Author: SME Chamber

• Chauffeur-Driven
• White Taxi Service
• Coaches (Unscheduled Bus Service)
• Cargo Hauliers
• Express Freight (such as Courier Delivery Service)
• Airfreight Forwarders
• (Essential) Goods Distributors (such as Gas, Milk, Bread)

1. Stronger consultation and planning to mitigate unnecessary burdens such as closing off periphery projects, widespread awareness of closures and diversion routes, and devising acceptable diversion routes for the duration of projects. 
2. Traffic has to be channeled to secondary roads to reduce clogging where possible. 
3. An ongoing stock-take of possible improvements and suggestions in various localities, including Paceville, Swieqi, San Gwann/Kappara, Qormi, Marsa, St Venera, Zebbug, Luqa.
4. Authorities that close roads need to communicate and coordinate together in practice. 
5. A Driver on Delivery Card similar to the Doctor on Call concept needs to be considered.
6. 24/7 Use of Roads and Off-Peak Times (Road works, landscaping works, waste collection and other)
7. Widespread Educational Campaign
8. Enforcement that ensures Loading bays are not left occupied, buses use the appropriate bus-stop stations and upgrading subways
9. Clearer understanding of the use of the newly installed Priority Lanes so as to ensure full usage by chauffeur-driven cars, white taxis, buses, coaches, motorcycles and even private vehicles carrying three or more passengers. 
10. Increase of Boarding / Loading Bays in key areas such as business hubs (Valletta, Sliema, Paola, B’Kara, etc.). 
11. Unused parking facilities and private parking facilities need to be put into use. It no longer makes sense to have development getting away with not planning adequate parking facilities. 
12. In view of the previously announced logistics hub concept, one may even consider organized local combined logistics as applicable. 
13. Incentivizing other methods of transportation rather than using one’s private vehicle needs to be taken from policy to action. This would include for instance increase of sea transport.
14. Smart Technology Systems would smart parking sensor to advise drivers if parking is available or not to avoid unnecessary traffic and time wasted looking for parking; adaptive traffic signals technology would improve efficiency. 
15. Encourage employers to invest in parking facilities and joint traffic solutions
16. The CVA system in Valletta has clearly failed and needs a complete overhaul. All stakeholders involved need to be brought together to steer a holistic revamp of the entire system to address the evident inefficiencies which are definitely not within the original spirit within which it was established. 

One of the biggest achievements of the organization during 2015 was the initiation of the abolition of Eco Contribution. After years of GRTU representation and complaining about the inadequacy of the law and its lack of logic, 2015 marked the year that started its abolition. GRTU has spearheaded this change and the journey was not an easy one as we faced 

significant impositions from Government due to the income Government derived from this contribution/tax. GRTU has been following the removal of this unjust tax very closely and there is an understanding that Eco-Contribution will be totally abolished in the coming years.

Another major win for the GRTU concerned its long standing crusade against excessive bank interest rates and charges. GRTU’s efforts have led to more affordable means of financing also through alternative sources that work independently of the banks as well as the Micro Guarantee scheme, another product that was developed by Malta Enterprise thanks to the efforts of the GRTU. 

Following insistence pressure by GRTU an investigation was carried by the MFSA as the regulator and the MCCAA as the competition authority that confirmed what GRTU has been arguing against for many years. The investigation focused on the bank’s level of profits, risk rating policies, financial literacy, interest rates and charges.

In 2015 GRTU has won EU funds to the tune of Eur 90,000.00, concluding its first ever European Social Funds project. The funds gave GRTU the opportunity to carry out a vast number of activities and reach beyond its usual capacity, increasing the exposure of the organization.

Thanks to this financing GRTU held two very successful conferences, one related to helping SMEs in reaching their online potential and another related to learning about and implementing the Budget measures. GRTU’s work and what it stands for were showcased through audiovisual tools, write-ups in popular magazines as well as tailor made publications. In addition GRTU also developed its first guidebook and online learning facility.

2015 was also a year were Government started taking concrete action against unfair competition. What has been achieved this year is far from being enough however it constituted an important first step because through intense pressure placed by the GRTU, Government’s policy shifted from one where it was arguing that goods coming from Sicily should be treated in the same manner as those coming from Gozo to one that involved a stronger regulatory framework and a degree of enforcement.

In addition, following GRTU’s campaign against the sporadic licensing of ‘occasional sellers’ Government abolished the exemption threshold of Eur 7,000. This will place the authorities in a position to be able to carry out checks that were impossible with the exemption.

GRTU’s sections have also been very active during 2015 and one of the most active and dynamic sections was the Renewable Energy Section. GRTU has successfully reached an agreement with Government in relation to the allocation of land for PV investments by the private sector. This will help Malta reach its EU 2020 targets and will help the sector through the supply of additional work that is not related to the schemes issued by Government. GRTU will be coordinating the project through a Public Private Partnership.

Apart from working relentlessly for the betterment of its members GRTU has also worked to improve the organization itself. In 2015 GRTU was awarded the Equality Mark by the National Council for the Promotion of Equality. This award is testament that GRTU is an equal opportunities employer and that its employment and working practices are gender neutral and fair.

