56.52 per cent of SMEs say that Malta's European Union membership has had a positive impact on their business, according to a survey conducted by the Malta Chamber of SMEs - GRTU.

Only 15.22 per cent said that EU membership had a negative impact while 28.26 per cent said it had no effect.

However, 45.65 per cent of those surveyed said that the EU has meant more costs for their business while 27.17 per cent said that EU membership has meant more business. 27.17 per cent said that there was no change in their business.

The introduction of the euro was welcomed by the majority of those interviewed, with 56.52 per cent of them saying that the single currency in Malta had brought increased benefits for their business while10.87 per cent said the euro had brought both more benefits and more costs. 18.48 per cent said the euro meant more costs while 14.13 per cent said it had no effect on their business.

47.83 per cent of respondents said that their business had increased as a result of EU membership, while 38.04 per cent said that it had remained the same. Only 14.13 per cent said that their business had decreased since Malta joined the EU.

An overwhelming majority of respondents, 88.04 per cent, said that Maltese businesses should be benefiting more from the European Union considering that Malta is part of the larger EU market. Only 11.96 per cent did not think this was the case.

The SMEs surveyed were mainly retail outlets that sell household goods (21.74 per cent), IT (9.78 per cent), food and beverages (8.7 per cent), clothing and footwear (6.52 per cent), jewellery (4.35 per cent), hardware (3.26 per cent), bathrooms and tiles (3.26 per cent), stationery products (2.17 per cent) and gifts and souvenirs (2.17 per cent), as well as companies involved in services such as motor industry and transport (6.52 per cent), tourism (2.17 per cent), property (1.09 per cent) and other services (15.22 per cent).

Fifty per cent of the respondents said they import goods as well as purchase local merchandise while 40.22 per cent said they import goods. 9.78 per cent said they only purchase locally. 81.51 per cent said they import goods from EU countries, 5.46 per cent from China, 4.20 per cent from the US and 8.83 per cent from other countries.