The Government has launched a public consultation process in regard to trading licenses, “We are launching a consultation process in order to receive proposals for the introduction of new procedures in the issue of trading licenses. The aim of this process is that after recent amendments to the regulations of trade licenses, whereby the procedure was simplified and bureaucracy reduced, the Government believes that the time is ripe to improve the quality of the services provided to persons in business.

In this way we will also be improving the value added of the commercial sector. For this reason, the Government is proposing that licenses will start to be issued according to qualification criteria. This means that persons starting a new business should ensure that they employ persons competent in the respective commercial sector.” Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business and the Self Employed, Edwin Vassallo, was speaking at the launch of the consultation process, together with GRTU Director General Mr. Vince Farrugia.

“We will be carrying out this consultation process together with the GRTU, and together with the Commerce Division we will be ensuring the best system for our increasing commercial activity.” Parliamentary Secretary Edwin Vassallo went on to explain the concept of the change he was introducing, and said that “by this process the Government will be ensuring that all those who want to start a new business are free to do so, however, as in the case of pharmacies, where the owners are obliged to employ a pharmacist, business owners will be urged to employ persons who are familiar with the particular line of business. We want to ensure that business owners are equipped with the necessary skills to have a successful business. With the introduction of qualification criteria we do not want to stop people from opening a business, but we want to make sure that the decision to open a business is made after due deliberation, and that the persons involved have the basic skills necessary to operate a business.

“Thanks to the public consultation being launched together with the GRTU, the Government would like to receive the opinions and ideas of persons in business and will also be welcoming suggestions from persons who are considering the option to start a business. The law that regulates the issue of trade licences at present already takes into consideration this possibility, and by the end of November we would like to have concluded the first phase of the public consultation process, so that together with the GRTU we will be able to conclude and present our proposals. The idea is to initially open this new process to certain sectors, which have yet to be chosen, and start regulating the opening of businesses in this sector from a period in 2008. The Government will not be introducing any new bureaucratic procedures and will not be making any major changes, but we would like to ensure that all those starting a new business are prepared and capable of carrying out their commercial activity.

“The Government’s aim is to teach entrepreneurial skills to those persons interested in opening a business, in order to help them assist their customers better, and to increase our business success rate. At the same time we will be making sure that persons in business are also aware of their corporate social responsibility and that every decision is taken in the light of their environment. This does not only include nature, but also cleanliness and respect for the neighbours.”

Parliamentary Secretary Edwin Vassallo also announced a schedule of meetings which will be held in different localities and which will be starting next week. Every year the Parliamentary Secretariat organises a number of meetings in different Local Councils, so that self-employed persons and small business owners have the opportunity to meet with the Parliamentary Secretary and put suggestions, comments or complaints they may have about the commercial sector directly to him. Between September 2006 and June 2007 37 such meetings were held, and thanks to these meetings around 800 business persons had the opportunity to express their opinion and receive direct advice or help.

After Parliamentary Secretary Edwin Vassallo gave information about the consultation process that has been initiated, he visited a number of shops in the locality. Together with the Parliamentary Secretary on these visits were a number of directors from the Commerce Division and the Consumer and Competition Division. The aim of this initiative is that the directors who deal with issues pertinent to the commercial sector get to meet and interact with the people in business directly and learn what can be done to improve the commercial activity in the particular locality. Hon. Vassallo said that “it is our intention that directors that usually work from an office are in a position to better understand the concept of running a commercial activity, even in what may appear to be ‘petty issues’. We are doing this by encouraging them to meet with persons in business and to hear from them how decisions being taken are affecting them. This should also serve as part of the directors’ training.

“We organise meetings on a regular basis with different sectors, but the person in business does not always have the time to leave his/her shop in order to attend. By going out to visit shops we are making it easier for persons in business to give their opinions. We would like to know what we can do to help them work better. This is our primary aim and we have always worked towards strengthening the contact between Government entities and the commercial sector,” concluded Parliamentary Secretary Edwin Vassallo.