The GRTU – Malta Chamber of SMEs and the Croatian Chamber of Trades and Crafts have agreed to cooperate with and assist Croatian enterprises during Croatia’s negotiations to join the EU.
GRTU president Paul Abela and GRTU director general Vincent Farrugia were recently in Zagreb, Croatia for a conference on: "EU challenges for small businesses – experiences of new member states".
Mr Farrugia was one of the guest keynote speakers in the first national conference organised by the Croatian Chamber of Trades and Crafts. The conference formed part of Croatia’s series of initiatives leading to the successful conclusion of Croatia’s negotiation with the EU. Croatia is currently in the screening stage of negotiations on its application to join the European Union.
The Croatian chamber representing the majority of small businesses in Croatia organised the conference to bring to the attention of its members the negotiation experience of Malta, Slovakia, Hungary and Slovenia in order to facilitate the adoption of the acquis communautaire by Croation trade and craft enterprises.
In his speech, GRTU’s Vincent Farrugia emphasised the importance of the Croatia chamber’s participation in all stages of consultations.
He advised Croatian small business to give utmost importance to the economic impact of these rules and regulations as whatever is accepted in the pre-accession stage will be effective in the post-accession stage.
Mr Farrugia also insisted with the Croatia chamber of small businesses to ensure that government drafts a post-accession strategy and not concentrate solely on a pre-accession strategy. Mr Farrugia assured the Croatian chamber of SMEs that the GRTU will make available to Croatian enterprises members of the Croatian chamber the assistance of all the experts who worked to provide Maltese enterprises with a viable negotiation position.
GRTU Malta Chamber of SMEs and Croatian Chamber of Trades and Crafts will in the coming days enter into a formal agreement to implement the understanding reached in Zagreb.
The agreement will also provide for mutual Chambers’ support to Croatian businessmen seeking opportunities in Malta and to Maltese businessmen seeking opportunities in Croatia.
The Malta chamber will also provide all the training needed for the Chamber of Croatia to be enabled to handle effectively the negotiations consultation.