“With an investment of Lm177,511 (€413,490), the Equal project has given unemployed persons the opportunity to start their own business” – Parliamentary Secretary Edwin Vassallo

“The Equal project is a European Union-funded project that gives unemployed persons the opportunity to start their own business. This programme was co-ordinated by the Small Enterprise Directorate within the Malta Enterprise. Participation in this programme was open to all unemployed persons who wished to apply.” Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business and the Self Employed, Edwin Vassallo was speaking at the opening of a conference that gave details of the realisation of the Equal project.

Parliamentary Secretary Edwin Vassallo gave information about the project and said that “there were 139 applicants for the Equal project, and 50 persons were chosen. The participants had to attend a series of training sessions, and 28 participants completed the training schedule. All those who completed the training were entitled to apply for a grant on presentation of a business plan. 11 participants actually submitted a business plan, and all were given a grant. The amount of the grant varied depending on the individual submission. The final participants consisted of seven women and four men.

“Those persons who submitted a business plan will be given around Lm44,000 (€102,492). Each individual will be given a grant that varies from Lm2,000 (€4,659) to Lm6,000 (€13,976). The total cost of the project was of around Lm189,321 (€441,000) and it was co-financed between the European Union (75%) and the local government (25%).

“This was the first project of its kind to be organised in Malta, and through the Small Enterprise Directorate we have participated in a European Union project that offers funds to unemployed persons who wish to start their own business. Participation in European Union programmes, both on a national and individual level, is one of the greatest challenges we must overcome. European Union projects such as Equal offer opportunities to businesses and individuals. We still have a lot to learn in order to instil a culture and the capabilities necessary for the application for the funds that are offered by these programmes.”

Parliamentary Secretary Edwin Vassallo went on to say that “I am satisfied that there is a large number of business persons that would like to know more about European Union funds in order to increase their commercial activities. I am also satisfied that in Malta we are now gaining confidence and are acquiring the experience and technical know-how needed to help us make the most of the opportunities offered by European Union programmes.

“I would like to launch a challenge to all consultants that focus primarily on helping local small businesses participate in European Union programmes. I would like to encourage them to form partnerships with consultants from other member states in order to acquire the necessary information in as little time as possible, to benefit from the experiences of other consultants who have experience in a vast number of European Union programmes, and to start thinking of how they can now help our local businesses apply for European Union funding.

“As a Parliamentary Secretariat within the Ministry for Competitiveness and Communications, we are committed to facilitating the applications process for small businesses to benefit from European Union funds. We have already been successful in this field. In fact, on the advice and with the participation of a number of consultants, last year we helped 300 small businesses and self-employed persons participate in the Leonardo da Vinci Programme. We will be doing the same this year, and we aim to help another 300 small businesses participate under the same programme, this time with the help of a number of constituted bodies.

“The Small Enterprise Directorate within Malta Enterprise has thus had its first experience in participating in the Equal project, and it has gained a lot from this experience. This is only the beginning and we need to do a lot more. It is the Government’s intention that the Small Enterprise Directorate becomes a one-stop-shop to help small businesses learn more about and participate in European Union projects, also with the help of the Government.

“In the future there will be many other opportunities like the one we are discussing today, but these opportunities can only be availed of with a lot of patience and sacrifice, and a certain ability in the application for these programmes. Therefore we will remain open for suggestions, both from Maltese consultants that would like to approach us with proposals for participation in certain European Union programmes, and suggestions from entities similar to the Small Enterprise Directorate abroad may have for collaboration in European Union programmes.”

Parliamentary Secretary Edwin Vassallo concluded by saying that “I am convinced that we still have a lot to learn, and by going through such learning experiences in the shortest time, we will be ensuring future successes. Participation in similar programmes can help to increase commercial activity in Malta. I would like to wish every success to the participants of this project.”