The Chamber for Small and Medium Enterprises has given notice to its members not to incur additional expenses to change or amend their invoicing systems, receipts and price changes in connection with the introduction of dual pricing and the euro.

The Chamber said it expects the government or the Central Bank to give it guarantees that it will introduce the euro on 1 January 2008.

The GRTU said that it was still not satisfied that the government would eventually make good for any one time cost in connection with the changeover adding that it was also not satisfied that there was still no indication when the fixed exchange rate would come into effect.

It said that it did not agree with the NECC’s recommendation for a long dual pricing process because a shorter one would make more sense in this case.

The Chamber reiterated that Malta should adopt the euro when the economy meets all the criteria as set out by the EU.

However it called for an agreement to be reached between the government and all social partners so that there would be no additional tax increases, increases in administrative tariffs and other costs during the changeover period while also mitigating the effects of the power surcharge.

The GRTU called for a serious and properly drafted plan and not imposition.