Category: Archive – 2010

Alfred Barthet (Vice President: International Relations)

The ASEM (Asia-Europe Meeting) Social Partners Forum with representatives from 40 Countries from both Europe and Asia met in Brussels to promote how to create more and better jobs on a Global level. Participants attending the meeting came from  Trade Unions, SME representing organisations and Government Officials.

 

Both EU and Asia share a common goal, that of making Globalisation a success, but the benefits of Globalisation need to be shared fairly between both the employers and the employees.

The importance of the ASEM process as a platform for dialogue and cooperation between the EU and Asia was underlined. However one has to address the challenges of the labour market and social benefits due to the current financial crisis which requires the attention of ASEM.

The ASEM representatives were concerned with the increase in unemployment levels due to the current financial recession. In view of these circumstances, all stakeholders, including social partners must adopt a comprehensive approach with regards to the promotion of corporate social responsibility. Therefore social dialogue based on mutual trust and shared objectives can play a sustainable role of change in development and management. In addition Trade Unions have to ease from disputes in order not to disturb employment – jobs/exports/deficit. 

Currently there are 212M unemployed workers in Europe, however a percentage of these unemployed workers are fake and registered only to acquire benefits.  Governments Social Services must clamp down on such abuses.

Irregular immigration from third world Countries is also contributing to the increase of unemployed workers since these immigrants accept low salaries to the detriment of the regular workers.

The Forum conclusion was to promote and further develop consultation and dialogue between social partners at intra-regional and international level.

A follow-up Forum will be on 13^th and 14^th December 2010 in Leiden, Holland.

GRTU strongly condemns the media that has taken a sharp and dangerous anti-GRTU stand in its reporting of the Mario Debono Court case. There is only one case in Court of an ex GRTU officer who is in Court as a result of a breach of the confidence GRTU members bestowed on him: that is the case of Sandro Chetcuti who according to the sworn evidence of the eye-witnesses, the  President, Councillors and senior employees of GRTU, assaulted the Director General of GRTU at the GRTU Headquarters on 11.03.2010.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mario Debono has committed no crime in his capacity as GRTU officer and all attempts by certain sections of the media now known for their bias against the Malta Chamber of SMEs are baseless.

GRTU believes that what happened to Mario Debono can happen to many others in this age of rapid email purchasing. It is not uncommon for traders, or indeed individuals to order one thing and then find that actually they received something else. It is not unknown that in a large consignment one may find goods that are not covered by the necessary documentation. The company of which Mario Debono and the brothers Tabone are Directors believe that they have been tricked and that they committed no crime and indeed, as soon as they realised something was wrong, they themselves alerted the authorities rather than profiting from the mistake and took all action necessary to ensure that no harm was done to anybody.

They were initially charged a fine for this mishap, which however the Directors refused as they believed that they had committed no crime and they preferred to defend themselves in Court. This is something that so many businessmen do. That's why the Courts exist. Certain sections of the media also most unfairly brought up cases of trading of Mario Debono's firm with Government entities. So many firms deal with Government and it is most unjust for any one deal to be pointed out implying any foul play. These same journalists know that the proper way to handle suspicious cases of corruption or favouritism is to report with precise details to the police or else, if they have no reason whatsoever to prove foul play, to shut up and refrain from being defamatory. Mud slinging has for some people become a specialised trade. "Does Mario Debono, a person who devotes so much time, energy and brains to defending his colleagues in the pharmaceutical sector, deserve all the flak that some journalists, instigated by third parties who have an interest in besmirching Mario Debono and GRTU, are fomenting?" Asks Vince Farrugia on behalf of GRTU. "We believe that the answer is 'no'. We have acted diligently to ensure that while the case is sub-judice Mario Debono will not act as Officer of GRTU but we have no intention of punishing Mario Debono to satisfy his detractors when he has been steadfastly loyal to GRTU and has consistently obtained by secret voting the support of the absolute majority of businesses in the pharmaceutical section".

Many at GRTU believe that GRTU should act much more prudently than others who inspire of having persons with serious accusations in Court, continue to sustain the same in most senior position. But for certain inquiring journalists their enquiries are only GRTU targeted.

