Author: SME Chamber

The Occupational Health and Safety Authority (OHSA-MT) in collaboration with the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OHSA), has last week organized a seminar on Active Ageing and Occupational Health and Safety.The Seminar delved into areas pertaining to active ageing and management of occupational health and safety and provided insights and practical measures to address occupational health and safety matters in respect to ageing workforce.

Amongst the speakers were Hon Dr Helena Dalli, Hon Dr Justine Caruana, Hon Dr Deo Debattista and Dr Mark Gauci. Other speeches were delivered by key-position holders. The seminar also included interventions from Social Partners.

 Malta like all other European countries, is experiencing an ageing population and this trend is expected to continue in the coming years. Although this is an indicator of social and economic progress, it also brings about significant challenges to public policy. Encouraging active participation within the labour market up to and subsequent to retirement age facilitates economic growth, promotes sustainability of the pension systems and helps in managing the rising financial burdens of social protection systems.

GRTU believes that active ageing can be encouraged by, supporting older people to remain active by working longer, engaging in volunteer work after retirement and leading a healthy and autonomous life.

However, to facilitate an increase in the rate of employment amongst ageing individuals, there must be a comprehensive support system to the ageing workforce, both in relation to National policy as well as support from employers.                                                                 

GRTU suggests reforms to unemployment benefit systems and disability pensions and benefits. Encourage life long learning in education, training and skills, and creating subsidies to recruit older workers. Create a positive attitude amongst business enterprise by ensuring productivity and adaptability by updating skills throughout an individual’s working career. Maintain a high level of motivation by offering flexible hours.

In order to have better health and an increase in life expectancy, workplaces must be healthier and safer. Occupational health and safety plays an important role in the promotion and sustainability of active ageing in the workplace. Each workplace is distinct in relation to the risks it places on workers, in particular older workers, hence the need to take into account ageing factors when developing and implementing occupational health and safety measures. This requires a specific and systematic approach.

 

GRTU believes that inter-generational engagement and succession planning by creating age diverse teams will lead to the gaining of different experience and skills. Encouraging companies to include HR strategies to implement effective succession is another proposal.

 

Correct succession planning will both encourage younger and older generations of workers because it will be able to outline the prospective future.

Green MT has
recently held its 4^th consecutive Council Awards. The event was held at a leading hotel in
St. Julians. The attendance of a substantial number of mayors and executive
secretaries together with Green MT's leading producer member was welcomed for
the evening.

Green Council Awards are a
recognition to those Local Councils who have achieved collection targets within
their localities in respect of recyclable waste. Other than recognising these
Councils Green MT has also added a number of awards because of the contribution
it believes they give to the sector and therefore should be recognised. The
award for Best Recycling Business for the year went to General Soft Drinks co
Ltd whilst the Lifetime Achievement Award dedicated to an individual who has
contributed greatly towards not only increasing recycling in the locality but
also for making an overall contribution to the environmental upkeep of the
locality. This award went to Mr John Boxall Mayor of Vittoriosa. St Paul's Bay
Local Council was awarded the Council Initiative for Recycling because it was
instrumental in setting up an event to make the public aware that more glass
needed to be collected to be recycled instead of going to landfill.

Three awards were given to the Local
Councils of Nadur Gozo, Cospicua and Rabat Malta for reducing mixed waste going
to landfill in 2013. The award for the best overall recycling collection went
to the local council of Ta' Xbiex who collected 79 kilos per capita in 2013.
They were closely followed by the local council of Mellieha in second place and
the local council of St Julians in third place.

During the event Mr Paul Abela
President of GRTU and Chairman of Green MT outlined to those present that the
GRTU Malta Chamber of SMEs had effectively been the only constituted body that
took up the eventual responsibility of setting up a company to handle the
environmental obligations of SMEs. Despite all of the difficulties, Mr Abela
informed those present that GRTU deems this to be an outstanding achievement.
He further insisted that the time is now ripe for government to rid producers
of ECO contribution legislation. The event was also addressed by the Honourable
Dr Stefan Bountempo who is responsible for Local Government. Dr Bountempo
thanked Green MT for such an event and ordered that local councils continue to
instigate their residents to continue to take part in this silent revolution –
that of making sure their individual local councils become increasingly
environmentally friendly. Dr Bountempo continued to insist that together with
the Ministry for Sustainable Development, Environment and Climate Change, his
secretariat has gone through detailed discussions to further waste separation
at source, including the introduction shortly of a food waste bag.

