Author: SME Chamber

GRTU President Paul Abela, Vice President Philip Fenech and Director General Vincent Farrugia were earlier this month very pleased to meet Mr Martin Bugelli for a cordial introductory meeting at the GRTU premises.

GRTU's Director General and EESC Employers` Group member told Mr Bugelli that "as the national organisation representing SMEs we are extremely happy with your nomination as we have worked together for many years and we know exactly the determination and enthusiasm which dominates your performance. For small business proprietors in Malta it is essential that the EU Commission is represented by a strong personality who is not afraid to reach out to the widest cross-section possible of people, and in our case this is particularly important as in spite of our own efforts through our own electronic newspaper the GRTU newSTRING, which diffuses information and advice to small businesses, and also the efforts of MEUSAC, there are still a substantial amount of people who are under the influence of misinformation about Europe, propagated in the past".

GRTU is very active at European level through our direct representation in the Employers bureau at EESC and in the administration boards of both EuroCommerce and UEAPME and we regularly send delegates to various EU Commission activities, seminars and courses, but we still believe there is much more to be done. GRU offers all its support to make sure that Martin Bugelli excels in his position as Head of the EU Commission representation in Malta. The GRTU officers wished Mr Bugelli the best of luck while occupying the new post.

Waqt li rringrazzjat lill-Kunsill tal-laqgha kordjali organizzata dwar xoghlijiet ta' tisbih/servizzi gewwa Triq San Pawl il-Belt, il-GRTU gibdet l-attenzjoni tal-Kunsill li l-GRTU ghandha tigi involuta aktar dwar xoghol simili sabiex l-komunita' kummercjali tkun infurmata fil-hin bil-proceduri mehtiega u mhux kif appena ser jibda x-xoghol.

Il-GRTU immedjament bdiet tinforma lis-sidien li x-xoghlijiet ser jibdew bejn l-ewwel/tieni  gimgha  t-Awwissu 2011 bl-ewwel fazi (mill-OPM sa Triq it-Tejatru). Bi ftehim mal-Kunsill u mall-Ministeru tal-MRRA il-GRTU kellha tiehu hsieb tara jekk kienx hemm applikazzjonijiet pendenti min naha tas-sidien minhabba utility services etc sabiex dawn jigu mhaffa u jsiru waqt l-andament tax-xoghlijiet. Ftehmna ukoll li dawk kollha li ghandhom kantina jikkomunikaw mall-Kunsill sabiex jigi ikkordinat ix-xoghol skond l-htiega.

Carmen Borg rapprezentanta fi hdan il-GRTU il-bierah fil-ghodu zaret sidien ta' negozji li qeghdin fil-parti ta' fuq fejn ser tibda l-ewwel fazi tax-xoghlijiet. Sfortunatemnet ma setawx jinghataw dettalji cari il-ghaliex l- programm/perjodu ta' xoghol ghadu ma huwiex ikkonfermat, Traffic Management lanqas, u lanqas ma huwa kkonfermat l-hin li l-kuntrattur ser jopera bih.

Is-Sidien ma ghandhom xejn kontra dan ix-xoghol anzi laqghu b'ferh din l-ahbar, pero il-GRTU talbet li kif appena l-Kunsill ikollu ftit informazzjoni jghaddiha mal-ewwel lill-GRTU l-ghaliex hemm sidien li huma ikkoncernati hafna ghal fatt li Triq San Pawl hija wahda mit-toroq ewlenin li bhalissa qed tilqa' hafna mit-traffiku li jwassal ghac-centru tal-Belt.

Il-GRTU gibdet ukoll l-attenzjoni li hafna mis-sidien huma wholesalers, distributuri, restoranti, kaffeteriji, hwienet tal-merca  etc. Dawn ghandhom bzonn li f'certu hinijiet jhottu u jghabbu x-xoghol ghalhekk l-access ghandu jkun addattat mhux ghal klijent u l-impjegati biss.

