The Malta Communications Authority dedicated its last eCommerce Forum for this year to business-to-business ICT solutions. The aim of this forum was to explore the benefits that can be accomplished from investing in B2B technology, while also looking at the challenges associated with its implementation.
“ICT has the potential to increase competitiveness by achieving greater efficiency and enhancing trading relationships; it also enables the adoption of innovative business models and the exploitation of new markets at minimal cost,” said Philip Micallef, executive chairman of the MCA.
Paul Cumbo, project coordinator at the MCA, provided an overview of the ICT-Value Networks project, funded under the European Regional Development Fund. He explained that the rationale behind this project is to identify, share and exchange SME policies and initiatives that facilitate the creation of ICT enabled value networks.
John Farrugia, IT Manager at Playmobil followed, delivering a presentation about the company’s use of ICT, in particular the solutions that Playmobil implemented to facilitate transactions with suppliers and business clients. He also outlined the benefits that the company gained and the challenges it faced during the implementation process.
Thomas Egenolf, director at Lufthansa Cargo (Italy and Malta) described how the IATA e-freight initiative is working towards eliminating paper from the air cargo industry by replacing paper documents with electronic messages. Besides reducing costs, improving transit times, accuracy and competitiveness of airfreight, it surely contributes towards a sustainable environment.
David Borg Carbott, an associate with Ganado & Associates, went on to provide an overview of the current position of intermediary service providers and their legal responsibilities in relation to the data transmitted and accessed by users of their services. He also made reference to some recent judgments delivered by national courts in a number of member states, which have disrupted the harmonised position of no responsibility traditionally enjoyed by ISPs.