Written by Informative Note – Publication of Legislation
The Malta Business Registry (MBR) hereby informs the public that from 10th July 2025 changes took place in the Companies Act (Register of Beneficial Owners) Regulations (the “Regulations”) by virtue of LN 127 of 2025.
The main aim of these changes took place to reflect the first transposition phase of the Sixth Anti-Money Laundering Directive, specifically Article 74 of Directive (EU) 2024/1640 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 31 May 2024 on the mechanisms to be put in place by Member States for the prevention of the use of the financial system for the purposes of money laundering or terrorist financing.
One may emphasise the importance of the changes taking place to regulation 7 of the Regulations, whereby a person who is able to demonstrate a legitimate interest in the prevention and combating of money laundering, its predicate offences or the financing of terrorism, shall be granted access to the beneficial ownership information recorded on the register with respect to the company as held by the Registrar. Such persons are required to submit a request in writing accompanied by the respective identification details, any information and/or qualification requirements or credentials. This is to be further accompanied by a declaration of the legal basis supporting such request, confirming that the purpose of the enquiry relates to matters which shall contribute towards the prevention, detection or the associated predicate offences or financing of terrorism. The Registrar shall have the legal power to demand any such document as may be deemed necessary on a case-by-case basis. Guidelines may also be published for this purpose.
A decision by the Registrar on such a request shall be communicated in writing to the respective applicant in case that the request is refused. Any applicant who is aggrieved by such a decision may appeal from such a decision within twenty (20) days thereof, by filing a sworn application in Court.
Any person who thinks that s/he has legitimate interest to access the register of beneficial owners of companies and other commercial partnerships may submit a request by email to accesstobo@mbr.mt
Furthermore, the legislative changes include amendments to the statutory forms found in the Schedule thereto in order to enhance the reporting of beneficial owners to the Registrar. The new forms can be found online by accessing OFFICIAL REGISTRY FORMS – Malta Business Registry and all companies need to use these new amended forms with immediate effect. The older version of the forms would not be valid. May it be clarified that following such legislative amendments, those beneficial owners already disclosed on the register of beneficial owners as recorded by the Registrar, being now obliged to report all nationalities pertaining to them, are to do so and update their nationalities in the company’s upcoming filing of the Annual BO Confirmation Form.
The respective users may refer to the published User Guidelines which serve to aide towards understanding the resulting legislative amendments from this Legal Notice.
Dr Geraldine Spiteri Lucas
Registrar & CEO
Nota Informattiva – Pubblikazzjoni ta’ Leġiżlazzjoni
Ir-Reġistru tal-Kumpaniji ta’ Malta (MBR) qed jinforma lill-pubbliku li mill-10 ta’ Lulju 2025 daħlu fis-seħħ emendi fir-Regolamenti dwar l-Att tal-Kumpaniji (Reġistru tas-Sidien Benefiċċjarji) (ir-“Regolamenti”) permezz ta’ Avviż Legali 127 tal-2025.
L-għan ewlieni ta’ dawn l-emendi huwa li jirriflettu l-ewwel fażi tat-traspożizzjoni tas-Sitt Direttiva dwar il-Ħasil tal-Flus, b’mod partikolari l-Artikolu 74 tad-Direttiva (UE) 2024/1640 tal-Parlament Ewropew u tal-Kunsill tal-31 ta’ Mejju 2024 dwar il-mekkaniżmi li għandhom jiġu stabbiliti mill-Istati Membri għall-prevenzjoni tal-użu tas-sistema finanzjarja għall-finijiet tal-ħasil tal-flus jew il-finanzjament tat-terroriżmu.
Ta’ min tiġi enfasizzata l-importanza tal-emendi li saru fuq regolament 7 tar-Regolamenti, fejn persuna li jkollha raġunijiet li turi interess leġittimu fil-prevenzjoni u l-ġlieda kontra l-ħasil tal-flus, ir-reati li jwasslu għalih, jew il-finanzjament tat-terroriżmu, għandha tingħata aċċess għall-informazzjoni tas-Sidien Benefiċċjarji miżmuma fir-reġistru mir-Reġistratur, fir-rigward tal-kumpanija. Dawn il-persuni huma mitluba jissottomettu talba bil-miktub, flimkien mad-dettalji tal-identifikazzjoni rispettivi, kwalunkwe informazzjoni u/jew rekwiżiti ta’ kwalifika jew kredenzjali. Din it-talba għandha tiġi akkumpanjata wkoll minn dikjarazzjoni dwar il-bażi legali li ssaħħaħ it-talba, li tikkonferma li l-iskop tat-talba għall-aċċess għall-informazzjoni miżmuma fir-reġistru għandha x’taqsam ma’ kwistjonijiet li jikkontribwixxu lejn il-prevenzjoni, id-detenzjoni, reati relatati jew il-finanzjament tat-terroriżmu. Ir-Reġistratur għandu s-setgħa legali li jitlob kwalunkwe dokument meħtieġ skont il-każ. Jistgħu wkoll jiġu ppubblikati linji gwida għal dan il-għan.
Deċiżjoni mir-Reġistratur dwar tali talba għandha tiġi kkomunikata bil-miktub lill-applikant rispettiv f’każ li t-talba tiġi miċħuda. Kull applikant li jħossu aggravat minn tali deċiżjoni jista’ jappella fi żmien għoxrin (20) ġurnata minn meta tinata tali deċiżjoni permezz ta’ rikors ġuramentat quddiem il-Qorti.
Kull persuna li taħseb li għandha interess leġittimu biex taċċessa r-reġistru tas-sidien benefiċjarji tal-kumpaniji u s-soċjetajiet kummerċjali oħra, tista’ tibgħat talba permezz tal-posta elettronika fuq accesstobo@mbr.mt
Apparti minnhekk, it-tibdiliet leġiżlattivi jinkludu wkoll emendi fil-formoli statutorji li jinsabu fl-Iskeda tar-Regolamenti sabiex jittejjeb ir-rapportar tas-sidien benefiċċjarji lir-Reġistratur. Il-formoli l-ġodda jistgħu jiġu aċċessati onlajn fuq OFFICIAL REGISTRY FORMS – Malta Business Registry u għandhom jibdew jintużaw minnufih minn kull kumpanija. Il-verżjoni preċedenti ta’ tali formoli mhux se tibqa’ valida. Tajjeb jiġi ċċarat li wara tali emendi leġiżlattivi, dawk is-sidien benefiċċjarji diġà indikati fir-reġistru tas-sidien benefiċċjarji kif irreġistrat mar-Reġistratur, u li issa huma obbligati jirrapportaw in-nazzjonalitajiet kollha li jappartjenu għalihom, għandhom jagħmlu dan u jaġġornaw in-nazzjonalitajiet tagħhom fis-sottomissjoni li jmiss tal-kumpanija, propju fil-Formola ta’ Konferma Annwali tal-BO.
L-utenti rispettivi jistgħu jirreferu għall-User Guidelines ppubblikati li jservu bħala għajnuna biex jifhmu l-emendi leġiżlattivi li jirriżultaw minn dan l-Avviż Legali.
Dr Geraldine Spiteri Lucas
Reġistratur u Kap Eżekuttiv