses. This not withstanding GRTU recommends, specialised funded schemes to train more people to be able to take Board Directorship and would support special support for women who wish to be trained for such important roles but GRTU would strongly object to the system that is now being adopted in the Public Sector where women are being appointed simply because they are woman and irrespective of whether they have the training and the abilities needed for the roles given. GRTU also objects when men are appointed irrespective of ability and training but based on other criteria.

There is so much that depends on the success of enterprise  – jobs, economic growth, general well-being and quality of life for all, men and women. Choice of leaders on type of genitals is ridiculous.

GRTU has written to importers of ceramic tiles from China because earlier this year an anti-dumping duty was introduced on ceramic tiles originating from China imported in the EU. This introduced a duty in some cases up till 73%.

 

We have reached a stage where the European Commission is proposing to make the provisional duties definite with some lower changes in the duty. GRTU explained to the importers that the duty is highest where the manufacturers would have not cooperated with the Commission in the anti-dumping investigation.

The GRTU therefore advised that if importers import products which fall under the highest % they should contact their supplier (manufacturer) who can get in touch with the Commission so that the anti-dumping investigation is carried out. If this is done the % will most probably be reduced.

If the difference between the provisional and the definitive duty is confirmed (soon) the difference between the (higher) provisional duty paid at time of importation and the (lower) definitive duty due will be refunded. Members are invited to contact GRTU for help with this procedure.

 

Il-kwisjoni ta' l-arretrati tal-GRTU Fund issa ilha tkarkar wisq. Is-Soluzzjoni li qed nimponu nhossu li fic-cirkustanzi hi l-ahjar. Ma jbatux third partes, is-sidien jithallsu u l-Enemalta jkollha lanqas impatt fuq il-cash-flow.

L-Arretrati tal-hlasijiet li kien jmorru fil-GRTU Petrol Station Central Fund li twaqqfu mill-Enemalta fl-1 ta' Jannar 2010 sal-31 ta' Marzu 2011, ghadhom sa illum ma gewx imhallsa u ghalhekk ghadhom dovuti.

F'Jannar 2011 saret Laqgha bejn il-GRTU, l-Ministru Tonio Fenech, s-Segretarju Permanenti Alfred Camilleri, kif ukoll il-Kap Ezekuttiv ta' l-Enemalta Karl Camilleri, fejn gie miftiehem bil-miktub li dawn l-arretrati ghandhom jithallsu sa Frar 2011.

Wara bosta laqghat li saru mas-Sur Alfred Camilleri, dan dejjem ikkonferma li dawn l-arretrati ghandhom jithallsu mill-Enemalta lis-sidien individwalment.

Ghaldaqstant, wara dan kollu, il-Kumitat qieghed jaghti direttiva lill-membri , sidien tal-pompi tal-Petrol, li huma fil-GRTU fund, sabiex mit-12 ta' Settembru 2011 il-quddiem, dawn inaqsu mill-invoice l-ammont ta' €0.0047 fuq kull litru fuel li nxtara bejn l-1 ta' Jannar 2010 sal -31 ta' Marzu 2011.

A meeting was this afternoon held at the GRTU premises between GRTU's Tourism, Hospitality and Leisure Section President Philip Fenech on behalf of the Paceville Section Committee and the Group Acting for a Safe Paceville (GASP) led by Dr Anthony P. Farrugia to discuss the issue of law and order in the area of Paceville.

During the meeting an analyses was made of the situation as is developing in the Paceville area. The friendly and detailed discussion sought grounds for agreement on what practical action to recommend to Government to take, to meet the real challenge. The worst thing that can happen is that panicky decisions are taken just to impress, rather than taking remedial action which is well planned and directed towards real and not perceived problems.

Mr Philip Fenech noticed that action is being taken as a result of the hype now surrounding the issue and statements are being made by those who ought to know better, that are not really addressing the issue but simply adding to a picture of negativity about the whole Paceville area. This is an area with heavy investments and plays a pivotal role in Malta's new tourism strategy. The action that needs to be taken should emphasise more supervisory and surveillance methods regularly and constantly applied rather than sporadic one time actions that achieve very little. The problem affecting Paceville has its roots in the increasing tendency of a growing number of young people who prefer to disregard regulations and go out for all sorts of abuse when not under constant surveillance and it is important that we in Malta rather than finding our own home made solutions study carefully and adopt measures of surveillance that have been proved successful elsewhere as the phenomena of youth anti-social behaviour is not one of Paceville only.

GRTU and GASP are determined to seek all advice and strive determinately to seek practical solutions that lead to results that will not only ensure the safety of all those willing to enjoy the fun and entertainment that is provided in Paceville but that will also ensure a decent return on the investment of all who own establishments run on a professional basis.