The keynote speaker of the event was
the Honourable Minister Leo Brincat, Minister for Sustainable Development,
Environment and Climate Change. Minister Brincat thanked all those present and
outlined that governments` promise to rid the business community of ECO
contribution which is currently stalling the implementation of the WEEE
Directive. 

Minister Brincat further stated that
a consultation document issued early in July by the European Commission has
outlined more onerous targets to be met by producers in member states in
relation to a number of waste stream directives.  He insisted that Malta
was no exception to the rule and, for the benefit of future generations, Malta
had to do its best to meet these targets. He stated that government was in
favour of pilot projects in respect to changes in the waste management sector
as the 'one size fits all' is not acceptable to all local councils.

At the end of the event Minister
Brincat, Dr Stephan Bountempo and Mr Paul Abela Chairman of Green MT presented
the awards to the winners.

Green MT,
is an authorised waste packaging compliance scheme, a fully owned subsidiary of
GRTU Malta Chamber of SMEs. It had been set up with the aim of making sure that
SMEs met their environmental obligation at law. Green MT can be reached on
telephone number 21496965/6 during office hours.

GRTU President Paul Abela, Deputy President Philip Fenech and
CEO Abigail Psaila Mamo have this week met Hon Edward Zammit Lewis, Minister for
Tourism to discuss its tourism related priorities for Budget 2015.

 

Wider spread of tourism

GRTU explained that other services in the localities
like Cafés and Restaurants and many retailers will benefit if tourists
accommodation spreads from the traditional tourists areas to the localities.
The spread of tourists amongst Malta's localities will ease the increasing pressure
on the infrastructure resulting from a necessary increase in tourists flow to
Malta needed to enhance tourism's contribution to Malta's GDP. Host Families
for instance are a valuable resource. These are dedicated individuals that open
their homes to total strangers and welcome them and do their best to provide
cheap lodging at a good standard while providing the experience of the Maltese
way of living. The GRTU knows of minor shortcomings in the sector however the
whole cannot be made to suffer for it. GRTU therefore proposes to further incentivize
the sector and help it become more competitive. The hotel industry and the host
family sector are currently in competition and we think that it is only fair
that they compete under the same rules. GRTU proposes reducing the Host Family
license per bed which would equal the license per bed paid by hotels.

The value added in the utilization of available
resources that could easily be transformed with the right incentives for
tourism purposes could be remarkable. GRTU proposed allowing for change of use
for these buildings so that more empty buildings can be used for back office
work or for other activities of an economic value, including Boutique Hotels
and B&Bs. GRTU also urges Government to invest in the infrastructure within
the localities so that tourists can have easy access to facilities everywhere
they choose to go and stay. This will help attract tourists to our localities
and better distribute the wealth and business they generate. This includes the
continuation of works on historic sites and village cores, signage, etc…

 

Crafts Village

GRTU said that it welcomed Government's commitment to
invest in the current Crafts Village with the aim of delivering the necessary
upgrades the area badly need. GRTU said it is aware that Government has applied
for over €8M in EU funds to carry out the project but none of these EU funds
will be enjoyed by the operators. Tourists visit the Crafts Village in the most
natural of manners and it is a pity that after finding a way to get there,
because with Arriva it became more difficult to get to the Crafts Village, they
leave disappointed by the experience because of the state of the Village and
the quality of the products. GRTU asked the Minister for support to
re-establish a direct bus route to the crafts village.

MIP's plans for the Crafts Village are very sound but
there is an investment the owners need to make and they will be reluctant to
make it unless they see a return. The current number of visitors is not
encouraging and this can be improved strongly with the support of the Ministry
for Tourism and the MTA. The Crafts Village has the potential of becoming one
of Malta's prime tourist attractions and it should be marketed and regarded as
such. GRTU as such called for a Tourism strategy for the crafts village.