Il-GRTU talbet ghall-informazzjoni li gejja, kif appena tkun disponibli;

• l-programm/skeda ta' xoghol
• Traffic Management
• Access alternattiv jekk Triq San Pawl tkun maghluqa
• l-hinijiet ta' kif ser jahdem l-kuntrattur ghaddilna kopja sabiex inkun nista ninforma l-kumplament tas-sidien min triq it-Tejatru sa triq l-Arcisqof

GRTU was this morning happy to meet new MEPA CEO Dr Ian Stafrace. This is one of a serious of meetings Dr Stafrace is holding with stakeholders and GRTU was extremely happy to note how Ian Stafrace intends to execute his function with close collaboration and discussions with stakeholders. The general impression after the meeting was that the time when senior MEPA officers hide behind the wall aloof from the realities of practical life is now over.

The GRTU Delegation let by GRTU President Paul Abela, Director General Vince Farrugia, Vice President for the Gozo Business Community Michael Galea and Joseph Attard CEO of Green MT, presented the GRTU's views in representation of SMEs in various economic sectors. GRTU reminded Dr Stafrace that 98.7% of businesses in Malta are small and medium, of which 92% are micro, and that large enterprises constitute less than 1%. The GRTU told Ian Stafrace that we represent 7000 members which together own more than 10,000 enterprises. Our major interest, and this was the main message, is that planning is for the people and the environment belongs to all of us.

GRTU is one organisation that not only speaks about the environment but acts to help its members and Malta in general reach. We accepted the responsibility of waste collection. We are stakeholders not only because we represent business but because we are part of the waste management system.

It is not correct that MEPA has for long been perceived to be owned by architects and developers. Developers  represent only 5% of users, the absolute majority is composed of commercial and industrial services. GRTU also represents a wide cross section of contractors who do not only work on specific development projects but are involved in all economic activities.

GRTU put forward a proposal for MEPA and the Ministry for Finance to aid particular sectors so that the number of applications for the expansion and the creation of places of work will increase. GRTU also demanded that action is taken to reduce the time from submitting the application to obtaining a PA number, during which the screening process takes place to one week as the average delay is too long.

GRTU highlighted the importance that businesses are given special schemes and not reduction of tariffs to encourage small business growth at a lower expense and time delay.

The Malta-EU Steering and Action Committee (MEUSAC) will be organising, on July 28, 2011 at 9:00am, the second of a series of seminars related to the Europe 2020 strategy. This second seminar, themed Roadmap towards a Resource Efficient Europe, will tackle the issue of sustainable growth which requires working towards a more resource efficient, greener and more competitive economy.

There will also be workshops to gather views and ideas on how Malta can best work to reach the targets set for energy efficiency. All those players involved in areas related to environment, energy, transport and use of resources are invited to attend the seminar and to contribute actively in identifying Malta's main challenges and the best way to tackle them.

Those intending to attend the seminar are requested to send an email on by 25^th July 2011. The seminar will be held at The Palace Hotel, Sliema where complimentary parking will be available. Bookings will be considered on a first come first serve basis.

On 15 June 2011 the European Commission adopted a proposal for a revised Directive on electromagnetic fields. The 2004 directive had been previously suspended due to difficulties of implementation in various industrial sectors and notably disproportionate burdens for SMEs.   

The aim of the new proposal is to balance the protection of workers' health and safety with appropriate flexibility and proportionality in relation to the use and development of industrial and medical activities.

Some of the most important changes concern:

• clearer definitions, in particular for adverse health effects inclusion of a revised system for limit and reference values different from the current limit values and action values for the range from 0 to 100 kHz
• introduction of indicators to facilitate measurements and calculations and to give guidance on taking measurement uncertainties into account.
• introduction of some guidance to ensure simplified but more efficient risk assessments in order to facilitate the evaluation work and also to limit the burden on SMEs
• introduction of limited but appropriate flexibility by proposing a controlled framework for limited derogations for industry
• further complementary non-binding measures such as a non-binding practical guide.

Next steps: The proposal will go to the European Parliament and Council for adoption and is subject to co-decision procedure. Formal negotiations are expected to start in September 2011. 

Il-GRTU kitbet lill-onorevoli Chris Ciantar f'ishem dawk l-importaturi li jezercitaw l-operat taghhom mit-tined tal-patata gewwa Ta' Qali. Xoghol dawn l-importaturi jikkonsisti f'esportazzjoni tal-patata Maltija lejn is-suq Ewropew u mportazzjoni taz-zerriegha tal-patata li tigi mibjugha lill-bdiewa.

