Ever since it’s incorporation in the European Union, Malta has grown to be one of the most attractive business destinations in Europe. Due to Malta’s lack of raw material, imports are more prevalent than exports. However, this does not stop Malta from flourishing, the country wisely leverages its tourism industry and it is currently one of its economic backbones.
Imports
As mentioned earlier, Malta mainly relies on imports and petroleum is the largest import in the country. Below is a list of the top 5 imports in Malta:
- Petroleum 33%
- Passenger boats and cargo ships 24%
- Integrated circuits 6%
- Chemical products 5%
- Transportation solutions 2%
Below is also a list of the top 5 countries that Malta imports its goods from:
- South Korea 23%
- Italy 22%
- Russia 6%
- Turkey 4.5%
- UK 4.5%
Does Malta have an import duty and what are the taxes?
Malta does charge taxes and duties on products and services which are coming from outside the EU. As a general rule, these taxes are calculated as a sum of the value of the respective merchandise, its insurance and transportation costs.
- Imports duty rates vary from 0-17%
- In some cases, antidumping duties of up to 48% can apply.
- General VAT for imported goods and services in Malta is 18%, but its possible that some goods will get a reduced VAT of only 5%
Exports
Just like imports, petroleum also dominates exports landscape. Petroleum is the largest export from Malta. Below are the top 5 exports from Malta:
- Refined petroleum 37%
- Integrated circuits 23%
- Packaged pharmaceuticals 6%
- Manufactured products 3%
- Equipment for protection 2%
Below is also a list of the top 5 countries that Malta exports its goods to:
- Singapore
- China
- Korea
- Germany
- France
Maltese Trade license
- Imports
Malta’s Importation Control Regulations board demand that importation of some goods can only be feasible if the participant holds an import license from the Trade Services Directorate
- Exports
The Maltese Exportation Control Regulations also demands that the exportation of some goods can only be feasible if the participant holds an export license from the Trade Service Directorate
Learn More!
As you might have probably guessed, the aforementioned details aren’t the ultimate — for a deeper and more detailed explanation regarding the laws and regulations governing exports and imports in Malta, feel free to get in touch with SIGTAX Agents. Our expert team of lawyers, accountants and consultants is ready to assist you in each step. Our lawyers can provide you with finer details on the legal aspects pertaining to Trade in Malta so that you don’t skip any necessary steps.
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