 

Higher quality for our
tourists

To increase the value of local produce GRTU proposed
the investment in quality testing and certification system to test and certify
local produce. This with the aim that only genuinely locally produced products
are marketed as such, this would help crafted goods being associated with
higher quality. Incentives to invest in local produce with easily accessible
standards and quality marks should be specific for those investing in the local
produce.  In addition specialised individuals need to be employed with
Government to certify the authenticity of local produce and a quality mark is
issued. Government should also invest or incentivise the public sector to invest
in systems such as Isotope Testing Equipment. Incentives should also be
targeted specifically at agri-tourism sector and organic farming.

 

Tax incentive

To further encourage crafts GRTU urged the Minister to
reduce the VAT element to 7% on locally produced crafts that are highly labour
intensive and in some cases contain a large amount of energy content such as
glass and ceramics. This would be similar to the incentive that is applicable
on arts where VAT stands at 5%.

 

The Pleasure boat and
Yachting Industry

GRTU requested that funds would be directed towards
the upgrade of current boat yards in order to be able to accommodate larger
boats such as tourist cruise boats. Unlike the fishermen the operators of
cruise boats currently are not offered the facility to put their boats on the
dry, at the Marsaxlokk boat yard for instance, at a reasonable price. The only
options given, including Manuel Island Yacht Yard, are very expensive and
unsustainable. The only sustainable option they see, which in itself cannot be
regarded as sustainable, is to take the boats to Sicily every winter, for
repairs and laying up, often a hugely cheaper option, if not exactly a
desirable one.

GRTU called for a commitment from Government to tackle
the astronomical shortage of marinas and pontoon berths in Malta. This highly
lucrative market is largely side lined in favour of other sectors such as the
cruise liner industry. Whilst appreciating the importance of other touristic
markets, the private yachting industry is unjustifiably being put on hold.
Malta has enormous potential to successfully compete with other yachting
destinations such as those in Southern Italy, South of France, Palma de
Majorca, and even spreading to Croatia, Crete and Greece, attracting foreign
boat owners to moor their vessels permanently in Malta. Nevertheless the sheer
lack of facilities and the huge numbers on the waiting lists for pontoon spaces
as well as the exorbitant costs are a deterrent.

 

Minister's reaction

The Minister was in full agreement with GRTU's arguments
and said that the Ministry will be proposing measures on these lines as he
believed that a wider spread in tourism not just along a larger number of
months but also localities should be our plan to achieve sustainability within
the sector. The Minister also agreed with most of the other points proposed by
the GRTU saying that the GRTU has become an organization that puts forward
sensible and responsible proposals. Dr Zammit Lewis said that he looks forward
to maintaining a healthy relationship with the GRTU.

What is Audio Branding? When we
run out of the perfume we use regularly, we immediately go out to buy "our
signature smell". You can in fact associate certain perfumes with
particular individuals that regularly use their signature perfumes. The
philosophy is similar.

What
audio branding does to your brand is what a signature smell does to a person.
It's a trigger to your brain and it creates an immediate association of that
signature sound to your brand.

Custom
made audio branding is a signature piece of music, that includes slogans and
melodies which are specifically written for your brand to create an original
audio identity. It is exactly the same as creating a company logo but this time
it is an audio logo that will go hand in hand with your company logo.

The
process begins after a lot of brain storming, including getting to know the
brand, finding out what the objective is and connecting with the target
audience through music and a catchy jingle, an ear worm.

Unlike
the common perception this is quite inexpensive, in fact very accessible and
has the possibility of being covered by an incentive, which continues to lower
the cost.

 

 

Date: Tuesday 4th November

Time: 14.00 – 15.00

Venue: GRTU, Exchange Buildings, Republic Street, Valletta, VLT 1117

 

 

To see how this
works in practice check out this links below. If you recognize these tunes you
will realize how effective this can be and the potential this holds for your
company:

 

 

 

On 30 June 2009
the new Toy Safety Directive was published. It substantially amends the old Directive across virtually all safety
aspects. It fulfils to
the highest level the newest health and safety standards.