Dawn l-operaturi ilhom joperaw min dawn it-tined ghal dawn l-ahhar sittax -il sena (1995) u madanakollu qatt ma waslu fi ftehim fiss dwar it-titolu li llum jokkupaw. Il-GRTU tablet sabiex dawn l-operaturi jigu rikonoxxuti taht titolu validu skond il-Ligi.

The Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) will shortly issue General Binding Rules (GBRs) that affect several of the sectors represented by GRTU. GRTU representatives President Paul Abela and Joseph Attard have already had a first meeting with MEPA officials regarding the subject. It was agreed that meetings for the individual sectors would be organised during which MEPA Officials would explain the implications of these General Binding Rules which are currently in the stage of drafting.

The GBRs and Guidance Notes are intended to regulate small scale enterprises through a standard set of environmental conditions, related to waste management, emissions tin the atmosphere, effluent discharges and storage of materials and chemicals. A separate set of GBR conditions has been drafted for each sector (or groups of sectors) that have been identified as being of particular environmental concern.

 Unless explicitly specified, enterprises of minimal environmental significance (such as insurance companies) are exempt from control through a GBR or Permit. These provisions shall not be applicable to larger scale activities, which would be required to comply with a specific environmental permit issued by MEPA (to be the subject of a public consultation exercise that is to follow). GRTU is informed that the introduction of these GBRs will be in phases according to what MEPA have deemed to be priority sectors or otherwise. Below are the sectors for which there is a GBR:

This week GRTU will be holding the fist meeting on Sunday 10th July at 10.00am for the Waste Management Sector, which includes Waste Carriers, Waste Brokers and operators of Waste Management Facilities.

MEPA have also recently issued for Public Consultation two additional GBRs in relation to Land Remediation and Hull Cleaning of vessels. One can view guidance notes or GBS (drafts) through the MEPA website.

Il-Kumpanija Liquigas Malta Limited infurmat lill-GRTU – Il- Kamra Maltija ghan-Negozji Zghar u Medji, bhala rapprezentant tad-Distributuri tal-gass, li hi ma taqbilx mal-mod li bhalissa qed isir l-iskambju tac-cilindri tal-gass .

Il-Kumpanija izda infurmat lill-GRTU li sakemm l-Awtoritajiet Regolatorji jiddeciedu fuq dan l-aspett tas-suq, il-Kumpanija Liquigas Malta Limited qed tawtorizza lid-Distributuri tal-gass, li waqt in-norma tax-xoghol taghhom jistghu  jiehdu m'ghand il-Pubbliku cilindri tal-gass ta' kulur iswed (Easygas) u  jaghtu  lura cilindri mimlija tal-Kumpanija Liquigas (sofor jew hodor).

Liquigas infurmaw lid-Distributuri li kull cilindru vojt iswed li jigi irritornat gewwa il-Qajjenza jinghata cilindru iehor ahdar jew isfar. Il-GRTU avzat lid-Distributuri li  dan jistgha jsehh immedjatament  wara li irciviet dan il-komunikat minghand Liquigas Malta Limited.

Sadanittant il-GRTU tishaq mal-Gvern biex mill-aktar fis possibli jara li jinhargu l-Emendi ghall-Avviz Legali 249 ta' 2008 li jikkoncernaw id-distribuzzjoni tal-gass. Il-GRTU temmen li ma jistghax ikun li tasal xitwa ohra u nergghu nigu affacjati bl-istess problemi tal-passat u ghalhekk theggeg lill-Gvern biex jiehu l-passi xierqa f'dan is-settur ghaliex dan hu konformi mal-Kuntratt originali li fuqu huma ibbazati l-Licenzji tad-Distributuri u hu wkoll konformi mad-decizjoni tal-Ufficju tal-Kummerc Gust li jawtorizza lid-Distributuri jaghmlu xoghol ta' tqassim u gbir fuq ic-cilindri taz-zewg fornituri licenzjati mil-MRA.

