Malta: Arbitration & Dispute Resolution

Malta's financial services sector faces a critical juncture as recent amendments to the Arbiter for Financial Services Act expand consumer eligibility in ways that may fundamentally alter dispute resolution. The 2025 amendments introduce ambiguous criteria for determining who qualifies as an eligible customer, potentially creating legal uncertainty for financial services providers operating in Malta's competitive European hub.

Malta's 2026 reforms replace the traditional guardianship framework with a modern system of personal autonomy safeguards and support persons. How does this legislative transformation balance the protection of vulnerable adults with respect for individual autonomy, and what mechanisms ensure that support arrangements remain proportionate to each person's circumstances?

A Maltese court has ruled that BNF Bank plc can enforce its pre-existing security rights over property subject to a seizing and freezing order, marking the first instance where the Civil Court (Asset Recovery Section) released assets to protect a bona fide secured creditor. The judgment establishes that banking institutions holding legitimate security interests acquired in good faith are not automatically overridden by asset recovery measures.

Malta has reintroduced a dedicated Commercial Court through Act No. IV of 2026, building on Bill 133 of 2025. This reform separates complex commercial disputes from the general civil courts...

This case, which was determined by the First Hall of the Civil Court by means of a final judgment dated the 25th of May 2026, concerned a private agreement dated 8 April 2013, under which the plaintiffs committed...

Just in time for the 2026 exam season, Ganado In Session is back with another revision-focused episode – this time tailored for fourth-year law students preparing for CVL 4026 – Law of Succession and CVL4028...

The Maltese legal system has developed into a mixed legal system. In private law matters, it is largely a jurisdiction based on the civil law tradi tion; however, decades of British rule exposed...

Arbitration is a frequently used and broadly accepted method of dispute resolution in Malta for both general and sector-specific commercial disputes. It is particularly prevalent in certain sectors such as construction.

The term cohabitation refers to the arrangement where two people, who are not married, choose to live together in a committed partnership. This form of relationship has become more prevalent in Malta.