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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Trade Barriers
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Most imports into Malta do not require an import license.  However, in accordance with EU regulations, U.S. exporters may encounter the need for one or more of the following:

Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Licenses:  Imported foodstuffs, whether as raw materials or processed goods require CAP license.  The Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries, Food and Animal Rights processes and controls these licenses.  CAP products of animal or derived from plants may require CITES clearance or Port Health Authority clearance.

Trade Services Division (DTI) Licenses:  Importation for any type of product could necessitate the need for a DTI license; normally importers of firearms and nuclear materials require such licenses.  The Trade Services Division of the Ministry for the Economy, and Industry issues import licenses for quotas. 

Certificates of Veterinary Clearance (CVC):  Goods such as meat, poultry, milk, eggs, sausage skins, and fishery products must pass veterinary health checks at a Border Inspection Post (BIP) upon arrival in Malta.  A CVC issued by the BIP is normally required to obtain Customs clearance.  Rabies-susceptible animals require a national import license.  A plant health certificate and/or import license needs to accompany all plants intended for growing, as well as a range of fruits, vegetables, and other plant products.  Endangered species and their products need specific permits or other documentation to be legally imported.

European Union License:  The EU prohibits the importation of products that contain certain ozone-depleting substances (ODS); in certain cases, the EU may issue an import license.

For information on existing trade barriers, please see the latest National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers, published by USTR and available at:

  • https://ustr.gov/sites/default/files/files/reports/2021/2021NTE.pdf
  • Information on agricultural trade barriers can be found at:  https://www.usda-eu.org/
  • To report existing or new trade barriers and gain assistance in removing them, contact either the Trade Compliance Center at Office of Trade Agreements Negotiation and Compliance
  • TANC: https://www.trade.gov/office-trade-agreements-negotiation-and-compliance-tanc or Embassy Valletta at https://mt.usembassy.gov/business/.

Additional information is available from the following sources:

  • Malta Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries, Food and Animal Rights:  https://agrifish.gov.mt/en/Pages/Index.aspx
  • Malta Ministry of Economy, and Industry:  https://economy.gov.mt/en/Pages/Home.aspx
  • Business First:  https://businessfirst.com.mt/en/Pages/home.aspx
  • Malta Commerce Department:  https://economy.gov.mt/en/Pages/Home.aspx

Enforcement and Compliance
(202) 482-0063
ECCommunications@trade.gov

Trade Enforcement

https://www.commerce.gov/issues/trade-enforcement

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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.

Privacy

The Chatbot does not collect information about users and does not use the contents of users’ chat history to learn new information. All feedback is anonymous. Please do not enter personally identifiable information (PII), sensitive, or proprietary information into the Chatbot. Your conversations will not be connected to other interactions or accounts with ITA. Conversations with the Chatbot may be reviewed to help ITA improve the tool and address harmful, illegal, or otherwise inappropriate questions.

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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