Furniture makers

What are the main issues arising because of EU membership that concern furniture makers?

The main concerns of most furniture makers in Malta is the removal of levies. In the case of furniture, the removal of levies was announced in Legal Notice 123/99 published in July 1999. This laid out a timetable for the gradual removal of levies until 2003. The removal of levies is a condition for free trade with the EU, which is a key component of membership, but also of any form of free trade agreement. Clearly the removal of levies exposed local furniture makers to competition with foreign firms and this presented both risks and opportunities. Although originally planned for January 2003, the final portion of levies (50 per cent) was removed three months earlier in October 2002. This was done because consumers were reluctant to place orders until January 2003.