The application process involved the development of an equality and sexual harassment policy, appointing an employee as an equality representative and implementing family friendly measures and work life balance options.

GRTU has this year also returned to printed media through its collaboration with the business journal – The Executive. This helped GRTU in widening its reach through an already established distribution network and a professional publication. The feedback received on the publication is very positive.

The GRTU Executive Council took the bold decision to relocate its headquarters, for the first time placing the GRTU in a position of directly owning the property it operates from. This we believe will drastically increase the value of the organization.

The private sector’s role to raise standards in Paceville is pivotal

“We need to send a serious enforcement message on Paceville, but to succeed all stakeholders involved including the private sector must act in unity”, This was stated by Minister for Home Affairs and National Security Carmelo Abela during a meeting held with the Chamber for Small and Medium Enterprises in Malta on the issue of the amelioration of Paceville entertainment zone and surrounding areas.

The majority of entertainment operators in Malta and Gozo were present for the meeting including a high number of owners of establishments in Paceville. 

“Government is committed to see immediate improvements when it comes to the issue of safety and security in Paceville”, Hon Abela told those present. He noted Government is currently reviewing regulations that permit a stronger regulatory framework marking clearer responsibilities, for enforcement in the area of health and safety. The increase of fines as a deterrent which is currently under review was also discussed. 

GRTU Tourism President Philip Fenech said that GRTU was working closely with private operators to raise standards in the sector. “Together with the authorities we are taking a constructive approach and making advancements” said Mr Fenech. He noted that through these meetings, GRTU was enhancing the effectiveness of a platform which sees policy makers and the people that work on the ground, working together to understand each other’s realities and devise a way forward.

The private operators raised a number of concerns that they encounter. Amongst the challenges mentioned were the anomalies in the licensing regime and the difficulties with fake and stolen Identity Cards. Others remarked the unlevel playing field created by one off events and by some establishments that are utilised for entertainment purposes but fall within a different licensing category. The need to strengthen the training of a number of security personnel was also pinpointed. 

GRTU stated that this meeting followed the one held recently with the Malta Tourism Authority related to licensing and compliance. In this meeting, they were represented by Tourism President Philip Fenech and CEO Abigail Psaila Mamo. Accompanying the Minister for Home Affairs and National Security Carmelo Abela was Mr Joe Bonello, Policy Advisor 

1. Micro Investment of a maximum tax credit of €50,000 over a three-year period, naturally subject to Malta Enterprise’s terms and conditions;
2. Legal and Accountancy advisory services up to €2,500 over a five-year period;
3. Assistance for Arbitration sittings;
4. Education and training for owners and their employees of up to €1,000 annually per family business;
5. The positive consideration of lease renewals occupying government premises;
6. Loan guarantees of up to €500,000 per business for the purpose of acquiring the business or parts thereof;
7. When a registered family business is occupying industrial government premises or land on lease or emphyteusis (cens) and subject to the business satisfying all the conditions of the tenancy agreement that has lapsed, the Regulator shall recommend to the Malta Enterprise and/or Malta Industrial Parks to renew the tenancy. 

1. Duty on Documents on immovable property being transferred between family members of a family busiess shall be chargeable on the first €500,000 of the value of the property transferred at the advantageous rate of 3.5% or part thereof;
2. In the case of Duty on Documents payable on the transfer of shares of a family owned company between family members, or interests in a partnership, trust or foundation, no duty will be chargeable on account of the first €150,000 of the value of the shares or interests in a partnership, trust or foundation transferred.

GRTU CEO Abigail Psaila Mamo has today participated in a citizens debate entitled ‘Living with Migration’ which concentrated on the issue of migration in Malta including how they are perceived by citizens, how they themselves feel they are treated and the case for their integration.

It was mentioned that migration is an issue not just in Malta but in many other EU countries, where the numbers are even bigger than in Malta. When 

we speak of migration we commonly associate it with asylum seekers and illegal migrants coming from Africa. Migrants however come from other EU countries as well as other 3rd countries and there is a good number of migrants that are skilled. 

Ms Psaila Mamo said that Malta has a very low level of unemployment and migrants fill in the vacancies the Maltese are not interested in working in or not skilled enough. There are a number of sectors where migrant workers are essential, simply because there is shortage in the Maltese labour market. She said that there is an issue with the lengthy procedure for a third country national to be able to work in Malta and also with regards to the recognition of qualifications.  Another thing she mentioned is that GRTU is supporting the Government in its efforts to regulate work of illegal immigrants through the newly announced Budget measure that will establish an Immigration Work Office where businesses will be able to buy the hours of work they need and the current situation of going to Marsa to pick an illegal immigrant for work will stop. This is something GRTU has been insisting on for many years because businesses have no other option but to employ them illegally and this would put a stop to any abuse and social contributions would be paid in the process. GRTU will be involved in the consultation process before this system is established to ensure that the system is not bureaucratic and that the cost of employment is reasonable and viable for enterprises.

Another way GRTU is supporting the integration of migrants is through social entrepreneurship. GRTU has applied for an Interreg project whereby it would work with disadvantaged groups such as women, pensioners, youths not in education and employment as well as migrants to help them tap into entrepreneurship as an option to employment. If funded the project would start being implemented later next year.