Malta is a well-regulated EU jurisdiction boasting an attractive tax regime and an open market economy, meeting the demands of the global market and succeeding over the years in establishing strong and long-standing links with Europe, and North Africa, through a liberal foreign investment policy and double taxation treaties with over 70 countries. The island also boasts an English-speaking & hard-working workforce. All these make Malta an increasingly popular business vehicle for interested parties all over the world.
Popular uses of companies based in Malta are for:
- An effective asset-holding structure
- An international trading company
- A ship-owning company or
- An investment vehicle
These are only a few options, and several other solutions exist to accommodate your requirements, even more when combining the right opportunities arising from the tax treaties to the appropriate corporate structure.
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(a) Registration
The registration process of a company mainly involves the following steps:-
reservation of the company’s name,
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the deposit of the issued share capital into a local bank account opened in the name of the company and
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the submission with the Maltese Registrar of Companies of a memorandum and articles of association signed by the shareholders or their representatives.
Provided that all the necessary documentation is in hand, incorporation of such a company normally can happen within a 24 hour period. However the documentation to be submitted to the Registrar of Companies, prior to the incorporation of the company will vary according to the nationality of the directors and shareholders.
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(b) Company compliance and company maintenance
A company is required to fulfill the following ongoing and annual compliance matters:
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To register for income tax purposes upon registration and submit a tax return every year.
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To submit an annual, company return (containing information about the company, its shareholding, shareholders and officers) with the Maltese Registrar of Companies.
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To prepare annual financial statements in accordance with the International Accounting Standards and to have the financial statements audited.
The above compliance services can be provided by SWK Group
All our services are offered with utmost professionalism and confidentiality is assured. It is emphasised that the above is intended only as general information and cannot substitute any professional advice on the matter in respect to particular situations.
(c) Board of Directors and Company Secretary
A company must have at least 1 director (a corporate entity may act as director of a company). It is not necessary to have Maltese directors although having a resident director in Malta may be relevant for the purpose of securing a place of effective management and control in Malta for tax purposes. The company must also have a company secretary who must be an individual. SWK Group through its network of experts can provide the service of directorship and company secretary in a Maltese company.
(d) Registered address
The company must have a registered office in Malta which may also be used as the business address of the company. A registered address in Malta and related back-office services are provided by SWK Group.