Vince Farrugia, GRTU's Director General, has not minded his words in communicating with Minister Tonio Fenech on the further delays announced on the implementation of the Micro Credit Scheme, which offered easy loans of up to €25,000 for small business to help them ease the liquidity problems they face during the recession period.

 

"This scheme was top priority for GRTU. Government should have commenced the Scheme immediately in January 2010 as agreed with GRTU, utilising first Government own funds and then switching to EU funds as these funds become available. Malta Enterprise has acted with complete disregard of the pains currently suffered by many small businesses and has lost valuable time to relieve thousands of small business owners during the tough recession times." Vince Farrugia told Minister Fenech.

He continued saying that "it is incredible that five months after Budget day the Ministry of Finance is still throwing out silly excuses that convince no one as to why this most important scheme remains on the shelves. And now they talk about the end of summer. This is like giving our people an umbrella when the rainy season is over".

GRTU is strongly objecting to the stealth by which a number of authorities are imposing new burdens on small enterprises, contrary to the long standing agreement between Government and the GRTU that the cost of business licenses should go down, not up. Indeed as long as Edwin Vassallo was in charge of small businesses the mechanism has started working, so much so that the operating licences started actually to go down.

 

GRTU does not distinguish between businesses who operate from fixed addresses like retailers and others operating through the use of special vehicles such as those carrying water, fuel, gas and waste and other types of hauliers. The worst culprit in the eyes of GRTU is the Malta Resources Authority (MRA), who has taken upon itself the role which at law belongs to the Transport Authority and is imposing on licensed Carriers additional charges per truck in addition to the road licences imposed by the Transport Authority.

MRA is also heftily increasing the business licenses and in defiance GRTU insists on the long standing Cabinet decision not to load small businesses with increases of licences. Selected transporters are being asked to reapply for their licences even though operators had enjoyed their operating licences for decades.

The  increases in licences range from €25 to the hefty €500 annually. This at a time when on the insistence of GRTU a new Parliamentary Secretary for the Self Employed and small businesses has been re-established to ensure a fair deal for small business owner.

GRTU believes Minister Pullicino has decided to disregard Cabinet decisions and lash out against the self-employed. GRTU is angered that in spite of the talk when it comes to actual practice within the whole Government structure their still exists loads of bias against the self employed.

Director General Vince Farrugia is this week raising this issue with the Prime Minister as he believes that the Cabinet of Ministers cannot appear to be divided on the issue of support of self-employed and small business owners.

Abigail Mamo –

One of the main objectives of the Egypt Representative office is that of extending corporate and business relationship services to Maltese and foreign companies that have a presence in the region, or who are seeking to grow the business via the North African markets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

During the coming months, a number of business fairs and exhibitions will be held in Egypt. The BOV Egypt Representative Office will be offering the necessary assistance to those travelling to Egypt for this purpose including preferential rates at a 5 Star Hotel. Should you be interested you are kindly requested to contact Mr Julian Holland on

Abigail Mamo-

SE gives companies operating in more than one Member State the possibility to reorganise their cross-border business under one European label. This enables them to work within a stable legal framework, reduce the internal costs of operating in several countries and hence be more competitive in the Internal Market. The SE has proved to be very popular in some Member States but it has not taken off in others. In order to determine whether changes are needed to make the SE Statute work better, the European Commission has launched a public consultation. With the review of the SE Statute, the Commission is aiming to increase the use of the SE across the European Union.

 

The study and the consultation

Under the SE Regulation, the Commission is required to report on its practical application five years after its entry into force and to put forward amendments where appropriate. To provide a solid factual basis for the report, the Commission launched an external study in December 2008, on which the views of interested stakeholders are now sought. Responses will be taken into account in the Commission's forthcoming report on the SE, which will also be complemented by a high-level conference on 26 May 2010. The deadline for responses to the consultation is 23 May 2010.

The consultation aims to test the findings of the external study and to provide the Commission with input on issues relevant for the assessment of the SE. The questions concern: positive and negative drivers for setting up an SE; main trends in distribution of SEs across the EU/EEA Member States; practical problems encountered by companies in the course of setting up or running an SE; and possible improvements of the current legislative framework.

