Chamber’s 100 proposals for next five years

The Malta Chamber has put forward 100 proposals for the next legislature that focus on economic recovery, resilience, good governance, human capital and education 

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The Malta Chamber has put forward 100 proposals for the next legislature.

The recommendations are structured around five main pillars: Economic Recovery, Resilience and Growth; Good Governance; Human Capital and Education; Infrastructure and Digitalisation; and Sustainability.

The 100 recommendations put forward by The Malta Chamber include some of the more salient proposals floated in recent months on building a more resilient economy, addressing human resource shortages, improving the infrastructure, investing in digitalisation, and promote sustainability.

“The main message is that the next government needs to be an enabler rather than a lifesaver, so that business can get back to the driver seat of economic growth,” Chamber president Marisa Xuereb told BusinessToday.

“In the current scenario, Government intervention is needed to keep energy prices stable.”

She said the effective corporate tax rate for local companies needs to be reduced as it is the highest in Europe.

“The Chamber is recommending that reductions are attached to prompt settlement of corporate tax to encourage fiscal compliance.”

The Chamber insists it is imperative to rebuild tourism. It says the country needs to:

  • Redefine Malta’s tourism product
  • Revisit MTA’s role as an enabler and reposition it as an active regulator
  • Temporary suspension on new tourist accommodation

The Chamber also called for the next government to reignite arts and culture. It said a one-stop-shop is needed since there are currently too many entities dealing with and supporting the sector directly and indirectly.

On retail, the Chamber said the retail scene in Valletta today does not resemble any major historic shopping street in Europe.

Therefore it is crucial that the Valletta retail scene is rethought and possibly managed like a proper destination similar to large shopping malls.

The Chamber said such plan should include:

  • Target positioning
  • Category and brand mix
  • Store front look and feel
  • Possibility of having a designated street/area for a more premium segment
  • More frequent entertainment activities and attractions

The scope of iGaming should also come to include digital games and eSports, the Chamber said. This would require:

  • Significant investment in the necessary skills
  • Incentives to attract the right foreign talent

Support to serious operators from our banking regulatory environment and the removal of those that impose a high reputational risk.

Ease of doing business

The Chamber said that a number of issues currently make it difficult for businesses to establish themselves in Malta and to carry out their day-to-day operations. Chief among these are:

  • Significant investment in the necessary skills
  • The duplication of due diligence efforts
  • Delays in opening a bank account
  • The difficulty of getting credit
  • Registering a property
  • The process of getting utility services
  • Delays in obtaining regulatory licences
  • Excessive bureaucracy in obtaining accessibility certification for commercial premises
  • Bureaucratic procedures involved in recruiting and retaining third country nationals
  • The ineffectiveness of judicial remedies for resolution
  • The slow resolution of insolvency issues

The Chamber also called for a reduction in the effective tax rate for local businesses.

Government should allow for a partial deduction for timely payment of tax dues.

“The effective tax rate for local businesses who settle their tax dues on time should hence be reduced to 25%,” the Chamber said.

Labour market participation

The Chamber said employees who qualify for a pension before retirement age should be encouraged to retain par-time employment.

Government should also:

  • Encourage employees to remain in the workforce beyond the retirement age
  • Implement second pillar pensions and auto enrolment occupational pensions

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