Day: 1 February 2018

Laurence Garino, Director of Monaco Welcome & Business Office

ML: Mme Garino, could you share a little of your professional background?
LG: After finishing Business School I worked for a few years in Paris with the Havas Group. Returning to Monaco in 1995, I worked for the Minister of Finance and Economy, under the authority of HE Henri Fissore and HE Franck Biancheri for five years.

In 2000, I had a great opportunity to join the Grimaldi Forum, and participated in its launch and in its development, as Sales and Marketing Director, for 10 years.

Then, in 2010, the Government introduced several measures to improve administrative procedures, facilitate the relocation of future residents and entrepreneurs, optimise entrepreneurship, and boost the retail sector. It was in this context, that I was asked to set up the Monaco Welcome Office.

ML: Could you tell us about the history of the Welcome Office & Business Office? What exactly is a “Made in Monaco” welcome?
LG: The Monaco Welcome Office was created in 2010 to welcome entrepreneurs, investors, and future residents, wishing to settle in Monaco. By providing simpler procedures and more straightforward information, the Welcome Office helps them to set up their projects, in a relatively short timeframe, in line with the demands of today’s world.

The Monaco Welcome Office is a key contact in the Principality, for all individuals and investors interested in moving to Monaco, whether on a private or professional basis. This Service offers a wide range of tools, key contacts and useful information to simplify the different procedures and to highlight the Monegasque network.

The Welcome Office also plays an important role in Monaco’s retail sector and is a key contact for the Principality’s shopkeepers.

Finally, it was given the responsibility by the Government for implementing measures within the private sector related to the global welcome plan, and following the labelling process called “Monaco Welcome Certified”.

ML: The Welcome Office initiative serves existing businesses in Monaco and potential businesses in Monaco. For existing businesses, you offer the Monaco Welcome Label certification. Who and how can a business apply? What advantage does this 3-year certification bring to a company?
LG: The Government wants to encourage and support a high-quality welcome to the Principality, and this needs the full mobilisation of efforts across the public and private sectors.

The Monaco Welcome Label enhances and maintains the quality of the welcome offered in the Principality. Its aim is to share standards for businesses that welcome clients, in order to establish a “Made in Monaco” welcome. It’s designed to offer its customers reliable, consistent and objective information regarding the quality of the welcome in the Principality.

The label can be obtained for any kind of activity or structure that welcomes clients and wishes to make improvements to the services it offers, with the exception of activities carried out in shared offices, or from home, which are not eligible for the service.

Obtaining the label is an entirely voluntary process based on a state of mind and a genuine wish for self-improvement. The online application is very easy and takes only a couple of minutes. If successful, the company will be Monaco Welcome certified for 3 years, including an incognito visit in order to maintain a high-quality welcome during this period.

ML: Regarding entrepreneurs who are interested in setting up a business in Monaco, what specific tools and information can you provide? Is this information free?
LG: First of all, the Welcome Office is a Government Service, working daily to assist people and give out information, in a stress-free way.

Secondly, it is important to emphasise that our Service is actually made for anyone who has a business idea in Monaco and wants to know how to make it real, whether you are a business owner or a complete stranger to the business environment.

The information and the tools we provide are essentially related to the administrative process involved in setting up and running a business: regulated activities, application forms, timelines, main rules, legal forms, social charges, head office requirements, etc.

We also introduce our visitors to the key public or private entities in Monaco.

As a complement, we also help people understand how to relocate to Monaco for personal rather than professional reasons, as some of them contact us from abroad and wish to settle down here privately as well.

These tools and information can be paper-based documents we create, or official online sources we lead them to. Here are two very important tools we have designed:

– “Settling in the Principality of Monaco”, a brochure that introduces Monaco both as a place to live in and as a business destination.

– “Monaco Welcome”, an application for smartphones and tablets, to find all sorts of practical information quickly and easily – for example, doctors, restaurants, driving license exchange, school registration, etc.

We also manage the pages of the Official Government website for businesses, “Service Public Entreprises”, available in French and English (www.spe.gouv.mc) and one specific page on the Official Government portal for individuals, “Service Public Particuliers” (settlinginmonaco.gouv.mc).

ML: You offer services in English (and other languages). What are some of the most common questions new businesses ask you? What are some of the most common misconceptions people have about setting up a business in Monaco?
LG: Indeed, we speak fluent English and Italian, in addition to French.

