The Malta Business Bureau’s EU LIFE+ Investing in Water Project has been shortlisted for this year’s European Enterprises Promotion Award.

This is only the second time that a Maltese project has been shortlisted since the start of this EU initiative nearly ten years ago. If the project receives the award, it will be Malta’s first project awarded under the European Enterprise Promotion Awards.

The project, led by the MBB in partnership with the Malta Chamber and the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA), has been shortlisted under the ‘Supporting the development of green markets and resource efficiency’ category. Only two other projects have been shortlisted under this category, including a project resulting in greenhouse gas reduction from Portugal and a project improving the textiles manufacturing process to use fewer raw materials from Turkey.

The Minster for the Economy, Investment and Small Business, Dr.Chris Cardona congratulated the Malta Business Bureau, stating “Industry has an important role to play in increasing efficiency and clearly enterprises, through the Malta Business Bureau’s EU LIFE+ Investing in Water Project, rose to that challenge. I congratulate the MBB for running such a successful initiative in support of both industry and the environment, and wish them every success in carrying out similar initiatives in the future. The success that MBB has already achieved with its project convinces us  further that such initiatives deserve all the support that the government can offer. ”

The EU LIFE+ Investing in Water Project ran for a 30 month period from October 2011 to March 2014. During this period over 130 enterprises collaborated with the project, sharing and being provided with recommendations and training on how to implement water saving best practice.

By the project’s end, enterprises which had adopted water saving measures were saving an estimated 141 million litres of water every year – enough to supply the needs of two medium sized four star hotels and three large water consuming factories.

MBB President Mario Spiteri said “The project’s shortlisting highlights the success that participating businesses achieved in advancing towards a more efficient water consumption, in line with EU Environmental policy. The MBB will continue to support enterprises in bridging the gap between EU policy and practice.”

MBB CEO Joe Tanti credited the enterprises for driving industry’s environmental sustainability. He also thanked Project Manager Geoffrey Saliba and the project team for their work in ensuring the project was a success.

Current shortlisted projects have already been selected from the best national projects nominated by European countries. Earlier this year, the MBB’s “EU LIFE+ Investing in Water” project had placed first in the National Enterprise Support Awards 2014 which is the national phase of the European Enterprise Promotion Awards. As winner of the national competition, which is organised by the Commerce Department with the collaboration of the Enterprise Policy Directorate & Schemes within the Ministry for the Economy, Investment and Small Business, the EU LIFE+ Investing in Water project was one of two projects which were nominated by the Commerce Department to represent Malta in this year’s edition of the European awards.

The European Commission’s DG Enterprise will now select a European best project from amongst the shortlisted best national projects. Winning projects will be announced at the SME Assembly in Naples, as part of the European SME Week, on the 2nd October.

The EU LIFE+ Investing in Water Project received 50% co-financing under the European Community’s LIFE funding programme, with the Ministry responsible for the environment as the main co-financier, further co-financing and sponsorship from Easydry Malta, APS Bank, Island Hotels Group, and MSV LIFE.