Category: Archive – 2013

The Malta-EU
Steering & Action Committee (MEUSAC) together with the Ministry for
Sustainable Development, the Environment and Climate Change (MSDEC) and the Ministry
for Transport and Infrastructure (MTI), will be organising a consultation
session on a proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the
Council on the monitoring, reporting and verification of carbon dioxide (CO2)
emissions from maritime transport and amending Regulation (EU) no 525/2013 (COM
(2013) 480).

The
proposed Regulation will create an EU-wide legal framework for collecting and
publishing verified annual data on CO2 emissions from all large ships (over
5000 gross tons) that use EU ports, irrespective of where the ships are
registered. Ship owners will have to monitor and report the verified amount of
CO2 emitted by their large ships on voyages to, from and between EU ports.
Owners will also be required to provide certain other information, such as data
to determine the energy efficiency of ships. A document of compliance issued by
an independent authority will have to be carried on board ships and will be
subject to inspection by Member State authorities.

The session will be held on Tuesday, October 22, at Europe House, 254, St
Paul's Street, Valletta from 10:00 till 12:00.

Attendance
must be registered at:

In August 2013
compared with July 2013, the seasonally adjusted volume of retail trade
increased by 0.7% in the euro area (EA17) and by 0.4% in the EU28, according to
estimates from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. In July
retail trade gained 0.5% in both zones. In August 2013 compared with August
2012, the retail sales index fell by 0.3% in the euro area and rose by 0.3% in
the EU28.

Despite a
crisis-driven decline in investment, global production of photovoltaic (PV)
cells grew by 10% in 2012. Europe remains leader in newly installed capacities
with over half (51.7%) of the new worldwide capacity of 30 GW.

GRTU
hospitality and leisure division has expressed their satisfaction on the
announcement of the return of the British Airways to Malta that will start
operations in March. The Section takes this opportunity to welcomes the airline
and augurs it success. It emphasized this will continue broadening Malta's
marketing mix as a country which is something GRTU always believed in.

GRTU official
Joe Attard has earlier this week met Dr. Andreina Fenech Farrugia, Director
General of Fisheries at Ghammieri. Over the last weeks a number of pleasure
boat operators in Gozo complained that they do not have a docking facility for
their use.

In Malta there are currently two private facilities that are very
expensive and another facility in Marsaxlokk which is however made available
only for the use of fisherman and on the other hand pleasure boats are not
allowed to make use of it. As such, the nearest facility they can make use of
and that is more reasonably priced is in Sicily.

The
Fisheries DG pointed out that the issue has already been brought to her
attention from individuals and the Directorate has as such already requested
guidelines from both State Aid Directorate and the Competition watchdog MCCAA.

She
explained that the first hurdle is the legal issue and once that is overcome
the logistical problems will be taken on board. She was sceptical due to state
aid issues or competition law issues. She mentioned that private docking
operators have already written directly to the Commission over the matter.

GRTU
noted that it is aware that these operators face an uphill struggle although
they also contribute to the economy. GRTU further commented on the fact that
although the Mgarr harbour project was affected there were no plan for a
docking facility for Gozitans.

GRTU
Gozo representative Joanna Mifsud who was also present for the meeting outlined
how these operators have been complaining year in year out, but a solution was
never found. She mentioned the fact that wonders seem to be available to
fishermen only, whilst for the pleasure boat industry there seemed to be only
problems without solutions.

Ms.
Andreina Fenech Farrugia advised that feedback regarding the issue will be
forwarded to GRTU by the second week of October. The fisheries facility manager
and the legal advisor were also present for this short cordial meeting. 

As part of the
Management Partnership agreement between the Malta-EU Steering and Action
Committee (MEUSAC) and the European Commission, MEUSAC is currently
implementing a project entitled, ‘The Economic Recovery: Overcoming the Crisis
Together'.

The
scope of the project is to engage stakeholders in evaluating how the economic
crisis has affected their operations and to seek ways of contributing to the
economic recovery. This is to be achieved through the organisation of a
Business Breakfast, Public Dialogues and Information Sessions.

During
this Business Breakfast, which seeks to target the business sector in Malta,
participants will be briefed about the Commission's 2013 Competitiveness
Report. This Report seeks to identify opportunities to make European industries
more competitive. Mr Gérald Petit, Policy Analyst – Analysis of Economic
Reforms, from DG Enterprise and Industry, will be giving a presentation on the
Report which was launched on September 25, 2013.

In view
of seating restrictions, only persons representing Government, businesses,
social partners and the civil society are invited. If you are interested kindly
register by sending an email on by not later than Tuesday,
October 8, 2013.

Date: Thursday, October 10, 2013

Time:
8:30am – 11:00am

Venue:
Hotel Phoenicia, Floriana

GRTU gives a
wholehearted welcome to one of its newest Sections – The Dairy Products
Distributors Section. Most people are unaware of, the fact that fresh milk and
dairy products produced locally are distributed by hard working, labourious and
incredibly efficient self employed sole traders.

Before
most of the nation is awake, these are the men who are loading our favourite
dairy products into their vans and delivering them across the country within a
ridiculously short time frame thus providing the population with daily fresh products,
literally before breakfast time.

GRTU
will be addressing several matters raised by these Distributors with the aim of
improving their work experience and safeguarding their rights in order to
strengthen their business.

GRTU Deputy President
Philip Fenech has this week participated in a consultation meeting organized by
MEUSAC on the Single European Sky 2+. This second regulatory package is
performance-oriented. Its ultimate objective is to increase the economic,
financial and environmental performance of the provisions of the Air Navigation
Services in Europe.

Key facts and
figures:

European
skies and airports risk saturation

800 million
passengers pass through Europe's more than 440 airports every year

Each day
there are around 27,000 controlled flights – that means 9 million cross
Europe's skies each year

80% of these
flights are operated within the EU

The number
of flights is expected to increase by 50% over the next 10-20 years

If nothing
is done there will be chaos. Europe would not only have to reject a large
portion of potential demand, it would also be vulnerable to delays and flight
cancellations on an unprecedented scale

Business as
usual- congestion costs will increase around 50% by 2050

The central
problem is that Europe's air traffic management systems are fragmented and
inefficient

GRTU is strongly in
favour of increased efficiencies in air transport and this proposal is exactly
targeted to introduce centralized systems amongst others that would increase
efficiency. Although there might be many arguments against the proposal it is
the way forward and the only logical way in which things can progress. It will
save the cost and time of commuting which we believe will help boost the EU's
economy and increase mobility of tourists. We feel some issues and concerns
might have to be addressed to take into consideration the particular situation
in the Member States but otherwise we feel the aim of the proposal are in
everyone's best interest.