The data published by the Israeli Central Institute of Statistics – Central Bureau of Statistics – show all the solidity of the Israeli economy. The news was reported by all local media and in particular by the financial newspaper Globes.

In 2016 the GDP of Israel and grew by 4%, a better performance than that of 2014 (+.32%) and 2015 (2.5%).

Even the GDP per capita increased: + 2% in 2016, better than the 1.2% recorded in 2014 and 0.5% recorded in 2015.

The main engine of growth was, according to economic analysts, private consumption, which increased by 6.3% during the year under review.

The Central Bureau of Statistics also shows a clear improvement in fixed capital investments, which grew by 11.3% in 2016, after stagnating for the previous two years. Even exports – threatened today by a particularly strong local currency against the dollar and the euro – have marked a + 3% on average with the help of + 6% from the sale of services (excluding tourism and startup).

Even the average wages grew over the year on a positive 2.4% and an average of 9,805 shekels per month (about 2,500 Euros).

Equally positive was the increase in the number of employees (+ 3.1%).

The sector of information and communications guides the ranking with an average monthly wage of 19,161 Shekels (almost 5,000 Euros) for its 172,000 employees. Electricity and water sector follows with 18,237 shekels a month (about 4,600 Euros), and then education (7833 shekels per month, approximately 2000 euro) and catering, at the bottom of the ranking, with 4,519 monthly shekels (a little more than 1000 euros).

(ITALPRESS/MNA).

Source: medNews

A new freight link with a dedicated vessel on the Catania-Malta route. The Onorato Armatori Group continues its consolidation operation in Sicily, with an innovation that as of the end of March will give hauliers an even wider range of routes offered to and from Sicily: the opening of a connection (in addition to that already weekly existing), operated with a dedicated ship, on the Catania-Malta route with four weekly departures from each port and specifically calibrated times on the needs of goods sector, in particular for the food sector. The ship, 1500 linear meters, will transport both trailer and is automobiles. 

Onorato Armatori continues its policy to strengthen its network. In Sicily it is foreseen the reinforcement of the offer with the inclusion of a 2600 ro-ro (20 kts speed) on the route Genoa – Livorno – Catania, which will allow the programming of a more efficient route that will satisfy, even more, the needs of the sector.

In spring, the goods department will be further strengthened with a 3500 mt (27 kts speed) ro-ro that will allow for more efficiency both on journey times and on delivery time of the goods.

“We can only thank all our customers that are strongly supporting us in our major expansion plan – says the Director commercial goods Tirrenia, Pierre Canu -, especially in Sicily. Thanks to their Support, we are confident that in the short term we can complete our offer to provide them with the best service “.

This investment policy is already paying off. In 2017 both Moby and Tirrenia grew significantly. Even in February, the trend remained positive, with an increase of total freight traffic of 10%, doubled compared the previous month. And only in Sicily, in the first two months of 2017, a +24% increase was recorded.

(ITALPRESS/MNA).

Source: medNews

Eni announces that has finalized a farm-in agreement with Total to acquire 50% Participating Interest of Block 11 Offshore Cyprus.

The agreement, by which Total remains the Operator of the Block, has been approved by the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Cyprus. With this transaction Eni further reinforces its own position in the Country, acquiring the right of exploring an area of 2,215 square kilometers, nearby the “super giant” Zohr discovery in the Egyptian offshore.

The rights on Block 11 were assigned by the Republic of Cyprus to Total back in 2013 at the conclusion of the second international bid round held by the Country. The exploration well is expected to be drilled in the Block within 2017.

This agreement is part of Eni’s strategy aimed at increasing its own exploration portfolio in the strategic area of Eastern Mediterranean Sea.

Eni has been present in Cyprus since 2013 through its subsidiary Eni Cyprus Ltd and holds exploration rights on Blocks 9, 3,2 (Eni 80% Op., Kogas 20%) awarded in the second round. Eni has also been chosen, in the third competitive bid round, as selected bidder for Block 6 (Eni 50% Op.,Total 50%) and Block 8 (Eni 100% Op.).