Surprisingly, the most common questions are often misconceptions, such as “Is it mandatory to be a Monaco national to start a business ?”, “Is it true I can have a postal box somewhere and claim I have a business there?” or “Monaco-based companies pay no tax, right?”

Besides these misconceptions, which can be addressed quickly, there are more serious questions that are frequently asked. They regard the amount of money needed to start the application process, the various legal forms available, the rules that concern their activity, and the expenses they need to think about according to their project.

ML: Regarding individuals/families who are considering moving to Monaco, or those who have just arrived, how can you assist them with their integration?
LG: When it comes to moving to Monaco, we can help them understand what the process is like and what steps must be taken for a perfect relocation, because preparing for the relocation is very important. Concerning their integration, we make sure they get in touch with useful contacts here, such as associations that represent their national community, or members of the diplomatic network. We also give them all the necessary information and contacts to finalise their relocation and start living in Monaco: school registration, health and insurance services, driver’s license exchange, and a lot of other advice that make them quickly feel at home.

ML: Monaco Welcome offers free workshops, in English and Italian. Who can participate and what do the workshops offer? Do you host other events?
LG: We organise information meetings, exclusively for those who have recently become residents, or who hope to become residents soon.

We tend to host these events three times a year, in both English and Italian, with a small group of people, allowing personal interaction with our team.

The dates are announced on the Government website and available on the Monaco Welcome app – Entrance is free but you must register beforehand (+377 98 98 98 98 – welcome.business@gouv.mc).

We also participate in other private events organised by local companies and associations, always with the same objective: to deliver straightforward and up-to-date information on setting up a business and relocating to Monaco.

We cooperate with the Monaco Economic Board, Association des Consuls Honoraires de Monaco, CREM, IUM, and so on.

ML: In your owns words, why would you encourage a business or family thinking of coming to Monaco to contact the Welcome Office?
LG: Our Office offers a special welcome for private individuals and entrepreneurs; it is the gateway to the privileged circle of Monegasque residents, businesses and the Monegasque Administration. With dedicated and friendly premises, we provide a high-quality welcome and a single contact point to facilitate their venture and integration.

For more information about the Monaco Welcome & Business Office, see their website. Article first published February 1, 2018. 

The Monaco Economic Board (MEB), the Banque Populaire Méditerranée and Gramaglia Assurances, held a well-attended conference “Country Risk: Analysis and Business Opportunities” at the Salon Bellevue of the Café de Paris on Wednesday, January 31.

For this fourth edition, Julien Marcilly, Chief Economist of Coface, presented the major global economic trends discussed last week at the Symposium on Country Risk in Paris before 1200 experts.

More than 100 economic players were present in Monaco to hear the forecasts from Coface, a world leader in credit insurance. For companies that are members of the MEB, especially those with an international focus, this event was a great opportunity to hear about trends that might guide their investment strategies and future actions.

Mr Marcilly began by taking stock of 2017, a year that had some good economic surprises despite the protectionist threat that seemed to prevail. The notable performances of Europe, the US and some emerging countries, supported by the recovery of commodity prices, defied gloomy forecasts.

For 2018, Coface predicts a confirmation of global economic growth that could reach a peak during the year. But this favourable trend should not obscure the risks. Mr Marcilly pointed out three main ones: a risk of overheating that could lead to equipment shortages and recruitment difficulties, mainly in developed countries; a banking risk still present in China; and finally, and still, political risks with a busy year for elections, especially in Latin America.

After giving an overview, Julien Marcilly lent himself to the game of questions and answers, answering in detail the particular questions of Monegasque companies about their areas of activity with Dubai and Uganda. The participants were then able to walk away with the new Coface Country and Sectorial Risks Guide, a valuable tool that will allow them to deepen their knowledge.

The next MEB event, which is for members only, is a Russian Conference on February 9 at the Salon Théâtre, Hôtel Métropole, from 8:30 am to 10 am.

HE Mireille Pettiti, Ambassador of Monaco in Russia and Igor Yurgens, Consul of Monaco in Moscow and Vice-President of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, will give an update on business opportunities in Russia, with an opportunity at the end of the event to exchange with Mr Yurgens.

READ ALSO

Record turnout for MEB, with new features

The Mayor and members of the Communal Council held a reception on Wednesday, January 31, at the Town Hall for people who acquired Monegasque nationality during the past year.