Background

The European Company Statute, commonly known by its Latin name of 'Societas Europaea' or SE, was adopted on 8 October 2001 (IP/01/1376, MEMO/01/314), after more than 30 years of negotiation, and became available for use on 8 October 2004 (IP/04/1195, MEMO/04/235). A total of 431 SEs were registered as at 10 September 2009.

The SE has proved to be very popular in some Member States. Well known examples of successful SEs are Allianz, BASF, Porsche, Fresenius and MAN from Germany, SCOR from France, Elcoteq from Luxembourg and Strabag from Austria. However, in other Member States the SE has not taken off.

How to take part in the consultation

The questionnaire, together with more information on the SE, is available at:

http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/company/se/index_en.htm
Frequently Asked Questions on the European Company Statute consultation: MEMO/10/97

Abigail Mamo-

Are you planning to participate in this important networking event? If you are, Malta Enterprise can be of assistance.

 

Assistance in the organization of preset meetings  at the B2fair through the Enterprise Europe Network

The possibility of financial support to cover registration and travel costs through our assistance schemes.

The Event

HANNOVER MESSE is the ideal place to obtain the latest industrial know-how. Established sixty years ago, HANNOVER MESSE today ranks as the leading international showplace for industrial technologies, materials and product ideas.
Over the years the focus has shifted from stand-alone components to end-to-end solutions. Technical innovation is one key element in the success of HANNOVER MESSE. Another is its sharp focus on the creative application of existing knowledge.

The "Technology Cooperation Days" is an embedded technology brokerage event organised within the frame of the b2fair matchmaking at Hannover Messe 2010. The "Technology Coooperation Days" during the b2fair matchmaking offer participants the opportunity to have pre-organised and qualified bilateral meetings with potential partners ranging from R&D partnerships to sales & distribution – in just one platform (b2fair).

Participation fee is 175 Eur + VAT. The price includes the entrance ticket for the Hannover Messe as well as several services: translator services, refreshments and one evening reception.

http://support.maltaenterprise.com/index_files/trade.htm Here you will find all the necessary information including the scheme guidelines, eligibility criteria and application forms.

Abigail Mamo –

Last week the JURI committee voted on the recast of the Late Payment Directive. The vote was particularly relevant, as the JURI committee is responsible for the issue of contractual freedom in payment terms.

 

In the amendments proposed on the JURI report, several MEPs  expressed their readiness to limit the freedom of contract of business to business relations in the field of payment terms.  Some proposals went as far as to set a maximum payment term of not more than 30 days.

We are happy to inform you that the JURI committee rejected all of these amendments. Not only did the JURI committee reject aforementioned proposals, the adopted text of compromise 6 literally echoes our message on the importance of trade credit to SMEs.

Also relevant is the acceptance of compromise amendment 3, which deals with our amendment on additional liquidity.

For further information you will find the proposed amendments and the outcome of the vote. The latter document also includes the adopted compromise 6, in which the importance of trade credit to SMEs is emphasized.

The next important step will be the vote in the IMCO committee, scheduled on the 8th of April. After this,  the dossier will go to plenary in May.

Although yesterday's vote in JURI is a positive development,  the further course of the dossier is unpredictable. In IMCO there are still many MEPs that want to restrict contractual freedom in payment terms.

Below please find link to a questionnaire relative to topic in subject. We will appreciate your interest in finding time to complete this questionnaire.    

This questionnaire has been developed to support a Joint Action being managed by PROSAFE on behalf of the Executive Agency for Health and Consumers and 13 participating countries. The objective of the Joint Action is to establish a common understanding among market surveillance authorities of the characteristics that may make household electrical appliances child appealing.

 

We wish to obtain the opinions of a wide range of stakeholders. There are 65 statements, each requiring an answer via a simple to operate format, so it should take less than 30 minutes to complete. In most cases, please simply select how strongly you agree or disagree with the statement.

If you have any queries or comments, please send them to

Please complete the questionnaire by 9th April 2010.

http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22ACYFAQK62

Abigail