Chamber wants to see further changes to billboard rules

The Chamber of Commerce has taken note of government’s rethink not to let new rules on permitting of billboards affect shop signage.

“This is not enough,” the Chamber said. “It is clear in the Chamber’s mind that the fee of €1,500 on billboards will only serve to increase expenses to businesses without necessarily improving the environmental considerations and standards relating to billboards.”

The fee corresponds to new license fees on roadside billboards.

“The Chamber believes that the country has the necessary institutions and laws in place that can regulate amply well, in favour of every law abiding business and citizen. Therefore, billboards that are compliant and have all the paperwork to show for it should remain, while the authorities should properly enforce to clamp down on illegally placed structures once and for all. This will certainly improve the visual impact in our streets as the Government declared its intentions to be.”

The Chamber said it had taken the matter very seriously when it informed the same Parliamentary Secretariat of its position that the legal notice was not acceptable. An urgent meeting was held Deborah Schembri..

The Chamber today met its interested members from a variety of sectors which are directly affected by this legal notice and is in the process of finalizing a set of recommendations to the rules.

“The Chamber sees the latest development as a step in the right direction, but certainly the problem is not yet entirely solved. Unfortunately, the complete mismanagement of the matter has resulted in a waste of valuable resources and confusion for all parties concerned. This would have best been avoided by approaching the matter appropriately from the start.”