It improves the
existing rules for the marketing of toys that are produced in and imported into
the EU in view to reducing toy related accidents and achieving long-term health
benefits.

According to its Better Regulation initiative, the Commission has also
engaged in simplifying the current legislative framework and increasing its
quality and efficiency.

Below you can find some frequently asked questions (FAQS) that can
simplify the understanding of this directive:

 

1. Does the Toy Safety Directive (TSD) affect
toys sold online?

The TSD also applies to toys sold online. Warnings must be clearly
visible to the consumer before they purchase the toy, and this includes
displaying them on internet website. If a consumer orders a toy on a website,
the warnings must be written in the language used on the website. If the
website is in several languages, the warnings must be visible to the consumer
in the language of the webpage they are using.

When selling toys online, it is recommended to display toys in such way
that the CE-marking is visible to the market surveillance authorities, to whom
it is addressed.

 

2. Are books with olfactory substances subject
to the TSD?

It depends on the classification of the book. Reading books are not
considered as toys and therefore are not subject to the TSD but to the General
Product Safety Directive (GPSD). In order to know whether or not a book falls
under the scope of the TSD, it is key to first assess whether it is a toy.

There is a guidance document of the European Union (EU) about children's
books and toys, which can be found here:

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/toys/documents/guidance/index_en.htm.

 

3. Are teddy-shaped school bags and school
materials subject to the TSD? Is there a technical guidance document giving
concrete examples of borderline products that may or may not be considered as
toys?

The scope of the TSD applies to "products designed or intended, whether
or not exclusively, for use in play by children under 14 years of age". The
words "whether or not exclusively" have been added to the definition to
indicate that the product does not have to be exclusively intended for playing
purposes in order for it to be considered as a toy, but it can have other
functions as well. For example, a key-ring with a teddy bear attached to it or
a sleeping bag in the shape of a soft filled toy are considered as toys.
Teddy-shaped school bags and school materials are therefore very likely to fall
under this definition, but a case-by-case assessment is always necessary.

The main problem with this definition is the concept of "use in play" or
"play value". Almost everything has play value for a child, but this does not
mean that every object falls under the definition of a toy. To be considered as
a toy for the purpose of the Directive, the play value has to be introduced in
an intended way by the manufacturer. However, the reasonably foreseeable use of
a product prevails over the declaration of intended use by the manufacturer. If
the manufacturer labels the products as not being a toy, he has to be able to
support this claim.

Guidance document number 4 gives further criteria that need to be
considered when deciding whether to classify a product as a toy. Section 1.2.1
of the TSD Explanatory Guidance document also contains useful information in
this regard. Both documents are available here:

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/toys/documents/guidance/index_en.htm.

 

4. Are cheaper toys less safe?

All toys placed on the EU market must be safe and must comply with all
applicable legislation, regardless of their price.

 

5. Is it true that toys made of natural
materials are safer?

All toys placed on the EU market must be safe and comply with all
applicable legislation, regardless of the material used. Natural materials may
contain chemical substances that are prohibited or restricted in the TSD.

 

6. If someone changes a toy, is he considered
a manufacturer?

An importer or distributor, who modifies the product and by doing so
alters its compliance, assumes the obligations and responsibilities of the
manufacturer and is responsible for the conformity of the product. He does not
have to provide details to customs unless requested but must ensure that he has
the up-to-date technical documentation, which takes into consideration the
changes made to the toy.

 

Source: European Commission

Ir-Rahal
fil-Milied 2014 – Għal darba
oħra l-Kunsill Lokali tan-Naxxar
se jorganizza l-attività r-Raħal fil-Milied
bl-attività prinċipali ssir nhar il-Ħadd 7 ta' Diċembru 2014
bejn is-saghtejn (2pm) u t-tminja (8pm). 

