Category: Archive – 2013

Information and communication
technologies (ICT), including office equipment (i.e. computers, displays,
imaging equipment, servers etc.), are one of the fastest growing electricity
end-users in the EU and worldwide. Existing technologies allowing significant
decreases in power consumption are not fully implemented because of persistent
market failures, such as lack of information or split incentives.

The increasing energy consumption of
office equipment and the global nature of the ICT market provide a strong
rationale for international regulatory cooperation in this domain. It is
against this background that the EU and the US signed an Agreement on the
coordination of energy-efficiency labelling programmes for office equipment, OJ
L 381, 28.12.2006, p. 26 (hereafter the ‘Agreement') in December 2000. The
Agreement, which was renewed in 2006 for a second 5-year period, provides the basis
for the implementation of the ENERGY STAR programme in the EU (hereafter ‘the
programme'). ENERGY STAR is a voluntary energy-efficiency labelling programme
run by the US Environment Protection Agency (hereafter ‘EPA'). It is
implemented in several other economies, including Japan, Canada and Australia,
through agreements similar to that with the EU.

On the basis of the Agreement, the
EPA and the Commission jointly manage the ENERGY STAR programme for office
equipment. ENERGY STAR is an integral part of the EU's energy efficiency policy
as set out in the Action Plan for Energy Efficiency, COM (2006) 545 final. It
aims to ‘pull' the office equipment market up towards greater efficiency and
thus complements the Eco design Directive 2009/125/EC, OJ L 285, 31.10.2009, p.
10., which acts to ‘push' the market through mandatory or voluntary minimum
efficiency requirements.

As the Agreement expired in December
2011, this communication assesses the merits of its possible renewal on the
basis of:

– Experience in the implementation of
the programme in the EU

– An assessment of the effectiveness
of the programme in improving the energy efficiency of office

equipment

– Planned modifications to the US
Energy Star programme

The programme has been implemented in
the EU by Council Decision 2006/1005/EC, OJ L 381, 28.12.2006, p. 24 and by
Regulation (EC) No 106/2008 on a Community energy-efficiency labelling
programme for office equipment, OJ L 39, 13.02.2008, p. 1

Further
information about related documentation can be found: http://www.mccaa.org.mt/en/consultations

The Deployment Of Innovative
Lighting Technologies – The Green Paper is part of the
Digital Agenda for Europe flagship initiative (COM(2010) 245 final/2) under the
Europe 2020 Strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. The Green
Paper sets out the key issues to be addressed in a European strategy aiming to
accelerate the deployment of high-quality Solid State Lighting (SSL) for
general lighting. It is designed to help Europe achieve its key energy
efficiency, industrial and innovation policy objectives of Europe 2020.

The aim of this strategy is to
encourage the development and uptake of clean and energy efficient heavy-duty
vehicles, light-duty vehicles, two-wheelers, three-wheelers and
quadricycles.  This strategy aims to
provide an appropriate and technology neutral policy framework for clean and
energy efficient vehicles.

The following power trains are
considered:

Alternative fuels to burn in
combustion engines to substitute petrol or diesel fuel include liquid bio-fuels
and gaseous fuels (including LPG, CNG and biogas). They offer a potential to
reduce the environmental impact of road transport through reduced CO2 and
pollutant emissions.

Electric vehicles use an electric
motor to move the vehicle and are recharged with electricity. The energy is
stored in batteries or in other alternative storage systems on board the
vehicle.

Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles can
also deliver similar environmental benefits to battery electric vehicles. They
also have electric motors but generate the electricity on board the vehicle
from hydrogen fuel using fuel cells, producing only water vapour.

The strategy builds on existing
ongoing measures and sets out medium- to long-term actions.  It will exploit the synergies between
improving internal combustion engines and introducing ultra-low-carbon technologies.

The Commission will ensure that
European research continues targeting low carbon fuels and clean and energy
efficient transport, including the improvement of conventional engines,
electric drive trains including alternative battery and hydrogen technologies.

You
are kindly being requested to provide your feedback by contacting the Technical
Regulations Division of the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority by
e-mail: ,

The VAT Department has announced that as from 16th January
2013, the ordering, collection and returning of Manual Fiscal Receipt Booklets
should be at Intercomp or GBS Ltd. GRTU has objected to the fact that firms in direct
competition with Intercomp or GBS Ltd are forced to take highly confidential
information of a commercial nature to a direct competitor. GRTU is in discussion with the Ministry for Finance to ensure
that VAT registered traders who object to the utilization of the Intercomp or
GBS Ltd facilities will be able to continue to use normal VAT Department
offices.

GRTU has assessed once again the
performance of business prior, during, and followed by sales during the festive
season. This survey was carried out amongst various sectors within GRTU.

The sectors include the following;
wearing apparel (clothing & shoes), supermarkets & food stores,
electronic and IT equipment, household, automobiles, jewellers, hospitality and
leisure, wellness and beauty, pharmacy/medical and giftware.

