When the Enterprise Consultative Council was convened and chaired by the Minister of Finance on July 28, another Budget measure was being implemented, specifically aimed at providing a forum for consultation and advising the government on challenges faced by business enterprises. The council is composed of government representatives/entities and key stakeholders of enterprise in Malta.
The council is proof of the steadfast determination of this government to establish the right mechanisms and platforms through which information on the current issues and challenges faced by the enterprise sector are brought to the attention of the authorities and discussed. The government’s role is to identify measures to help the sector address such challenges and, thus, promote a national approach to enterprise policy development.
With satisfaction I must say that, during this first meeting, positive feedback was received from business representatives and stakeholders who appreciated the accessibility of the topmost government officials and policy-makers/advisers. Focus and realtime analysis will be key.
The Enterprise Consultative Council is being established under the larger framework of the soon-to-be-proposed Small Business Act (SBA), which is being spearheaded by my secretariat.
As I had occasion to explain during the council’s first meeting, the draft SBA will be launched for consultation this month prior to it being discussed in Parliament and it will be Malta’s answer to the EU 2008 call for such SBAs. Our SBA will officially and formally recognise the central role of small and medium enterprises in our economy, more so when 96 per cent of our enterprise is made up of micro-businesses.
The draft SBA for Malta will propose the setting up of a College of Regulators, the setting up of which was also promised in the last Budget and which will provide a forum for dialogue between regulators themselves. This college will be an advisory body to the government on formulation/review of policy and implementation of regulatory policy itself. It is intended to ensure a more streamlined service allowing for better coordination, better administration and less (unnecessary) bureaucracy. The College of Regulators will be in constant dialogue with the Enterprise Consultative Council and will feed into the council’s discussions.
The SBA in itself reflects the political willingness at a European Union level to ensure that SMEs and the Think Small First approach is kept at the forefront of policy making. In taking this concept onboard, it is the aim of our proposed SBA that all proposed legislation impacting SMEs will have to be measured against an SME test, similar to an impact assessment, and where the respective ministry or department declares what alternatives measures were considered.
The Malta SBA will also provide for the undertaking of regular customer satisfaction surveys by business-facing authorities to guarantee continuous improvement in service delivery and online information on all government-originating requirements, obligations and government-provided services which apply to the business sector.
The Enterprise Consultative Council bodes well to the undertakings of my secretariat. It is a huge step in understanding the needs of the smallest of businesses, family undertakings and self-employed, facilitating their establishment and growth and helping them maintain their competitiveness. These are manifestations of the dedication and commitment devoted to knowing our smallest businesses, creating opportunities for dialogue and providing the tools for a success story to emerge out of every company.
Dr Azzopardi is Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business and Land.