SME Week Conference 2019

Absolute majority of enterprises concerned about the banking situation in Malta

GRTU Malta Chambers of SMEs today organised it’s annual SME Conference. This years conference focused on the Banking and financial issues and GRTU Malta Chamber of SMEs published it’s survey results. During this years’conference over 200 enterprises attended this event.

The conference was supported by Business 1st and MEIB as part of the month-long itinerary of SME Week.

74% of the enterprises replied that they find it difficult to get funds from banks. Up by 25% over the results of a similar survey that asked the same question in 2011.

The survey results show that businesses need more competition in the banking sector and that from a business perspective, the situation in the banking sector has never been worse. The survey results where published by GRTU Vice President Marcel Mizzi.

The conference was addressed by the Minister for Economy, Investment and small businesses. Hon. Chris Cardona, thanked GRTU for never shying away from challenges faced but also working towards finding a solution for these challenges. He insisted that “we are facing new challenges of new economic times, and there are no easy solutions. Offering support and resolutions for these dynamic challenges is what guarantees our businesses future success.”
The Minister referenced the tight labour market and changing banking policy as two of the new challenges businesses are today facing, as the country has entered a new economic era.

New challenges to businesses nowadays highlighted in the conference, also include their incorporation and adjustment to rapid technological changes, including data management,information security and incorporating a blockchain infrastructure.

Malta Enterprise CEO Kurt Farrugia also addressed the conference and announced that local businesses will benefit from a partnership signed between Malta Enterprise and T-Systems, a Deutsche Telekom subsidiary, whereby together they will be offering blockchain as a service for companies setting up their blockchain project in Malta.

GRTU Malta Chamber of SMEs President Paul Abela said that, while Malta is going through a very particulat time, we are facing challenges that come from having too much success. Paul Abela said that a lot of hard work went into getting Malta to whre it is today, and this hard work was not only done by our policy makers, but a lot of it was at the hand of enterprise owners.

• Banking Survey Results – GRTU
• EU Funding Opportunities – Measures and Support Division
• Electronic Payments – Grant Thornton
• Electronic Payments – Central Bank of Malta
• Acquiring Finance – Malta Development Bank
• Securing my Business from Online Threats – MITA