Keeping members informed
The FOI, through the EU Help Desk of the Malta Business Bureau, organised two information meetings this past week. The first of these meetings was organised with the Euro Info Centre of Malta Enterprise and the Department of Customs, organised on Monday.
The FOI, through the EU Help Desk of the Malta Business Bureau, organised two information meetings this past week. The first of these meetings was organised with the Euro Info Centre of Malta Enterprise and the Department of Customs, organised on Monday. This very well attended information meeting focused on the E-Customs system and EU tariff quotas.
The aim of this meeting was to familiarise members with the new systems being introduced and local and European related services available to members in view of Malta's EU accession.
The first speaker for this meeting was Paul Bonello, senior principal of the implementation team of E-Customs at the Department of Customs, who focused on the new import and warehousing system to be introduced into Malta by the Department of Customs on January 1, 2004.
Albert Sant, principal within the same E-Customs implementation team, then examined the administrative arrangements expected to be introduced in the new system.
The third expert speaker at this event was Philo Meli, consultant at the Euro-Info Centre, who explained the EU system of tariff quotas and the use of various EU-related services, such as the TARIC database.
On Tuesday, another information meeting was organised, in conjunction with the Consumer and Competition Division within the Ministry for Economic Affairs. This information meeting for members was entitled "Recently enacted Consumer Protection Legislation: the Rights and Responsibilities for Traders".
The meeting commenced by an introduction to the functions and services offered by the Consumer and Competition Division (CCD) and how the CCD's Information and Client Affairs Directorate aimed at helping traders dealing with consumer protection legislation.
The key speaker at this information session was Carole E. Bell, a UK consultant with many years experience in this field, who delivered a talk aimed at making local economic operators aware of the new legislation that has recently been enacted in Malta and the EU, as well as informing the local commercial community of their rights and responsibilities towards consumers. MBB EU Help-Desk co-ordinator Simon L. Barberi chaired this session.