Malta has established the National Foreign Direct Investment Screening Office as required by the EU. The purpose of the FDI Screening Office is to screen foreign direct investment into the EU on grounds of security or public order. Foreign direct investors and their service providers are now required to inform the Office when;
- there is an ultimate beneficial owner, whether existing or new, holding more than 10% of a Maltese company; and
- the activity is one as described in the Schedule to the Act; and
- there is a foreign direct investment of any kind by a foreign investor from a third country aiming to establish or to maintain lasting and direct links in order to carry on an economic activity in Malta.
Foreign investors and all people involved in the foreign direct investment are obliged, prior to carrying out the investment, to notify the Office by submitting a notification form providing various information to obtain the necessary approval from the Office before the investment is made.