Koperattivi Malta, an organisation which represents cooperative businesses, has called on the government to encourage the setting up of new concerns in areas such as banking, housing and alternative energy.

In a document intended as a contribution to a consultation process launched by Small Businesses Parliamentary Secretary Jason Azzopardi, the organisation offered a number of ideas about how the government could foster a social and economic environment that would encourage cooperatives to be set up in “innovative” areas. These include areas such as banking, housing, the provision of alternative energy and culture, among others.

It said educational institutions such as the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology and the University of Malta should teach the cooperative business model in courses like economics, law, acco­unts and business management.

“In this way, students interested in setting up their own business will have all the information they need to help them choose the cooperative model as an alternative business model,” it said.

It added that it hoped the government appreciated the important role of cooperatives in Malta’s social economy while committing to guaranteeing an economic, social and legislative environment for cooperatives to compete on a level playing field with other businesses.