12 new enterprises, 17 extensions approved this year

Between January 1 and June 2009 Malta Enterprise approved start-up assistance to 12 new enterprises for the creation of 303 new jobs. The industries were in the ICT, aviation, engineering, printing and medical devices areas.

Answering a parliamentary question by Labour MP Carmelo Abela, Finance Minister Tonio Fenech said that over the same period, Malta Enterprise also approved assistance for 17 existent enterprises to expand. These came from the ICT, aviation, engineering and material processing, electronics, food, plastics, printing, medicinal products including machinery, and furniture areas.

Minister Fenech said there were 11 other applications for assistance currently being considered. They came from the ICT, engineering and material processing, maritime, electronic, printing, furniture and fittings, food and testing services areas. The majority of these 11 applications had been lodged over the past two months, said Mr Fenech. Malta Enterprise was not in a position to evaluate certain projects because of lack of information, which had been requested.

There were also four projects in the recycling sector currently in consideration. These had been in the pipeline for more than two months because the recycling industry typically did not have a high added value and required extensive land. Besides, also under consideration was the fact that the recycling industry had inherent elements of pollution that could adversely affect other enterprises in the vicinity, such as food and pharmaceuticals.

As a solution, the government had earmarked an area of land for recycling enterprises, Minister Fenech said.