Businesses surveyed were asked to
compare their sales performance for this year against 2011 resulting in the
following; 37% reported an increase on last year's sales, 40% reported a
decrease and 8% reported sales at the same level of the previous year.

When asked what were the positive and
negative issues affecting sales during the festive season, respondents reported
the following;

46% said that it was the business
tactics and incentives they introduced; 11% said  the favourable weather; 6% said that it was
the results of their sales promotion, while 3% reported that it was the opening
of a new retail outlet and the opening on Sundays that reflected this positive
outlook.

On the negative aspect 37% said that
they were affected by the current political instability, 17% were business
finance, 9% said that it was the lack of parking and the ongoing works, 6% said
changes in registration tax and 3% indicated that online shopping, early sales,
severe competition and stock delivery problems also affected their sales in the
negative.

When asked which week during the
festive season was the best week for sales, respondents replied as follows;

31% week beginning the 22nd,  29% week beginning 14th, 23% week beginning
the 8th Dec and 6% week beginning the 29th .

Amongst the most popular products
sold during this festive season were; tablets, 
gadgets and IT equipment, clothes and shoes, jewellery, perfumes,  gift packs, food and wine.

During a meeting held this week for
Valletta shops with the Prime Minister GRTU Council Member and owner of a
Valletta retail outlet Therese Fenech Azzopardi explained to the Prime Minister
what a difficult situation they have put businesses in with the Rent Reform.

She said that shops that have been
renting from the private sector prior to 1995 were very disappointed with the
reformed Rent Law which has put them in a position that in 17 years time they
will have to pass on the keys of the shop they have for so many years been
running and building to the property owner. To add insult to injury they have
not even given them the right of first refusal and most of those affected to
not even know this!

‘The majority of Valletta shops that
are Government owned have been given 45 years and the facility to sublet. In
comparison to how the others are being treated is a big injustice and we feel
we are treated as second class citizens by this Government. Our situation today
is that we cannot even pass on the shop to our children as after the 17 years
they will find themselves without a job. There is no incentive being put
forward by Government to help us and taking out loans for our shops is
impossible as we have nothing in front of the banks.'

The Prime Minister replied saying
that the right of first refusal can be considered but there is the European Law
that we have to regard in these circumstances. There must be some sort of
agreement with the lessor to reach a balance between the property owner and the
tenant. The Prime Minister continued saying that the report that establishes
the rent that must be paid for shops according to its position and dimensions
under Hon Chris Said has arrived to a conclusion. This study should now be
close to final.

The editorial of the latest issue of
the Employers' Group Members of EESC, Vincent Farrugia Director General of the
GRTU Malta Chamber of SME's and Maltese Employers representatives at EESC
appealed for a European Action Plan for Retail. Mr. Farrugia wrote that Retail is a
European success story, employing around 18 million people and accounting for
4.2% of GDP.

To achieve this European Commerce needs
a full and proper implementation of the Services Directive, the removal of
discriminatory trade and tax laws, and selective planning laws, the
establishment of an efficient digital retail market underpinned by competitive
and efficient payment services, and a significant reduction in the cumulative
impact of regulation. Legislation must not inhibit online cross border sales. A
test should apply      to current and future legislation, its implementation
and enforcement by Member States.

The Commerce sector need more effective
action on infringements, strengthening enforcement with greater administrative
co-ordination and acceleration of infringement procedures; stronger
notification procedures, and; better assessment of the impact on retail. There
should be an expert group on planning and the freedom of establishment.

Following the Commission's retail
market monitoring report of July 2010, and the Parliament's report on "a more
efficient and fairer retail market", the major EU level bodies representing
employers in retail trade want to work with the Parliament and Commission to
address the barriers, often regulatory, facing retailers and to secure greater
recognition of retail's important contribution to the European economy, now and
in the future.

These proposals relate to existing or
planned Commission initiatives. Both their impact on retail and their
importance for retail must be recognized. The European Action Plan for Retail
should: 

Enable a fully functioning internal market for goods,
services and capital,

Make the digital agenda a reality for business and
consumers,

Support employment, skills development and
entrepreneurship,

Support expansion beyond EU markets.

Food & beverage enterprises are invited to explore business
opportunities in UK and participate in a trade delegation to London from the 18
– 21 March 2013. At the same time the International Food Exhibition in London
will be held. Closing date for applications is Monday 21st January 2013. Send an email to or call on 21232881 if interested.

Lessons learnt, current
challenges and future opportunities. The European Economic and Social Committee is holding a half-day seminar to
disseminate amongst Maltese stakeholders the conclusions and recommendations
found in its recently-adopted opinion on an "Action plan to improve access
to finance for SMEs".

25 January 2013

09:00- 13.00

Dar l-Ewropa, 254, St Paul Street, Valletta

For registrations, kindly send an email to or call
on 23425100.