Malta Business Registry
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Malta Registry of Companies
| Reġistru tan-Negozju ta’ Malta | |
 | |
 Malta Business Registry Building | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 2018 |
| Preceding agency |
|
| Jurisdiction | Malta |
| Headquarters | Malta Business Registry AM Business Centre, Triq il-Labour, Zejtun 2401, Malta |
| Agency executive |
|
| Key document | |
| Website | Official website |
The Malta Business Registry is a Maltese government agency responsible for the registration and regulatory compliance of companies and commercial partnerships within its jurisdiction.
The Malta Business Registry is responsible for the registration of new companies and commercial partnerships, the registration of documents related to commercial partnerships, the issuing of certified documentation including certificates of good-standing, the reservation of company names, the collection of registration and other fees, the publication of notices and the imposition and collection of penalties.[1][2] The Registry is also charged with conducting investigations of companies and maintaining Malta's company and partnership register.[3][4][5]
In 2020 additional investigative powers were granted to the Registry.[6][7] A Compliance Unit was set up to conduct the screening of companies, investigate suspicious transactions and act on discrepancies found regarding the beneficial ownership of Maltese entities and their missing annual returns.[8][9] 32 suspicious transactions reports were submitted by MBR’s money laundering reporting officer in 2020. New software systems also began screening foreign shareholders and changes in directorships that same year.[10][11] Annual in-depth reviews of companies were subsequently doubled to 45,409 directors, shareholders and beneficial owners. Over eight hundred company applications were also rejected in 2021.[12][13]