Malta Capital Valletta Currency Maltese Lira (MTL) Language Maltese, English Population 400,000 EU status member GDP 2006 5.39 billion Employment 82.8% Exports $2.425 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) Imports $4.077 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

setting up business Number of days to start business Data not available Cost (% of income per capita) Data not available Nonwage labor cost (% of salary) Data not available Total tax rate (% profits) Data not available

Malta

Precision and expertise are the basis for the strong pharmaceutical sector

Malta, an EU member state, is an ideal manufacturing, trading and residential location at the hub of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. The country offers international investors a modernized infrastructure and a flexible and productive English-speaking workforce within a healthy, incentivized business environment. Malta’s pleasant and secure lifestyle is based on a legal, educational and accounting system evolving from the British model.

Today, Malta has made a name for itself in several areas, including the fact that it has attracted a number of top companies from all over the world to set up operations on the island. Despite its small size, Malta is definitely recognized by key players in industry as being a center of quality, as can be testified by the investment undertaken on the island these past few years. In fact, Malta boasts an established industrial base going back 40 years, which has evolved into one focusing on higher-value-added products and services.

AN IDEAL INVESTMENT LOCATION

Situated at the heart of the Mediterranean and a member of the EU, Malta is in a position to offer a unique business proposal to investors seeking to branch their operations to the region. It offers credibility, political and economic stability, cost competitiveness and first-rate human resources. In fact, in the past four decades, Malta has been exceptionally successful in attracting foreign direct investment from Italy, Germany, the UK as well as the United States. The predominant sectors on which Malta’s current industrial strategy is based are the healthcare and pharmaceutical sector; high precision engineering; ICT, including electronics; knowledgebased services; and logistic-based services. These sectors all together account for more than 85% of Malta’s output.

AN INTERNATIONAL BASE

Many foreign companies operating in the above sectors have set up a base in Malta. Their presence represents one of the strong points in the island’s economy. Big global names like STMicroelectronics, Playmobil, Baxter, Methode Electronics, Trelleborg Dowty Malta, Actavis, Cardinal Health, Uniblue, GFI, Fraser Eagle Group and HSBC, to name just a few, are among the 250 foreign-owned operations one finds on the island. Together, these employ over 30,000 people.

Situated at the heart of the Mediterranean and a member of the EU

The success of these operations in Malta is due to a number of factors such as the massive investment undertaken by government to improve the island’s infrastructure with the introduction of state-of-the-art telecommunications and IT facilities. Likewise, focused education initiatives were designed to transform the identity of Malta’s workforce, which now include high-caliber professionals in all areas of expertise who are comfortable with innovation and are able to learn quickly.

Furthermore, business is supported by a robust legal framework incorporating incentives for enterprise including:

• Access to low-cost finance;
• Access to finance for training;
• Available of ready-made industrial premises;
• Competitive tax rates.

the business case for malta

Precision and expertise are the basis for the strong pharmaceutical sector

Whether you are interested in the island as an investment location or a trading partner, the business case in favour of Malta is clear:

• An attractive incentives package of fiscal, financial and other tangible benefits;
• A reservoir of people and talent with the right combination of skills and knowledge;
• A sound work ethic;
• Competitive labor and operating costs;
• A good communications and industrial infrastructure;
• A stable legal, political and economic environment coupled with government’s pro-business environment;
• Excellent political relations with all countries in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East;
• An English-speaking European country whose population has a long tradition of doing business with North Africa and the Middle East;
• Excellent linkages by air and by sea to the major business centers of Europe and the Mediterranean region;
• A well-developed infrastructure in terms of hospitality, telecommunications, distribution and maritime facilities;
• High level of education provided by numerous private and public schools;
• First-class healthcare facilities available in private and public hospitals;
• A pleasant, convenient and safe place to visit, do business and live in.

MALTA ENTERPRISE

Every effort is being made to encourage foreign direct investment to flourish to the mutual benefit of both the investor and the country itself. Malta Enterprise is the agency responsible for the promotion of foreign investment and industrial development in Malta. It offers assistance and advice to those who seek to learn more about the multitude of business and investment opportunities available in Malta. Likewise, Malta Enterprise offers investors the best possible service before, during and after they decide to do business with Malta.

Please contact us for a free information pack on doing business with Malta.

 

Contact Information

Maltese-American Chamber of Commerce
Exchange Buildings
Republic Street
Valletta VLT 05
Malta
Tel: +356 212 47233
E-mail: info@amcham-malta.org
Website: www.amcham-malta.org

 

Useful websites

valletta.usembassy.gov	US Embassy
www.maltaenterprise.com	Government inward investment portal
www.msfc.com.mt	Financial Services Authority
www.malta-tax.com	Taxation for companies and individuals
www.legal-malta.com	Legal directory, guide to immigration, taxation, business law etc.
www.timesofmalta.com	Daily newspaper
www.visitmalta.com	Holiday information

 

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