25/07/2004 00:00
TW
0
Staff Reporter THE small and medium-sized business management organisation in the Balearics (Pimeco), called on the regional Commerce minister yesterday to fix the Sunday trading calendar.

Pimeco want an “urgent” meeting with the Commerce Management Board to make clear what Sunday and public holiday trading dates will be allocated to small businesses.

The move comes in the wake of an agreement reached in the sector, which the traders say was broken when some large superstores chose to ignore the ministry guidelines on Sunday and public holiday opening.

Pimeco have expressed their “dissatisfaction” with the stance taken by Commerce minister José Juan Cardona in relation to this question.
In Pimeco's view, the last meeting of the Commerce management Board attended by Union and company representatives, as well as consumer and territory administration groups, was “no use at all” in solving the issue of holiday trading.

Pimeco claims the meeting should have been the key to reaching an all-round decision.
Pimeco were clear that their organisation will “continue to demand regardless” that the Balearic government strike out the current ruling on Sunday and public holiday trading in 2004 and that they approve a new one. The group wants to see “the remaining authorised dates for this year redistributed”.

The management organisation added that it will call for the new decree to authorise the opening of a single day in what remains of the year and announced that it will propose that this date be 19 December. The suggestion is based on the fact that this date “is of commercial interest as it falls within the framework of Christmas promotional sales.

Further, Pimeco said that in respect of holiday opening in 2004, it will ask “that all Sundays and public holiday dates in 2005 be respected” and that no traders should open on these days.

Pimeco reiterated their support for the regularisation of commercial trading hours advanced by José Montilla, minister for Industry, Tourism and Commerce, because the group believes it will be “favourable” to small and medium-sized businesses.

Nevertheless, Pimeco are asking central government that it respect the local power in commercial matters held by regional government in the Balearics.