Category: Archive – 2014

GRTU has last
week written to Hon Joe Mizzi Minister for Transport and Infrastructure asking
for a meeting to clarify the recent revisions of the CVA. Upon introduction of
the new revisions to the CVA scheme announced in the Budget 2014 speech GRTU
and its members immediately came out supporting the revision. We, our members
and many others however were under the impression that this would mean that no
CVA would be charged after 14.00hrs.

Three
months from the introduction of the revision, GRTU is receiving various
complaints from shop owners, employees, etc… saying they are still being
charged CVA after 14.00 hrs. After having enquired GRTU learned that only those
parking into Valletta after 14.00 are not charged, while those that came in an
hour or so earlier are charged normally for the rest of the day.

Do we
want to force people that are parked in Valletta to go out of the CVA zone and
in again at 14.00 to benefit from the waiver? One reason why we were pleased
with the change was that people could come in and have lunch or a snack and
spend time in Valletta shopping after. This was the change we were in favour of
to really boost business and encourage people to come in. 

GRTU
stated that we feel people have been misled and something needs to be done to
address this.

Witness the events of the 1984
Bhopal disaster in India in which approximately 3,787 are officially recorded
as being killed, and it becomes clear what destruction the misuse of chemicals
can cause. The United Nations has addressed the issue in the hope of ensuring
the safe use, transport and disposal of such chemicals.

The UN did this through
the introduction of the "Globally Harmonized System of Classification and
Labelling of Chemicals (GHS)" system. The GHS's scope is to disclose a
classification of chemicals according to hazard risks and propose a
harmonisation of hazard communication components, for instance: safety data
sheets and labels. The GHS offers a foundation for a harmonisation of rules and
regulations on the use of chemicals at a national, regional and supranational
level. Harmonisation also greatly facilitates trade, where imports and exports
would have similar – if not exact – labelling, among other factors.

In 2003, the European Commission
adopted a proposal for a new EU regulatory framework for chemicals, called
REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals), that made it a
necessity for enterprises that import or manufacture more than one tonne of
chemical substance per annum to register information in a main database. REACH
is an initiative with the aim of improving the safeguarding of human health and
the environment, and upholding competitiveness and innovative capabilities of
the EU chemicals industry.

The European Union has
aligned its legislation with the UN's GHS system through Regulation (CE)
1272/2008 (CLP Regulation). Among the changes that came with this CLP
Regulation is the replacing of old terms with new ones, such as "mixtures"
instead of "preparations" and "hazardous" instead of "dangerous." The
Regulation has also introduced new red-framed pictograms to gradually replace
the older orange danger symbols.

Suppliers are usually
required to decide on the classification of a mixture or substance, collectively
known as "self-classification." Sometimes the decision on the classification of
a chemical is even taken at Community level so as to ensure proper risk
management. Suppliers are expected to replace the classifications under the
Dangerous Substances Directive with the new harmonised classification and
labelling that has been mentioned above. The instances in which suppliers are
required to label a substance or mixture contained in packaging are as follows:

–    When
a substance is classified as hazardous

–    When
a mixture contains one or more substances classified as hazardous above a
certain threshold

The full application of
this Regulation is a gradual process, in which the CLP Regulation that entered
into force on 20 January 2009 will increasingly substitute the labelling and
classification of the Dangerous Substances (67/548/EEC) and Dangerous Preparations
(1999/45/EC) Directives. These two obsolete Directives will be annulled on 1
June 2015. From this date onwards, all mixtures in products must be classified
according to the CLP Regulation, and two years later (1 June 2017) a
re-packaging and re-labelling of products already on the market must be
completed.

The European chemical
Substances Information System (ESIS) can provide valuable information to those
working in trade as it contains a database of chemicals and the risks they
entail. This database can be found at: 
http://esis.jrc.ec.europa.eu/. The European Chemicals Agency website
provides more detailed analyses on chemicals through its Classification and
Labelling Inventory.

When placing a hazardous
substance on the EU market, businesses must inform the Classification &
Labelling Inventory within one month of placing the substance on the market for
the first time. One must also note that this service is free of charge.
Additionally, importers must follow a particular timeframe in which the one month
is counted from the day the substance is physically introduced into the EU's
customs territory.