(ITALPRESS/MNA).

Source: medNews

Project Lebanon is the leading trade fair of the construction industry for the Lebanese market and neighboring markets.

The residential and infrastructure construction sector continues to be the engine of the Lebanese economy and, despite the crisis of recent years, is the only sector that showed a significant dynamism. In 2016, new building permits increased by 13% and the constructed area has covered an area of 12.3 million square meters, equal to last year.

Construction projects – in progress or planned – are estimated at 25 billion dollars. Among these, new residential and tourist projects for 13 billion dollars (only in Beirut) are to be mentioned. It is important to note that the on-site opportunities are not limited to the geographical boundary of the country but extend to other countries in the Middle East and the African continent with which Lebanon has very close trade relations.

The organizers explain: “for those already working in the country who also wants to expand into neighboring markets, or for those who look to the market for the first time, Project Lebanon is the reference event. The construction industry, including construction materials and machinery, with furniture and contract, constitute the engine of the economy of the country and the region. Attention is also given to Syria. Even this year, we will host Syrian traders and the conference on the reconstruction. We must be ready to act and Lebanese companies can represent an incredible business partner for expansion in Syria”.

(ITALPRESS/MNA).

Source: medNews

The data released by the Albanian Institute of Statistics (Instat) swow that the index of producer prices recorded an increase of 0.9 percent on an annual basis in the fourth quarter of 2016. Producer prices of paper and furniture increased respectively by 1.6 percent and 2.2 percent. Production decreased by 0.1 percent the prices of the processing industry. The largest annual increase occurred for production prices in the mining industry (+5.5 percent), within which the costs for oil and gas extraction grew by 8.3 percent.

(ITALPRESS/MNA).

Source: medNews

 “The celebrations for the 60th anniversary of the Treaties of Rome will be a very important occasion, we are working to give the Union a revival signal at a time that many call as “difficulties”. We are not blind, there are signs of division but we see also the potential. Just in a difficult world like this we think that the European project can be revived”. This was stated by the Prime Minister, Paolo Gentiloni, at a meeting on Thursday with Prime Minister of Malta, Joseph Muscat, at Palazzo Chigi. “The basic idea will be to draw, for the next 10 years, a stronger and more cohesive Europe on security, defense – continued Gentiloni -, and more united on migration issues and engaged on growth and investment”.

For the prime minister, “Italy is in a phase of growth and recovery in terms of jobs, but we also know that this growth is limited and gradual, and it needs to be accompanied. We think of a Europe that is the frame to accompany this growth and these new jobs”. Gentiloni also spoke about immigration, and explained: “We have achieved some results together, I recall the excellent results of the informal Council meeting chaired by Joseph in Malta about a month ago, in which the EU has expressed its full support to the agreement between Italy and Libya. We will invest on this even in the coming days, further strengthening the capacities of the Libyan coast guard. No one should expect miracles to happen within a few weeks, because it would be an illusion”.

“Miracles cannot be done, but we are working for all the rest. In the last two months we have reached agreements on immigration that were unexpected compared to a few weeks before. This is the result of a good synergy between our countries,” Muscat explained. “The agreement with Libya is not perfect, even for the situation of the government of that country, but it is the most important point that Europe reached in terms of control of the migratory routes of the Central Mediterranean”.

On EU policies, the Prime Minister of Malta, which holds the rotating presidency of the EU, said: “Europe cannot be just an economic project, but it must also have a social function, which we lost on the way. We need a coordinated policy at the social level, in order to show to the citizens that Europe is not just a matter of budgets but also a matter of wellbeing. Social Europe has been forgotten for too many years, and the citizens have felt alienated from European “project.

(ITALPRESS/MNA).