Minbarra
l-attività ewlenija, bl-għajnuna tal-għaqdiet lokali, matul dik il-ġimgħa
kollha se jkun hemm xi attivitajiet għaddejin bil-ħsieb li nattiraw l-akbar ammont
ta' viżitaturi possibli.  B'dan il-mod niġġeneraw aktar kummerċ
fil-lokalità. Minħabba
raġunijiet loġistiċi, il-qofol tal-attività, se ssir fi Triq tal-Labour
fil-parti ta' maġenb il-bandli.  B'dan il-mod inkunu nistgħu narmaw kmieni
bl-inqas inkonvenjent għat-traffiku u parkeġġ possibli filwaqt li l-ħsejjes ta'
mużika waqt l-attività ma jtellfux l-andament tal-quddies fil-Knisja. 

L-attività
mhux se tkun limitata għal dik il-parti biss anzi, qed issir ħidma kbira biex
l-attivitajiet jinfirxu kemm jista' jkun u li kull sena tkompli tikber. 
Madanakollu hija meħtieġa l-koperazzjoni ta' kulħadd u għalhekk, kull min b'xi
mod jista' jgħin għandu javviċinana.  Naturalment, aktar ma nkunu
kreattivi u innovattivi fl-ideat, aktar nattiraw nies.

Tajjeb
ninfurmakom ukoll li, minkejja l-limitazzjonijiet finanzjarji, il-Kunsill
qiegħed jippjana kampanja pubbliċitarja akbar minn tas-soltu.  Infatti se
nibdew nirriklamaw minn nhar il-Ħadd li ġej biex noħolqu interess akbar. 
L-ispiża għal dan ir-reklamar mistennija taqbeż sew it-€3,000!

 

Dawn tal-Milied fit-toroq

Fil-preżent
il-Kunsill jinsab għaddej b'ħidma oħra biex jibdel dawl eżistenti u jinvesti
f'dawl tal-Milied ġdid għat-toroq tagħna.  Diġà inħadem fustun għal Vjal
il-21 ta' Settembru u fil-preżent qed jinħadem dawl ġdid u sabiħ ħafna għal
Triq il-Parroċċa u dwal ġodda għal Triq Santa Luċija.  Din is-sena se
jkollna wkoll Triq il-Kbira armata bid-dawl u qed nippjanaw ukoll dwal ġodda
għal Triq tal-Labour. 

Dan
kollu mistenni jiswa eluf kbar ta' ewro iżda sodisfatti li dan se jkompli jżomm
lin-Naxxar bħala wieħed mill-isbaħ lokalitajiet fi żmien il-Milied. 
Nemmnu li dan għandu jgħin ħafna biex in-Naxxar ikompli jattira aktar nies lejh
biex finalment iwassal għal ħafna aktar kummerċ. 

Huwa
importanti wkoll li n-negozjanti jagħmlu l-parti tagħhom u għalhekk il-Kunsill
iħeġġiġkom biex tarmaw bl-isbaħ mod possibli u minn kmieni l-armaturi
tal-ħwienet tagħkom.  Tajjeb ukoll jekk tikkunsidraw inizjattivi li
tistgħu tieħdu flimkien bħal per eżempju li tagħmlu reklami flimkien biex
tħajjru lill-publiku jiġi n-Naxxar.

Ċert
li tifhmu li dawn l-inizjattivi kollha jinvolvu ammont kbir ta' spejjeż li
minnhom tibbenefika l-lokalità kollha iżda mhux l-inqas in-negozju
tagħkom.  Aħna nifhmu d-diffikultajiet finanzjarji li jkollkom iżda nemmnu
li huwa importanti li tagħtu dik il-ftit kontribuzzjoni biex ittaffi
mill-ispejjeż kbar li jkollu l-Kunsill fir-rigward.

Grazzi
għall-kontribuzzjonijiet li kellna mill-maġġoranza tan-negozji s-sena l-oħra,
din is-sena l-Kunsill Lokali kien aktar ħerqan li jinvesti biex jgħolli
l-livell tal-attività kif ukoll biex iżid aktar dawl tal-Milied.  Għalhekk
nappellaw biex din is-sena wkoll toffru l-kontribuzzjoni tagħkom.  

Aktar ma jkollna għajnuna aktar inkunu
nistgħu ninvestu fin-negozji tagħkom.

