The New EU Sustainable Finance Model

The MFSA has issued a circular outlining the legislative instruments being implemented in the area of sustainable finance at EU level, as well as the initiatives being taken by the MFSA in this regard. The European Union’s Green Deal is an ambitious new growth strategy plan which includes substantial regulatory changes with the overarching aim…

MFSA launches its FinTech Regulatory Sandbox

The Financial Services sector is a major contributor to the Maltese Economy when all economic effects are taken into account. In fact, the sector as a whole has been estimated to account for 11.2% of total Gross Value Added (‘GVA’) and 10.2% of employment, ranking with the highest contributors of the Maltese economy[1]. As innovation…

Shoreline Mall plc Bonds admitted to Listing on the Official List of the Malta Stock Exchange

Last Friday, the 31st of July, marked the first day of trading for Shoreline Mall p.l.c. on the Malta Stock Exchange. This followed a highly successful bond issue in which €40,000,000 of bonds were issued and subscribed to by the general public. The formal commencement of trading was followed by the traditional bell-ringing ceremony at…

The Maturing Cannabis Market in Europe

Published also in Med-Cann World Being at the centre of many debates worldwide throughout the years, Cannabis refers to a group of three plants known as Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica and Cannabis ruderalis, which commonly possess psychoactive elements. Also referred to as marijuana, weed or pot, harvested and dried flowers of the aforementioned plants produces…

Cell Companies in the Shipping and Aviation Industries

By virtue of Legal Notice 248 of 2020 the Minister for Economy, Investment and Small Businesses introduced the Companies Act (Shipping and Aviation Cell Companies) Regulations (the “Regulations”) with the aim of regulating cell companies carrying on or engaged in the shipping or aviation business. The enactment of the Regulations was made possible by means…

Malta: Fostering the Recent Exponential Growth of Esports

Published also in SIGMA  Over the past few years, esports, which is best described as organised and competitive video game playing, has witnessed immense growth transforming it into a central form of entertainment all over the world, with the industry amassing one billion US Dollars in revenue for the first time in 2019. The growth…

The Shipping Industry: Responding and Adapting to a New Reality

Published also in Times of Malta (Click to access the content) The shipping industry, within the limits of today’s situation, continues to operate and keep crucial supply chains flowing across the globe. Having said this, the outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) has seen a widespread negative impact on the industry’s operations. It has affected many…

COVID-19 hastens the setting up of a new Company Recovery Fund

As the economic impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) starts being felt, with companies experiencing financial difficulties, new regulations establishing a fund designated as, the Company Recovery Fund, have been published on the 12th May 2020 by Legal Notice 192 of 2020.  The Company Recovery Fund (Fund) The Company Recovery Fund is a fund which is…

COVID-19: Introduction of Temporary Precautionary Measures through Port Notice No 10 of 2020

Port Notice 10 of 2020 entitled ‘COVID-19 Temporary Precautionary Measures – Framework of protocol for conducting maritime support services’ (the ‘Notice’) was published by the Ports and Yachting Directorate within Transport Malta (the ‘Directorate’) on the 26th May 2020. The Notice was published by the Directorate following consultations with the Port Health Office and has…

Five Years of Maltese Residency by Investment

In August 2015, the Maltese Government introduced changes to Chapter 217 of the Laws of Malta, permitting foreign investors to obtain a Permanent Residence permit in Malta. This is done by means of investing in government bonds under the Malta Residence and Visa Program (MRVP). This change in law gives Third-country nationals the opportunity to…