Source: medNews

The Tunisian government is working to reduce the trade deficit, which in 2016 amounted to around 5.1 billion euro. This was stated by Minister of Finance, Lamia Zribi, in an interview. “The members of the government are currently working to find a solution to this problem. We import too many unnecessary products, but we must not forget that we have trade agreements with several countries” Zribi said.

Tunisia finished the year 2016 with a trade deficit of over 250 million euro less than in 2015 and about 500 million euro more than in 2014. Exports amounted to 11.8 billion euro, an increase of 5.6% compared to last year’s 11.2 billion euro. Imports also increased by 5.3 percentage points, from 16.1 billion euro in 2015 16.9 billion was EUR in the year that just ended.

(ITALPRESS/MNA).

Source: medNews

According to the Algerian Customs, the value of imports of passenger vehicles amounted to 1.292 billion dollars in 2016 compared to 2.038 billion dollars in 2015, representing a decrease of 36.61%. The value of imports of vehicles for the transport of persons and goods (classified as capital goods) was instead equal to 782.36 million dollars as compared with $ 1.5 billion in 2015, recording a 48% decrease. As for the parts and accessories for motor vehicles (classified in the category of non-food consumer goods, following the example of passenger vehicles), the value of imports reached 393.96 million US dollars compared to $ 394.86 million in 2015, with a slight decrease of 0.23%. It should be noted that, for the year 2016, the quota for the import of vehicles was set by the Algerian government to 98,374 units in the field of import licenses.

(ITALPRESS/MNA).

Source: medNews

“Research has no borders. The synergy between researchers from different institutions and countries is the key to tackle the most relevant themes”, Massimo Inguscio, president of the National Research Council, said. “My presence in Malta fits into the groove of the visit made a few months ago with the then Minister of Education, Universitie and Research. The aim is to strengthen cooperation through research and innovation, including the euro-Mediterranean context”.

In line with national strategic priorities for research confirmed by the Minister of Education, Universitiy and Research, Valeria Fedeli, the CNR faces with increasing commitment the global challenges in key areas of science and technology, also by actively participating in the projects of European research. In this context, president Inguscio signed in Malta a scientific cooperation agreement with the University of Malta, the main Maltese academic and research institution.

The visit was also the occasion for an exchange of ideas on some major European projects that will reach important goals during the Maltese presidency of the EU Council. First, the large euro-Mediterranean research program PRIMA (Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean), which focuses on the issues of food systems and water resources that, after years of hard work, will be approved in May by Europe’s research ministers.

Secondly, discussion touched the Flagship in ‘Quantum Technologies’, a ten-year research program funded by the European Commission that will involve all Member States, with a total investment of one billion euro from 2018. The Italian National Research Council coordinates the Italian roadmap, composed of universities and research organizations. The Ministry of Education, University and Research, and the National Research Council fund the European preparatory project QuantERA. In a partnership that also involves the University of Malta and the National Institute of Metrology research, the construction of the undersea fiber quantum connection between Malta and Sicily is at an advanced stage. Finally, the ‘Bluemed’ project, an initiative with Italian leadership aimed at strengthening European co-ordination in the areas of research and ‘blue’ innovation in the Mediterranean. In this context, the agreement signed by the CNR with the University of Malta becomes crucial for the development of new and strategic joint projects.

(ITALPRESS/MNA).

Source: medNews

The Ministry of Economy in a press release said that energy efficiency projects of total value of 4.5 million will be implemented in 2017. Approximately 2.7 million euro will be destined to the schools within the project called “Energy Efficiency in Public Buildings” (EEPPB), while about 1.8 million Euros will be used for the rehabilitation of medical and hospital structures in the framework of the project “Energy Efficiency in Montenegro “(MEEP). The Project EEPPB is funded through credit funds that equal to 31.5 million euro loan from the German Development Bank KfW, while the project MEEP is funded through a credit of 11.5 million euro of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD).

(ITALPRESS/MNA).

Source: medNews