The meeting was indeed a very positive one and the discussion went into detail on the different dynamics that the area experiences during the different months of the year by tourists and locals that visit the area. These phenomena occur in all areas however in the Paceville area they tend to be more acute as when there is a large congregation of people that gravitate in an area there will be always someone who will be responsible for ruining everyone else's fun. The parties therefore favoured an approach which is targeted and which promotes specific solutions to clearly identified problems rather than anything dramatic aimed only at media hype.

The two sides will be furthering their discussions and will be co-operating fully with the authorities to ensure that agreed solutions are implemented without much further delay so that Paceville will continue to enhance its reputation of a special zone for fun and entertainment and improve its image as a safe and disciplined area for all those seeking relaxation, holidaying and enjoyment.

For further information kindly contact Mr Philip Fenech Deputy President & Vice President Hospitality & Leisure on 99493534

Malta Today continues with its damaging campaign against GRTU and Green MT in spite of all the denials. The issue now goes to Court. But GRTU & Green MT continue to deny the main story. First of all GRTU does not apply and does not receive any Eco-Tax refunds or exemptions. Nor does Green MT. Those who benefit from exemptions are the members of Green MT.

 

So really the issue Media Today and the Labour Party media keep pushing forward is absolutely false. Green MT did not have to sign any contracts with any Local Council for the period July 2009 to December 2009 as four Labour Mayors, Malta Today, l-Orizzont and the other Labour media keep reporting. The collection of grey bags weekly for 26 weeks in 22 Localities over this period was done by the contractors appointed by each Local Council and each contractor invoiced Green MT for the service rendered and each contractor was in turn paid by Green MT. All invoices and receipts of payments were made available to the Approving Authorities.

Green MT was at that time the only Authorized Scheme ready and willing to take over all this payment when Government stopped paying the contractors directly and the Local Councils had no funds allocated for this additional service. All documents show most clearly that Green MT acted on instructions of the relevant competent authorities. There is also enough evidence to prove that the Association of Local Council was party to this agreement. It is inconceivable that any Mayor or Local Council Administration did not know of the arrangement. All Local Councils were obliged to enter into an agreement with any of the schemes by March 2010. Green MT discussed its offer with the individual Local Councils and by March 2010, 16 Labour majority Local Councils and 26 Nationalist Majority Local Councils signed a contract with Green MT. No Local Council was forced into signing with Green MT however Labour Majority Local Councils were instigated personally by Dr Toni Abela, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, not to contract with the not-for-profit Green MT scheme and to contract with the other Scheme, which was then a 100% privately owned company with family shareholding.

All Councils know that payments for the separated waste collection were different over three different periods. From the initiation of the grey bag in early 2008 till end June 2009 payments were made directly by the Local Government Department or by the Local Council to the contractor but with the Local Council receiving reimbursement from the Department of Local Government. Only a few opted for the second alternative. There was a tri-partite agreement between the Department of Local Government, GRTU in representation of waste carriers and the Association of Local Councils in representation of Local Councils. Payments for the period from July 2009 to December 2009 in 22 Localities were made directly to the contractors by Green MT. The remaining contractors operating in all other Local Councils continued to be paid by the Department of Local Government according to the first agreement. As from March 2010 onwards payments were affected either by Green MT or the other scheme directly to the contractor to whom Local Councils contracted for the said service.

The question remains: who is instigating all this anti-GRTU and anti-Green MT campaign? GRTU and Green MT are seeking Legal re-dress. The culprits of all this damage will pay.

Information session on this year’s ICT calls under the FP7

 

Got an ICT project in mind? Looking for funds?  Then you’ve come to the right place. The Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) offers funding opportunities to researchers interested in taking up projects within ICT, and other scientific and technological areas.

 

 

26^th of August- 09.00 to 12.00, Villa Bighi, Malta

 

SME workshop

 

The Malta Council of Science and Technology, in collaboration with the University of Ulster invite you to discuss “Funding Options for Research, Technology Development and Innovation (RTDI) – Providing a Voice for SMEs”.This workshop will provide a forum for discussion where SMEs and RTDI programme managers can add their voice to influence the design of future RTDI programmes in Europe. The workshop will provide information on the RTDI programme landscape in Malta and Europe; outline the barriers and motivations of SMEs participating in RTDI programmes; and present SME experiences of participation in RTDI Programmes. The workshop will finish with a series of roundtable discussions on the challenges faced by SMEs in programme participation and will identify measures to enhance RTDI programmes for the benefit of SMEs.

 

1^st of September – Villa Bighi, Malta – 9:30-13:00

 

To register, please visit MCST’s website: www.mcst.gov.mt or contact Ms. Marie Claire Tonna ()