Bank of Valletta has signed two agreements to sponsor the eMalta Commission and the Malta Chamber of Commerce.

BoV will support the eMalta Commission in its campaigns to promote Internet use at all levels of society and to promote eCommerce.

According to the five-year agreement with the Chamber, BoV will issue membership cards for all Chamber members. These cards will act as a debit card for members who are also BoV account holders and solely as a membership card for members who do not have an account.

On the other hand, the Chamber will introduce a discount scheme for its members, which would promote the usage of the card via the EPOS machines.

This agreement is also expected to promote closer ties between both partners. The Chamber will host a series of presentations to selected bank personnel on the Chamber's operations and goals to assist these personnel to encourage potential bank clients to become Chamber members.

BoV chairman Joseph F.X. Zahra signed the agreements with eMalta Commission chairman John Portelli (in the presence of Justice Minister Austin Gatt), and Chamber president Reginald Fava.

Mr Zahra announced that BoV has now developed its own payment gateway and can provide a more cost effective solution to eMerchants without having to rely on third parties.

BoV is the only processor of a number of eGovernment payment initiatives and it is expected that more government departments will start accepting payments through the Internet with BoV acting as the processor, he added.

Mr Fava said of the Chamber's agreement with BoV: "This agreement forges a new alliance for the Chamber with the country's leading financial institution, which has done our nation proud by earning itself a distinguished international reputation and we believe that this agreement will provide Bank of Valletta with the enviable opportunity to establish a closer relationship with the country's senior private sector institution."