GRTU members guided through Malta Enterprise’s schemes

GRTU has this week held a successful information session for its members organised by the EU Desk in collaboration with Malta Enterprise. The assistance presented by Mr George Francalanza of Malta Enterprise were:

Business First

Malta Enterprise's one-stop-shop service for businesses, that implements Government's promise and part of Government's strategy to facilitating the day to day operations of local enterprises and support their growth and successful operation. It provides information on what is necessary to start a business, centralised registartion of formalities and a commitment towards a delivery time not exceeding 10 working days.

Address: Main Office at the Former Institute of Health Care at St Luke's

Opening hours: 08.15-17:00 on Mon, Tue and Fri (Extended hours on Wed and Thu till 19:00)

Services:

Provision of support, services and schemes offered by Malta Enterprise

54 services offered by other departments and entities

Company name search and company name reservation

Registration of companies or self-employed

Commencement and termination of employment

Company or self-employed registration for tax or VAT purposes

Trading Licences issued by Commerce Division or Malta Tourism Authority

New electricity and water connections

Employment Licences with respect to third-country nationals, long-term residents, asylum seekers and currently Bulgarian/Romanian nationals

National or Schengen VISA

Residence permits

Tourism Accomodation Development license

More services to be added on demand

Business Advisory Services

Enterprises may benefit from the expertise of the advisors that will support them in their particular needs for development. Malta Enterprise would finance up to ten hours of free advisory services to help the enterprises and the assigned advisor to carry out preliminary assessments in the areas of:

Business Start-up Support

Business Planning and Modelling

Market Development and International Competitiveness

Human Resources Management

Product and Service Development

Quality Certification and Improvement

Supply Chain Management

Assistance is capped at €2,500 per annum.

MicroInvest

Supports micro enterprises (less than 9 full time employees) and the self-employed through a tax credit representing 40% (60% in Gozo) of the eligible expenditure:

Refurbishing and upgrading of business premises

Machinery, equipment and technology to improve operations

Machinery or technology which saves or generates energy

Investment required to become compliant with regulations

One motor vehicle used for the carriage of goods

Wage costs covering a 12-month period for new jobs created

These investments can be made until 2012 and the assistance is capped at €25,000. Applying is very easy and original fiscal receipts must be presented.

Quality+

Encourages SMEs to continuously improve the quality of their products, services and processes through the achievement of recognised quality certifications and quality marks, environmental certification, franchise licences and licences required for participation in a value chain. The assistance would be a deduction from the taxable income equivalent to 150% of eligible costs (over any normal statutory tax deductions) and is granted on approved projects on a maximum of €20,000 in eligible costs.

Examples of Certifications/Marks:

ISO 9001:2008, ISO17025:2005, ISO17020, ISO 14001 (Environment)

EMAS & Ecolabel

ISO 22000 (Food Safety & Hygiene)

Hazard Analysis Critical and Control Point (HACCP)

MSA EN 14804:2005 (Language Study Tour Providers)

Halal certification & MS1500:2004

CE Mark & BSI Kitemark

Create

This incentive aims to support creative businesses engaged in:

visual arts

crafts

film and video

music

performing arts

literary works

design including fashion and architecture

digital media.

The support is given up to €25,000 tax credit equivalent to 60% of qualifying expenditure on:

machinery and equipment

registration of intellectual property

subcontracting of pre-publication costs

subcontracting of translation services for creative works

Qualifying expenditure extended to cover additional costs (e.g. rent and refurbishment costs) to help the development of creative communities in designated artistic zones thus sustaining the development of said zones and interdisciplinary creative cluster developments:

Valletta

Savina Square, Rabat, Gozo  

Arch. Saver Cassar Street, Rabat, Gozo

Saint Mary Street, Rabat, Gozo

The Collachio Area, Birgu 

nternational Competitiveness

Supports qualifying enterprises to tap into new international markets, to extend their activities in new markets or to introduce a new service or product in an existing foreign market. Minimum project value is €50,000. Maximum grant value is €100,000. Approved projects may receive reimbursement covering 50% of costs incurred for:

Market development

Wage of newly recruited Business Development Manager

Active participation in trade fairs and conferences relevant to the target market

Small Start-up

Supports the growth of new enterprises (within 3 years of operation) having less than 50 employees. Minimum project value is €50,000. Maximum grant value is €100,000. Approved projects may receive reimbursement covering 25% of costs incurred for up to two years on:

Wages

Renting / leasing of equipment and production facilities

Utilities

Who CAN apply?

Manufacturing which include the production, manufacture, improvement, assembly, preservation, processing of any goods, materials, commodities, equipment, plant and machinery;

Information and communication technology (ICT) development activities, software development, and ICT enabled services;

Research and Development and Innovation;

Waste Treatment and Environmental solutions;

Biotechnology;

Start-up enterprises proposing innovative products, services and processes, which are typically more advanced in terms of technology, know-how and skills than those prevailing in their respective market.

Innovation Actions

Stimulates innovation within SMEs in selected sectors by supporting the development of innovative processes, products and services. Minimum project value is €50,000. Maximum grant value is €150,000, capped at 50% for small enterprises, 40% for medium enterprises and 30% for SMEs in the transport sector. Approved projects may include:

Subcontracted services acquired for implementing an Innovation Management Technique (IMT)

Investment costs in tangible and intangible assets

Innovation Actions (Environment)

Supports SMEs to adopt environmentally-friendly measures by addressing water and air quality; waste streams; and resource utilisation. Minimum project value is €20,000. Maximum grant value is 50% of eligible expenses capped at €150,000 for SMEs (capping for SMEs in the transport sector is €100,000). Approved projects may include:

Plant, machinery and equipment

Costs for attainment of EMAS; ISO 14001; Eco-Label; and other environmental certifications recognized by the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority (MCCAA)

Research & Development

Supports enterprises carrying out Industrial Research and Experimental Development activities leading to the development of new or significantly improved products, processes or services. Minimum project value is €60,000. Grant capped at €300,000, ranging from 25% to 70% of eligible expenses. Eligible expenses include costs on:

Personnel

Instruments and equipment

Contractual research, technical knowledge and patents

Material, supplies and similar products

Who CANNOT apply for International Competitiveness, Innovation Actions, Innovation Actions (Environment), Research & Development?

Undertakings who's primary production is in agricultural products

Fisheries and aquaculture sector

Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (NACE Section G)

Tourism activities: Hotels and restaurants (NACE 55 and 56); Travel agency activities, tour operator activities, other reservation services and related activities (NACE 79); Creative, arts and entertainment activities (NACE 90); Libraries, archives, museums and other cultural activities (NACE 91); Sports activities, and amusement and recreation activities (NACE 93);

the coal, steel, shipbuilding and gaming industry;

financial and insurance activities (NACE Section K);

the synthetic fibres sector.

Helpline on telephone number 144

Websites:

• www.businessfirst.com.mt dedicated website
• http://www.maltaenterprise.com/
• www.20millionforindustry.com