GRTU was represented by Council member Marcel Mizzi at a workshop meeting in Rome on Implementing the Multisectoral Guidelines on Third Party Violence. Approximaltely one in ten workers in the European Union are experiencing some sort of third party violence or harrassment at their place of work. The violence comes from either work collegues or from third parties such as customers and clients.

This workshop was the second in a series of similar workshops organised through EU funding by European Employers and Commerce Trade Union organisations as well as private security, local and regional government, education and health sectors all of which are being effected by this phenomenon.  These sectors have together already produced a set of guidelines and procedures with the aim of mitigating this increasing trend. These incidents at work have a direct impact on the productivity of employees and often result in absenteesm as well as poor performance.  

The current guidelines include :

• A clear definition of third party violence
• Recognising of safe work places and how they can be improved
• Awareness raising
• Monitoring and follow up procedures
• Provision of "after incident" support
• Processes for evaluation

Various member states have already taken the lead in implementing these guildlines, not least of which is Italy through the work of Confcommercio who have introduced printed quidelines which are distrubuted to business owners and employees. These guidelines instruct workers how to handle these situations. The document defines specific behaviours that should be recognised and mitigated against. It also outlines what the employee should do and how he should react to be effective in helping the police in securing an arrest later on.  Confcommercio have also organised courses for Shopping Mall Security staff and other security enforcement personell. The organisation is also using a software application called "Keycrime" which aims to predict where crime is going to occur next. Their representative stated that they had seen some success using this application. Confcommercio's presentation was followed by a presentation by representatives from Norway who also explained the progress they have made in their country which mostly consists of awareness raising so far.

Following the various presentations, the representatives present were divided into work groups and withdrew into various different rooms to discuss possible implementation strategies and ideas. From each workgroup a representative was then selected to make a presentation.

Mr. Mizzi on behalf of GRTU reported on the progress that was bieng made in Malta with respect to these guildines. He explained the initiative that GRTU was leading together with the ETC to inlcude subjects such as handling third party violience in commerce as part of the ETC sales courses and qualifications. He stressed that he would like to see a homogenous system in sales qualifications that would be the same across member states.  He said that it is strange that many qualifications are recognised while there is no set formula for a sales qualification, both in terms of content and recognition. Crime and third party violence in commerce are unfortunately common across member states and having a homogenous sales qualification across states would certainly be a first step in implementing the quidlines being discussed here.  Mizzi also mentioned initiaves such as the closed circuit camera systems that were installed in Valletta main streets a few years ago. These were a "best practice" story as they were paid by the shop owners and are connected to the police head quarters.  This initiave is only costing the tax payers money in terms of human resources at the police HQ but has been effective in reducing shop lifting and "snatch and grab" incidents in Valletta. This is a perfect example of what could be done to help mitigate against third party violence.  Mizzi stressed that education is the key to tackling these issues. While organisations such as GRTU can certainly be instrumental in educating SMEs, the task of educating the general public is beyond the remit or capabilities of the GRTU.  He said that since Malta joined the EU customers are being constantly told that they have rights as consumers which is of course correct and important, however, it is also a major cause of arguments with shop assistants and owners as they sometimes imagine that they have more rights that they actually have and tend to get into heated arguments trying to prove their point. Again sales people can be educated about consumer rights and even here GRTU has made sure that the ETC Sales qualifiaction includes this information.

Mr Mizzi recognised that as part of the implementation of these guideliness, raising awareness amongst the  organisations whose sectors are effected should be first priority. To his knowledge there is no single unbrella organisation that could perform this task. At this particular workshop, for example, only  GRTU and the MUT (Malta Union of Teachers) were represented. These are two organisations that would otherwise not be linked at all back in Malta. He said that perhaps a solution would be to disseminate the information through the local EU represenatative office but this could also prove difficult. The ideal method, would be to organise meetings in Malta and invite all the potentially interested organisations. Admittedly, Mizzi said, this could not be done in all members states as the current funding for this project would not be enough to cover the costs involved.

It is clear that the effects of Third Party Violence at the place of work is causing loss of competitive advantage and value added to business and non-business organisations. The implementation of these guild lines as part of the fight against this type of violence is therefore important and GRTU aims to continue to endeavour in this regard.