GRTU President Paul Abela and Director General Vincent Farrugia have yesterday left Malta early during the afternoon to accompany President George Abela on an institutional visit to Montenegro together with other bodies and high ranking Government officials. GRTU officials will today, as part of the official program, be participating in the Business Forum being organised at the Chamber of Economy of Montenegro, where Mr. Vince Farrugia will also be delivering a speech giving the experience of Maltese SMEs both prior and post accession. This in view that Montenegro is aspiring to join the European Union.

 The EU plans to publish its opinion on Montenegro's EU membership application form in November 2010. As part of GRTU's programme, GRTU officials will also be meeting fellow employers' representatives in Montenegro. GRTU Malta Chamber of SMEs has this afternoon successfully signed a bilateral agreement for increased cooperation with the Montenegrin Employers Federation (MEF).  Both GRTU and MEF are very active members of UEAPME, the European Association of Crafts, Small and Medium Enterprises, and this agreement is targeted at increasing collaboration. In particular by signing this agreement both parties have agreed to:

Providing the same one-stop-shop service to members visiting as that offered in the home country while in Montenegro or in Malta;

Mutual assistance when organisations are sending a business Delegation to Malta or Montenegro;

Cooperation in consultations and support in representation on Position Papers and Stands;

Mutual dissemination of strategies and best practices to improve the service of both organisations` members and work;

Collaborate on EU funding opportunities and projects;

Montenegro is a country Maltese businesses are keen to explore and GRTU will provide its experience of EU accession to Montenegro, spreading the benefits to both countries in general.