In order to comply with
CLP, businesses can follow a number of steps:

1.   Identify
your role and obligations under the CLP regulation. A business can have more
than one role, and these roles include manufacturers, importers, users,
distributors and producers of articles.

2.   Update
the inventory of your substances and mixtures.

3. Familiarise yourself with your substances to see
whether they are subject to harmonised classification at Community level by
consulting Annex VI to the CLP Regulation

      (http://echa.europa.eu/en/addressing-chemicals-of-concern/harmonised-classification-and-labelling/annex-vi-to-clp).

4.   Make use of
the ECHA website.

5.   View how
other companies have notified the same substance in the ECHA Classification
& Labelling Inventory.

European SMEs' confidence has
increased over the last six months by almost two percentages points and now
reaches 67.9 for the entire European Union. However, the difference between
South & Periphery and North and Core Europe does not decrease and remains
at about 15 percentage points.

In particular, SMEs in the construction and
personal services sector are negatively affected by the low level of household
demand, which had already hindered SMEs exiting the recession last semester.
The slightly better outlook for the first half of 2014 may bring SMEs out of
recession but it will not be enough to grow or to create jobs.

"The UEAPME SME Business
Climate index increased by 1.8 during the last semester. However, it is still
clearly below 70, which we see as a neutral stance We therefore cannot yet
speak of a recovery and will see no growth and no new jobs in the first half of
2014", said Gerhard Huemer, Director of the UEAPME Study Unit, which issues the
"Craft and SME Barometer" prior to the EU summits in spring and in autumn. SMEs
are mainly lagging behind the slight overall recovery because of their larger
dependence on household demand and of their difficulties in accessing finance
for in-vestments. Furthermore, the huge difference between North & Core and
South & Periphery still exists and keeps confidence down.

The SME Barometer shows
slightly improved results for the second half of 2013 in most of the economic
indicators except investments, but the figures are much worse than expected six
months ago. "This clearly proves that the recession did not come to an end in
the last months of 2013, at least for SMEs," explained Mr Huemer, "the
situation was at its worst for investments, where we saw for the first time
that SMEs have even less investments accomplished than they had originally
planned."

The figures for the first
half of 2014 show only limited improvements and are not strong enough to turn
the recession into a recovery. "According to our figures, we will see some
growth in central and northern Europe, but without significant effects on employment. However, the SME
sector in southern and peripheral Europe may remain in recession and further
job reductions cannot be excluded", said Mr Huemer. He continued to say that
"the only positive fact is that many SMEs expect higher sale prices, proving
that SMEs do not foresee any risks of deflation in Europe".

"A more positive future
development will depend on the materialisation of the risks coming from
geo-political instabilities or unsolved problems in the financial sector and is
only feasible if needed reforms continue and access to finance is improved",
concluded Mr Huemer.

Il-Ministru responsabbli
għall-Iżvilupp Sostenibbli, l-Ambjent u t-tibdil fil-Klima, Leo Brincat ħareġ
espressjoni ta' interess għall-iżvilupp tal-potenzjal tal-Park tal-Familja. Din
l-espressjoni ta' interess saret bl-iskop ewlieni li jinħolqu opportunitajiet
akbar ta' divertiment u sfog għall-familji Maltin li jżuruh, kif wkoll sabiex
jingħata spazju u nifs akbar għal inizjattivi ġodda fil-qasam tal-kummerċ
f'pajjiżna. 

L-ghan hu li din l-espressjoni
ta' interess tinkoragixxi intraprendituri u nies fin-negozju b'ideat friski,
ġodda u innovattivi biex jersqu 'l quddiem sabiex permezz ta' process
trasparenti jkunu jistgħu saħansitra jipproponu ideat ġodda u innovattivi,
b'żieda ma' dawk l-attivitajiet eżistenti li sejrin jiġu identifikati
fl-espressjoni ta' interess stess. Jekk dawn l-ideat ġodda jkunu milqugħa minn
tim ta' aġġudikazzjoni fil-Ministeru, dawn jkunu inklużi wkoll fil-proċess
tas-sejħa tal-offerti li tinħareġ aktar tard din is-sena. Il-flus iġġenerati
sejrin imorru għall-iżvilupp tal-park innifsu. Sadanittant l-aċċess għall-park
sejjer jibqa' wieħed bla ħlas. Inklużi dawk iż-żoni li sejrin jiġu
kkummerċjalizzati. Ovvjament ħlief għall-aċċess għas-servizzi ġodda li sejrin
jiġu introdotti u pprovduti mis-sieħba l-ġodda kummerċjali. Wieħed anke
jikkonsidra faċilitajiet sportivi. Tabilħaqq jidher li fil-madwar jeħtieġu
faċilitajiet sportivi akbar. Fost iż-żoni li ser jiġu proposti
għall-kummerċjalizazzjoni tal-park hemm:

L-Istallel

Ir-Rock Climbing AreaIr-

Restaurant Area u Tea Rooms

Iż-żona madwar il-Kappella

il-Farm Area magħrufa bħala l-Animal Area

l-Amfiteatru u l-Pillbox

Iż-żona miftuħa għall-attivitajiet fil-beraħ u
l-Agricentre.

L-espressjoni ta' interess se
toħroġ nhar it-30 ta' Marzu u t-tagħrif u l-formoli meħtieġa jistgħu jinkisbu
mill-Uffiċċju tas-Segretarju Permanenti tal-Ministeru, fi Triq Ħal-Qormi, Santa
Venera.

Green MT, the National  Authorised Packaging Waste Compliance Scheme
in collaboration with the St Paul s Bay Local Council last Saturday organized a
four hour event during which residents and all those with recycling at heart
were asked to bring two empty clean glass bottles/jars to Bugibba Square and in
return be able to win a number of fantastic prizes, including dinners and
lunches and also weekend breaks at leading hotels.

Although the weather was
not on our side, the event brought along a good number of residents who turned
up with bottles and jars and took part accordingly. The event was presented by
DJ Pierre Cordina and a number of other entertainers, including Glen Vella ,
Kristina Casolani and a number of very promising young singers. Animators face
painted kids and over a thousand green balloons coloured the square.

The aim of the event was
to create more public awareness towards more collections of glass from the
residents and commercial establishments. It is a known fact that many still
place glass in their black bags and do not use recycling glass banks in their
respective localities.

The event was attended by
all Green MT Staff and Eco Councillors who participated and worked hard to make
sure the event was a successful one. GRTU Vice President Philip Fenech was also
present for the event.  Those present
were addressed by Mr Mario Salerno, the local Mayor who outlined the importance
of more and more education but also more participation from residents. The
collection finally amounted to just over two tons of glass from this event.
Green MT thanks one and all but primarily the residents and commercial
establishments in St Paul s Bay for their participation.

Green MT is a National
Authorised Packaging Waste Compliance Scheme and operates on behalf of 1300
producer members. Further information can be obtained by contacting the Scheme
during office hours on 21496965/6.

Despite the continued
efforts of Green MT and St Pauls Bay Local Council vandals continue to burn
containers for recyclables which are only there to serve the public at large.
Last Wednesday, a public holiday, someone decided to burn two sites minutes from
each other at St Pauls Bay, one near Fra Ben and another site next to the
Primary School.

In both instances the black metal bin was not burnt indicating
the person who carried out this act knew that metal material does not burn as
fast as paper, plastic or glass. We say someone because the burning of two
separate sites in the same locality cannot be seen as a coincidence.

These containers are
bought from public funds as they are owned by Wasteserv Malta Limited and
devolved to the Local Council. In turn the Local Council contracts an
authorised Packaging Waste Compliance Scheme to empty and maintain these
containers.

Reports have been placed
by the St Pauls Bay Local Council to the Police, which we are eager to see
thoroughly investigated. We hope investigations yield results.

Data:            It-Hamis,
27 ta' Marzu 2014

Hin:              18.00hrs

Post:             L-ufficju
tal-GRTU,

                    Triq
ir-Republika,

                    Valletta

Suggett :      Diskussjoni
fuq Waste Management Plan  2014-2020

In February, the annual rate
stood at 1.08 per cent. A year earlier the annual rate was 1.84 per cent. The
largest upward impacts on annual inflation were recorded in the Beverages and
Tobacco Index (0.41 percentage points),

A downward impact was
recorded in the Other Goods and Services Index (-0.04 percentage points),
mainly due to jewellery items.  The
twelve-month moving average rate was 1.17 per cent