Comodini Cachia stresses importance of ISPs in facilitating online Maltese businesses and start-ups

MEP Therese Comodini Cachia co-hosts a conference on the importance of internet connectivity and speeds at affordable prices for the business sector

Therese Comodini Cachia co-hosted a conference with Google in Malta
Therese Comodini Cachia co-hosted a conference with Google in Malta

MEP Therese Comodini Cachia discussed the role ISPs have in the development of strong business models.

During her opening speech at the conference Growing and Thriving Online, which she co-hosted with Google in Malta, Comodini Cachia emphasised that SMEs that fully embrace the web grow up to four times faster, create more jobs twice faster and 50% more likely to sell products and services outside their region.

“Digital is a way of life for millions of persons and businesses. Consumers transact online in a way that changed the demand for goods, services and consumption of content. Using digital tools helps to innovate business models, and for this to happen we need strong ISPs who are there to provide the best connectivity and the fastest possible speeds at a fair and affordable price.”

Enrico Bellini from Google encouraged participants to comprehend further the importance of going digital.

“Going digital is important and that is why Google will continue to support European businesses and their presence online. We are committed to train two million Europeans,” he said.

Comodini Cachia added that the education systems should focus on empowering entrepreneurial skills.

“We were born creative and innovative, and these are the skills that need to be empowered in schools as entrepreneurs need to be adventurous,” she said. “In Malta, the sense of entrepreneurship is growing and that is why we need to help business into growing and thriving online.”

Polish MEP Michal Boni emphasised the need for flexibility and adaptability.

“We need much more open solutions and guidelines in order to change our mentality and be more adjusted for the digital revolution,” he said.

According to Malta Business Bureau’s CEO Joe Tanti, only 7% of SMEs in Europe are doing cross bordering business. He emphasised on the need of a single framework and harmonised laws throughout Europe that will help for 57% European companies to start or increase their efforts in doing business online with a vast contribution to Europe’s economy and the creation of more jobs.