Comment
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Getting used to a new normality
Few would deny that change is all around us. Some of it is undoubtedly for the better, some possibly for the worse. Change in all aspects of our lives is inevitable but in recent years we seem to be undergoing major changes in various aspects of our...
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Malta is different to Cyprus
It should be shouted out loud: Malta is not Cyprus. Other than both being islands and members of the European Union and the eurozone, there is no similarity between the two countries. What has been happening in Cyprus has no bearing in Malta and...
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Employers and collective agreements
Under EU legislation, employees’ terms and conditions are preserved in the event of a transfer of business. The work conditions generally transfer along with the employees, and any collective agreement that applied to their employment with their...
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Internationalisation of family businesses
Changes in the competitive environment are driving family businesses to identify opportunities as well as explore the international marketplace. Internationalisation is a valuable strategy for growth and expansion. Even family SMEs, which...
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Lease accounting’s impact on company balance sheets
‘Leases’ is perhaps not the most significant figure on a balance sheet, but following the enactment of the proposed changes currently on the drawing board, the amounts that you may be required to recognise on your balance sheet may well run into...
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In praise of Malta’s caring professionals
It is always a sad day when medical professionals are charged in court for negligence. Their mistakes are often fatal. Most of us were brought up in a culture that respects the work of those who care for us when we are sick. Yet those who practice...
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Problems facing newcomers
The new Prime Minister said he had appointed a large Cabinet, 14 ministers plus himself, and in addition eight parliamentary secretaries to avoid having mega ministries. Within that total there is one mega ministry that is headed by newcomer Manuel...
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Retransmission of protected works
Television broadcasters are entitled to prohibit the retransmission of their programmes by another company over the internet, the Court of Justice of the European Union has recently ruled. Such a retransmission requires the authorisation of the...
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Private maritime security licence rules are another notch for Malta
Piratical attacks on vessels are as old as the hills. Vessels traversing stretches of sea have, since time immemorial, been subjected to piratical attacks. However, over the past few years, modern-day piracy has reared its ugly head in a big way.
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Company secretary’s role
Following the 2008 financial crisis, great emphasis is being placed on corporate governance by governments, organisations and companies worldwide. Emphasis is being placed on the role of the company’s officers and the manner in which the board...
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The elusive eurozone economic recovery
Financial markets have performed impressively well since the beginning of 2013 reaching pre-crisis levels early in March. The UK FTSE 100 was back to the levels reached before the Lehman Brothers collapse while the Dow Jones hit an all-time record...
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Demand efficiency from now
This has been a long period of uncertainty for everyone, including the business community and other economic operators. Uncertainty is never good for any sector. Many people, therefore, breathed a sigh of relief that waiting for the general election...
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Legislation to tackle unfair trading
EU legislation predominantly focuses on protecting consumers from unfair commercial practices in their dealings with traders. In an unprecedented move, the EU Commission is mulling over legislation which would specifically tackle unfair trading...
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Europe’s major step towards bank stability
We have taken a major step this week to make sure Europe’s 8,200 banks are more solid and more transparent. After 19 months of negotiations, the EU finance ministers have now endorsed the new deal for banks, putting in place the Basel III rules for...
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The Luftwaffe unleashed
January 16, 1941, was a momentous day for Malta, when the full fury of the Luftwaffe was unleashed for the first time on our island, on the Naval Dockyard and Cottonera. The story has often been told. Here I share my own experiences as a...
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Is the Church now ready for change?
When Joseph Ratzinger was elected Pope in 2005 many liberal Catholics were disappointed that the College of Cardinals had thrown away a golden opportunity to let some fresh air in the corridors of power within the Vatican. Like every organisation,...
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Save – updating the 4Ps
You don’t have to be a marketing genius or business management guru to have heard of the 4Ps. If you are in business you’ve definitely used the 4Ps (product, place, price and promotion), also known as the marketing mix, a tool kit which people in...
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Prioritising education
The political parties contesting Saturday’s general election have stressed the importance of education and promised to continue to give it maximum attention. That is a welcome promise. Well-structured education programmes are a must, both from the...
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A European unitary patent system
Forty years of negotiations have finally come to a close with the recent signing of an agreement for the creation of a new European unitary patent system. With 24 participating member states, it is envisaged that this new system will make life...
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What about other eurozone government bonds?
Nothing comes for free and investments are not an exception. Investors expose themselves to risk in return for a reward, which usually comes in the form of a dividend, a coupon or a capital gain. The relationship between risk and return is critical...