Twenty-eight new Monegasques out of the 41 people who acquired nationality in 2017, accompanied by their spouses, attended the ceremony given in their honour in the Salle de Mariage, in the presence of members of the Council of the Crown.

In his speech, the Mayor Marsan underlined the solemnity of the occasion: “Acquiring a nationality, and in this case Monegasque nationality, is not a mere administrative formality.” He added: “Becoming a Monegasque means adhering to our culture, our traditions and our many particularities, it is to adhere to a united community around our Sovereign and His Family, to whom we are all very attached.”

He invited guests to sing the Monegasque anthem alongside the Rainier Academy’s young children’s choir. Discussions then continued around a glass of friendship before each guest left with a souvenir – a reproduction of the original Monegasque Hymn, a handwritten document by Monegasque poet Louis Notari, who wrote the lyrics.

READ ALSO

News

Didier Gamerdinger, Minister of Social Affairs and Health, attended the traditional Galette des rois (Kings cake) ceremony of the Association Écoute Cancer Réconfort Monaco on Wednesday, January 31.

Thanks to a team of nearly 50 volunteers, this association works to ensure that cancer patients and their families find the support they need.

“The Department of Health is particularly attentive to the prevention of cancer. In terms of public health awareness this is essential,” Mr Gamerdinger said.

Members of the Écoute Cancer Réconfort Monaco visit patients and their families at the Princess Grace Hospital, as well as at the association’s premises.

President Valerie Barilaro said that during 2018 the association will hold a well-being weekend for fifteen patients, which she described as “a vital renewal for them”.

READ ALSO

AIDS awareness for students

Stars’n’Bars is launching Meatless Mondays in February, a new campaign to help its customers make positive changes to their diets and reduce their carbon footprint.

Every Monday, the restaurant’s kitchen will create a hearty meatless dish of the day, filled with a variety of  raw or roasted vegetables, non-meat protein, such as beans and a healthy grain such as quinoa, millet or brown rice – a style of food popularly known as “Buddha Bowls.” The restaurant has also initiated a meatless day of the week for its employee meals.

According to Stars’n’Bars founders Kate Powers and Didier Rubiolo, animal agriculture is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gases, such as methane and carbon dioxide, contributing to global warming.

“Making a small change in our daily habits can dramatically reduce our personal contribution to global warming – our carbon foodprint,” they said. For example, choosing not to eat meat one day a week is equivalent to reducing the greenhouse gas emissions caused by driving a car 1,000 miles a year.

While it has been shown that reducing meat consumption, even one day a week, has an impact on the rise in global temperature, it also has great effects on physical health, such as lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as the risk of stroke and heart disease.

Stars’n’Bars offers a varied menu featuring traditional dishes such as burgers, steaks and pizzas, but with increasingly organic, locally-sourced ingredients and also offers vegetarian, vegan and non-gluten options as well as meat products and sustainable fish.

“Meatless Monday campaigns have been launched in 40 countries around the world,” said Kate and Didier. “It’s just a way of focusing on simple steps to improve our health and save the planet.”

READ ALSO

Meet the Ministries: Marie-Pierre Gramaglia, Minister for Public Works, the Environment and Urban Development

While January saw a slight decrease in prices in France, down 0.1 percent, inflation for the whole of 2017 was 1.4 percent.

Largely on this basis, a number of prices increased on February 1, including the cost of petrol and diesel at the pump, electricity (up 0.8 percent) and TER train tickets.

TER fares will increase 3.5 percent, which will affect “occasional travellers” who make up 59 percent of traffic and 86 percent of revenue according to by Philippe Tabarot, Vice-President of SNCF Regional Transport.

Locally, motorway toll prices have been increased by 1.34 percent for all types of vehicles, but the Escota network is below the national average for franchised highways, which comes in at 1.65 percent.

While some routes remain the same rates – Nice-Les Adrets at €4.4 – others will see a slight increase, including Nice-Aix (€17.50 to €17.60) and Menton-Cagnes (€4.60 to €4.70).

“This increase is due to the application of the annual inflation rate and to match the increase in public royalties that we pay,” a spokesperson of Vinci Autoroutes, the major concession operator in Europe who manages the Escota network, told local French-language daily Nice Matin.

READ ALSO

News