Business owners will shortly be receiving new forms to renew their licences through the Trade Licensing unit, benefiting from reduced licensing costs under the new footprint criteria.

Addressing a press conference yesterday, parliamentary secretary Edwin Vassallo said: “Business owners will be receiving the new applications, which will also cover last year. The reason for this is that the government committed itself to these new rates in the Budget for 2007, so we are making the new deal retroactive, resulting in more savings.”

Mr Vassallo said that it was important that business owners understood the meaning of the footprint plan. “We have split it into categories of size, but people need to realise that the footprint means the whole premises area of the ground floor, that includes toilets and store rooms,” he said. However, he pointed out that additional storeys did not feature in the footprint.

The tariffs are as follows:

Malta - 0-200 square metres EURO 69.88, 201-400 square metres EURO139.76 and 401-800 square metres EURO 419.29.

Gozo - 0-200 square metres EURO 52.41, 201-400 square metres EURO104.82 and 401-800 square metres EURO 314.47.

Mr Vassallo said that no business owner will pay more than he or she had paid in 2006. In case of the licence cost working out to be more expensive than before, the 2006 rate will be applicable until the business either changes hands or changes its operations to offer a different service. Payment of licences can be made directly at Maltapost offices or by sending a cheque by mail through the free post envelope enclosed in the new application forms which are being sent out by the government.

In the case of manufacturing, the tariffs will remain based on a percentage of rent paid. “We did this because manufacturers tend to have a larger floor area, and we felt that they would be unfairly penalised, so we retained the same system, but with a difference. There is now a flat five per cent of rent to be paid. Before it varied between 5, 6, 7 and 8 per cent, depending on location. That has been abolished and we will only be charging a flat five per cent,” he said.

Mr Vassallo said that the new system was much more fair and ensured a level playing field. “It will reduce licensing fees and also bureaucracy and should ensure fair competition,” he said. The Commerce Division has set up information lines for people who require additional information on 25690 ext. 100, 288, 289, 293, 311, 318, and 316 on weekdays. Phones are manned between 8am and noon.