Ministry of Finance, the Economy & Investment 648 Corporate Services Directorate The role of the Corporate Services Directorate (CSD) is that of providing essential support services to the Ministry and to its departments, entities and divisions. The core functions are: − Finance (accounts, procurement and asset management); − Office Management; − Human Resources; − Registry; − Parliamentary Questions. FINANCE During 2011, the Finance Section continued to provide operational support to Director Corporate Services on all matters related to finance administration concerning the Ministry of Finance, the Economy and Investment (MFEI). The Finance section was responsible for the administration of funds provided under Recurrent Vote 26– MFEI, which included the cost centre of the Parliamentary Secretariat. This section was also responsible for the management of funding for capital projects and collection of revenue included under the Financial Estimates of MFEI. The Section was involved in the procurement of goods and services, from the initial stage of the raising of commitments up to the settlement of invoices within a reasonable period of time through the Departmental Accounting System. During 2011, the total number of transactions effected on the DAS was 9,890. During last year, the Finance Section also managed requests submitted by public entities for the release of approved Capital and Recurrent budgetary subventions and other allocations. These entities included FinanceMalta Foundation, Privatisation Unit, Malta Statistics Authority, Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit, Malta National Laboratory, Financial Services Tribunal, Malta Enterprise, Collective Bargaining Unit, Malta Film Commission, Malta Air Traffic Services, MGI/MIMCOL , Malta Industrial Parks, Water Services Corporation, Public Contracts Review Board, Enemalta Corporation and the Cooperatives Board. The Section was also involved in: • providing assistance in the preparation of travel documents required by Ministry officials when travelling abroad on official business, including the issuing of 290 travel advances to said officials; • submission of financial statements, including monthly Re-assessment of Budgetary Estimates, monthly cash flow projections and quarterly financial statements on accruals basis; • compilation of financial information related to the drafting of replies to parliamentary questions; • coordination of replies by the Ministry and its departments to several requests and queries by the National Audit Office and the Treasury Department; • submission of quarterly statements to VAT Department with list of suppliers who failed to submit fiscal receipts for goods and services procured by the Ministry; ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Annual Reports of Government Departments ~ 2011 Ministry of Finance, the Economy and Investment 649 • assisting the National Lotteries Good Causes Advisory Board in the financial administration and operations of the Good Causes Fund including issuing of cheques to beneficiaries of the said fund. During the year, 318 cheques were issued to various beneficiaries; • supporting Director General (Budget Affairs) in the issuing of new Government Guarantees/Letters of Comfort on domestic/foreign loans and other banking facilities granted to public entities, the renewal of old ones and the compilation of a quarterly report. During 2011, 10 new guarantees/letters of comfort were issued, whereas 12 existing ones were extended for a further period of one year; • assisting Director General (Budget Affairs), in the verification of requests by government ministries to open bank and below-the-line accounts. During 2011, the Ministry received 43 requests for the opening of a bank account that were considered positively. During the same year, the Ministry authorised the opening of 13 below-the-line accounts, the maintenance and updating of a database on government direct shareholding, and finally participated in a number of Ministerial Steering Committee meetings to monitor project progress under the Cohesion Policy 2007-2013 Programme. HUMAN RESOURCES This Section processed the recruitment, appointment, progression and promotion of staff in various grades throughout the whole Ministry. Four HR circulars were issued to fill nine positions of Assistant Director in departments across the Ministry. Public calls for applications filled various posts and contractual positions at middle and senior management level to enhance the Ministry’s needs and operations. Contracts of engagement and renewals of contracts continued to be drawn up as necessary for Private Secretariat staff of the Minister of Finance, the Economy and Investment and the Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business and Land. During 2011, the HR Section continued with the preparation and payment of the four-weekly salaries of staff at the Ministry, including the two Private Secretariats, as well as the Economic Policy Department and Lotto staff. Constant monitoring of the personal emoluments, particularly the allowances and overtime items, was maintained throughout the year. REGISTRY The Registry continued to provide the core service of recording and tracking all incoming correspondence with the following statistics: Correspondence registered on DOCREG system 4,330 New MF files 759 New EU 1,010 Parliamentary Questions 1,854 Publication of MF/HR circulars 11/4 Registry staff was also entrusted with the administration of the Ministry’s inventory. ANTHONY SAVONA Director (Corporate Services) ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Annual Reports of Government Departments ~ 2011 Ministry of Finance, the Economy and Investment 650 EU Affairs Directorate BACKGROUND The EU Affairs Directorate is responsible for the coordination of all EU-related issues falling within the remit of the Ministry of Finance, the Economy and Investment. One of its main tasks is to coordinate the drawing up of a national position in preparation to meetings taking place within the EU institutions (the European Commission, the Council of the EU and the European Parliament, but also European Committees such as the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of Regions). The Directorate’s responsibilities include the dissemination of meeting agendas and documentation, coordination of attendance of officials at EU-related meetings, and the drawing up and clearance of instruction notes used by the technical officials and attaches participating in the same meetings. Malta’s position is drawn up in consultation with the technical experts from both the public and the private sector. The Directorate provides support to the Ministry’s line departments in areas relating to the European Union. The EU Directorate is also responsible for the drafting of letters in reply to requests from the EU Commission and infringements cases opened by the EU Commission against Malta and is also the contact point within the Ministry for the notification of Maltese legislation to the EU Commission. Progress Achieved in 2011 The economic crisis that hit the European Union continued to persist throughout 2011. Action taken at EU level to stem the financial crisis had a ripple effect on the operations of the EU Directorate in terms of workload. In fact, throughout the crisis, the EU Directorate continued to provide support to the high-level officials attending the meetings taking place at the European level. The Directorate was also responsible for the preparation of briefing material for the ministerial delegations attending the Eurogroup, ECOFIN, Competitiveness and Trade Council meetings. Apart from preparing the Council meeting files for the Maltese delegation, the EU Directorate organised pre-ECOFIN and pre-Competitiveness briefings for resident EU representations in order to brief them on the position that Malta intended to take during the Council meetings. These briefings form part of the negotiation process and help Member States discuss common positions with a view to reaching agreement on EU proposals. One of the main responsibilities of the Directorate was to coordinate the consultation process on proposals submitted by the Commission. Malta’s position is drawn up in consultation with both internal and external entities. The Directorate was also responsible for presenting the proposals at the Inter-Ministerial Committee (a Committee composed of high-level officials from all Government ministries and headed by the Permanent Representative of Malta to the EU). In 2011, the EU Directorate presented 160 explanatory memoranda. The Directorate also assisted MEUSAC in setting up consultation meetings with the MEUSAC Core Group and its sub-committees. One of the dossiers discussed during the MEUSAC sectoral and core group meetings were the EU2020, the European Semester and the Multi-Annual Financial Framework 2013-2020. Apart from preparing for Council meetings, the EU Affairs Directorate was also involved in the preparations leading to visits by foreign dignitaries. The Directorate was also responsible for the drawing up of briefing notes for the President’s and the Prime Minister’s meetings held in Malta and abroad. DIANE SAMMUT Director (EU Affairs) ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Annual Reports of Government Departments ~ 2011 Ministry of Finance, the Economy and Investment 651 Programme Implementation Directorate