Malta Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in malta, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
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Selling Factors & Techniques
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The selling factors/techniques applicable to Malta are generally the same as those used in other Western European countries.  The country’s small size means the sales territory includes all of Malta.  It has become increasingly popular for agents of U.S. brands to also acquire the exclusive distribution license for other countries in the Mediterranean region, such as Libya.

Trade Promotion and Advertising

Product advertisement in Malta occurs via digital marketing, social media, daily newspapers, free door-to-door promotional magazines, billboards, and local television—all of which maintain their own advertising departments. 

Malta has seven local TV stations and ten radio stations.  Many foreign television broadcasts, including several American shows, are available through cable, digital, or satellite networks.  More information is available directly from the local channels listed below.

  • TVM
  • NetTV
  • One News

Four published daily newspapers are available in Malta:  two Maltese-language dailies and two English-language dailies.  In addition, five Sunday publications and another five papers publish on a weekly basis.  The following have online news:

  • Times of Malta
  • Malta Independent
  • L-Orizzont (Maltese language)
  • Malta Right Now (Maltese language)
  • L-Kulhadd (Maltese language)
  • Maltatoday
  • Malta Star
  • Shift News
  • Lovin Malta

The Malta Fairs and Convention Centre (MFCC) holds several specialized trade fairs during the year.  Visit https://mfcc.com.mt/ for more information.

For more information on EU trade promotion and advertising regulations, refer to “Doing Business in the European Union:  2021 Country Commercial Guide for U.S. Companies,” available from the U.S. Mission to the EU.

Pricing

Maltese law does not regulate prices or profit margins for products or service.  However, the Price Indication Regulations direct how retailers should display their prices.  Sellers must ensure that prices displayed are accurate and must be easily identified and clearly legible.  Furthermore, the price indicated must be the same as the price charged at the cash point.  This also applies to special offers and sale items.  The Price Indication Regulations also require that sellers display prices in Euros and include VAT and any other taxes or charges. Exempted products include goods supplied for re-selling, goods sold at an auction, goods provided in the course of a service, and works of art and antiques.  Service providers have no legal obligation to display a price list.

Firms should consider payment and credit terms when pricing a product.  Orders for the Maltese internal market are usually very small by international standards. Maltese importers generally expect a Cost, Insurance, and Freight (CIF) quotation; however, quotes on a Free on Board (FOB) basis are also acceptable.  With the exception of food and pharmaceutical products, VAT is 18 percent on most products.

Sales Service/Customer Support

Conscious of the discrepancies among Member States in product labeling, language use, legal guarantee, and liability, the redress of which inevitably frustrates consumers in cross-border shopping, EU institutions have launched a number of initiatives aimed at harmonizing national legislation.  Suppliers within and outside the EU should be aware of existing and upcoming legislation affecting sales, service, and customer support.  For more information on EU customer support regulations, refer to “Doing Business in the European Union:  2021 Country Commercial Guide for U.S. Companies,” available from the U.S. Mission to the EU.

Local Professional Services

Following are links to some leading local professional organizations:

  • Malta Federation of Professional Associations  
  • Malta Institute of Accountants
  • Institute of Financial Services – Malta
  • Malta Insurance Association
  • Chamber of Advocates – Malta

Principal Business Associations

Following are links to some leading local professional organizations:

  • Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise, and Industry
  • Malta Business Bureau
  • The Malta Chamber of SMEs

Limitations on Selling U.S. Products and Services

Malta is an open economy country.  The government does not approve or restrict any products or services, as long as they comply with EU and national regulations.

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Global Business Navigator Chatbot Beta

Welcome to the Global Business Navigator, an artificial intelligence (AI) Chatbot from the International Trade Administration (ITA). This tool, currently in beta version testing, is designed to provide general information on the exporting process and the resources available to assist new and experienced U.S. exporters. The Chatbot, developed using Microsoft’s Azure AI services, is trained on ITA’s export-related content and aims to quickly get users the information they need. The Chatbot is intended to make the benefits of exporting more accessible by understanding non-expert language, idiomatic expressions, and foreign languages.

Limitations

As a beta product, the Chatbot is currently being tested and its responses may occasionally produce inaccurate or incomplete information. The Chatbot is trained to decline out of scope or inappropriate requests. The Chatbot’s knowledge is limited to the public information on the Export Solutions web pages of Trade.gov, which covers a wide range of topics on exporting. While it cannot provide responses specific to a company’s product or a specific foreign market, its reference pages will guide you to other relevant government resources and market research. Always double-check the Chatbot’s responses using the provided references or by visiting the Export Solutions web pages on Trade.gov. Do not use its responses as legal or professional advice. Inaccurate advice from the Chatbot would not be a defense to violating any export rules or regulations.

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Translation

The Chatbot supports a wide range of languages. Because the Chatbot is trained in English and responses are translated, you should verify the translation. For example, the Chatbot may have difficulty with acronyms, abbreviations, and nuances in a language other than English.

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