News

The European Union's (EU) Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP) aims to encourage the competitiveness of European enterprises. It is managed by the European Commission and is one of the EU's centralised competitive funding programme. With small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as its main target, the programme supports innovation activities (including eco-innovation), provides better access to finance and delivers business support services in the regions.

Twelve business support organisations working with young SMEs around Europe are meeting in Malta as part of the Young SMEs Project, a pan-European initiative targeted at SMEs in their business consolidation period between the third and fifth year of operations.

As Malta’s representative in the project, Malta Enterprise is hosting the three-day thematic seminar, which is focusing on issues related to Management within young SMEs and how such issues may have an impact on the long-term business sustainability and survival unless properly addressed.

Building up on its success in assisting more than 2,000 students with over €7.7 million in tax credits, the Get Qualified scheme administered by Malta Enterprise is being expanded to support students and other individuals obtain qualifications required by a wider range of industries.

Upon successful completion of their course, supported students are granted a tax credit which may enable them to recover up to 80 per cent of their expenses in relation to registration fees, examination fees, as well as fees paid to the university, institution or recognised educational entity.

Malta's efforts to accelerate the development of the digital media cluster and the initiatives being taken to create an environment that helps in the growth of this industry were highlighted during the Digital Media in Malta 2 conference organised by Malta Enterprise.

Around 20 local entrepreneurs participated in a training seminar focusing on export-related issues organised by Malta Enterprise as part of the programme of activities for the European SME week.

Tackling matters such as how to improve the way a business is run, communications and business marketing, the seminar was aimed at entrepreneurs, business organisations and educational institutions looking towards developing markets abroad.

A number of companies which participated in business events organised by Malta Enterprise in Hamburg and Stuttgart are planning fact finding visits to Malta with the intention of learning more about the several German companies which have set up and are operating successfully in the country.

Entitled Malta Evenings, the events were organised during the visit of an institutional delegation led by Minister for Fair Competition, Small Business and Consumers Jason Azzopardi, which sought to promote Malta as an ideal investment location.

Eight Maltese companies have been assisted by Malta Enterprise to participate in the SIAL Food Fair, one of the major international events within the food and beverage industry which is held on a biennial basis in Paris, France.

Billed as the global food marketplace, SIAL has for the past 40 years provided the ideal platform to industry stakeholders to explore, discuss, sense, anticipate and adapt to the fast changing markets.

A business delegation from Spain was hosted by Malta Enterprise for a business forum and networking sessions that were aimed at providing further information about Malta and the opportunities that entrepreneurs wishing to do business in the country can avail themselves of.

As part of the efforts to increase economic ties between the Russian Federation and Malta, Malta Enterprise hosted a delegation of Russian entrepreneurs who were exploring the business opportunities that Malta offers.

More than 120 companies in Shanghai and Hong Kong held meetings with around 25 Maltese companies which were visiting the two cities whilst partaking in a business delegation organised by Malta Enterprise. 

The delegation, comprising Maltese companies involved in beverage, engineering, alternative energy, travel and financial services, advisory and construction, was supported by HSBC.