The Malta-EU
Steering and Action Committee (MEUSAC),
together with the Agriculture Directorate (AD) within the Ministry for
Sustainable Development, the Environment and Climate Change (MSDEC) will be
organising a consultation session. 

Consultation session on the Proposal for a Regulation On Organic Production and Labelling of
Organic Products, amending Regulation No XXX/XXX of the European Parliament and
of the Council and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 834/2007.
This
consultation session will focus on how the EU is aiming to improve the
legislation on organic production with various objectives, including; removing
obstacles to the sustainable development of organic production; guaranteeing
fair competition for farmers and operators and allowing the internal market so
as to function more efficiently and;  maintaining and improving consumer
confidence in organic products.

 

The
consultation session will be held on Wednesday, November 5th, 2014 at 15:00 p.m, at Naxxar Local
Council, Centru Civiku, Vjal 21 ta' Settembru, Naxxar.

GRTU Deputy
President Philip Fenech attended a meeting with the Ministry of Economy,
Investment and Small Business Communications Coordinator Jonathan Attard, other
Ministry officials and the Paceville Committee to discuss the extension of
trading hours for nightlife after 4 am for establishments that are sound
proof.  

During
this meeting Philip Fenech explained that some years back this extension
existed but it was stopped due to the fact that the authorities felt that there
should not be a no-limit culture that could increase the possibility of alcohol
abuse or other relative crime. However amongst the stakeholders present it was
a common understanding that abuse could occur at any hour.

Today's work dynamic has
changed. This has consequently affected the pattern of recreation hours. These
patterns have shown that a lot of people start their night at 1 am which will
only give 3 hours of trade that in some cases is not considered sustainable. Mr
Fenech also explained that there were other businesses with different trading
dynamics and having their licenses extended is not in their interest. Thus it
is clear that at the moment stakeholders both agree and disagree with this
extension. This extension has also peeked interest of open air establishments
that have a license to play amplified music as they conform with the
requirement of being 400 metres away from
inhabitants.    

GRTU Malta Chamber of SMEs insists that Eco
Contribution must go. There are never ending reasons why this haphazard tax
introduced  by the previous administration must go once and for all.

First and foremost it has created, over
the years, an unfair level playing field in so many sectors across the retail
industry that it has become a nightmare. There are so many free riders of Eco
Contribution, including a large
number of foreign suppliers to the market, which will certainly sue the Government, if Government
even insists to make them pay such a tax. They are not accustomed to having to
pay an addittional tax in an EU Community that speaks day in day out of a fair
market level playing field and effectively see such a small Member State implementing
such legislation.

SMEs will no longer stand a legislation
that does not exist anywhere in the Community and in addittion SMEs in Malta
should not be different from their counterparts in the European Community. SMEs
have a responsibility towards abiding to EU Directives that have been
transposed to Maltese law. The WEEE Directive is one of these tragedies. Two
authorised schemes, no logistical operation at all, because no one
should be made to pay twice for an environmental obligation.

GRTU has over the years been insisting
over the abolishment of Eco Contribution.  In various meetings with
Government Ministers and officials we have made our point. Either Eco
Contribution goes or else we shall stand up to be counted. GRTU will not be
alone in taking any action needed to make sure that Eco Contribution will be
abolished. Enough is enough.

One day more of  Eco Contibution
after budget day would not be tolerated. It is the right time to make sure that
Eco Contribution goes away once and for all. This would be a feather in the hat
for the Government of the day.  Many SMEs are so upset about the fact that
the past administration did absolutely nothing about this issue that a very
good number of them voted for change.

Change is what we
want. Facts not words. We want change because this is a Government which 
promised to be Pro-business. We want Government to keep that promise.
Ridding SMEs and the business community of Eco Contribution would be no small
feat. Even setting a time frame by when this draconian Eco Contribution would
be abolished would be a feat in itself. But the coming budget must deliver.

Delivery is the name of the game, the
time for talking is now over. We hope that Government will abolish Eco
Contribution and continue to work to create sustainable long term level playing
field in all retail and manufacturing sectors.