The Malta Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise has clarified some points in its recent agreement with the Rural Affairs and the Environment Ministry on the postponement of the 28 June packaging waste regulation registration deadline.

The chamber said it had requested a postponement of the deadline because it was not satisfied with the enforcement measures in place to ensure that all operators complied.

“Indeed,” it said, “the added responsibilities entail more operational costs for those businesses complying with all their administrative, environmental and fiscal obligations, while other non bona fide operators are continuously evading their responsibilities by not paying their fiscal dues. This lack of enforcement continues to exacerbate the current scenario of unfair competition between law-abiding companies and illicit traders.”

The chamber unequivocally stated that this postponement was not related to any refunds on eco-contribution due by the government to those businesses that have registered and duly complied with their packaging waste obligations. On the contrary, the chamber has insisted with the authorities that these refunds to businesses should be issued without any further delay.

The chamber was adamant that statements to the effect that the postponement of the registration deadline was in any way related to the refunds on the eco-contribution paid were misleading and did not reflect the truth.