Metco Survey Reveals 80% Of Maltese Businesses Satisfied With Export Progress

by Robert Lee, Tax-News.com, London

16 August 2002

Reporting on the results of a recent survey conducted by the Malta External Trade Commission (Metco), the Malta Business Weekly revealed that over 80% of businesses questioned were satisfied with the degree of assistance provided by Metco in expanding their trade and export operations.

Metco conducted the survey of some 900 Maltese firms in July, with the intention of ascertaining the markets of most interest to Maltese companies, gauging the degree of satisfaction with the Trade Commission's efforts, and quantifying the degree of interest with regard to Metco's plans to establish an additional office in Dubai.

A spokesman for the trade body this week expressed satisfaction as it was revealed that 74% of those polled felt that the planned Dubai office would benefit them in their export efforts:

'This interest on the part of companies validates the decision taken to open a Metco office in the Middle East's leading international trading and distribution centre,' he told the Malta Business Weekly.

According to the survey, over 35% of those who responded to the survey expressed greatest interest in penetrating North African and Middle Eastern markets. However, possibly mindful of the country's intended EU accession in 2004, some 25% of respondents expressed interest in European markets such as the UK, Germany and Italy.

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