EMD

EMD is a Maltese professional firm that combines a law practice with a corporate advisory business, so one office can handle both the legal drafting and the practical administration of a new venture. It is based in the Vaults at the Valletta Waterfront, the restored warehouses on the Grand Harbour, which makes it easy to reach on a trip to the capital. Clients include local businesses and international operators who need advice under Maltese law.

On VisitMalta.co.uk the firm appears in our directories of lawyers in Malta and immigration consultants in Malta. This page explains the main services so you can judge whether to send an enquiry.

Two arms: EMD Advocates and EMD Advisory

EMD Advocates is the legal practice. It is an established Malta law firm with a team of Maltese lawyers who provide traditional legal services under Maltese law and specialist advice to clients in Malta and overseas. Its niche areas include gaming, financial services, trust law, tax law, company law, intellectual property, ship and yacht registration, immigration and residence, aviation, employment law, media and entertainment law, and property and construction law.

EMD Advisory is a multi-disciplinary consultancy for local and international clients. It covers company formation and administration, the setting up of trusts, local and international tax consultancy and compliance, accounting, bookkeeping, payroll and recruitment, as well as ICT services such as information security, risk management and disaster recovery. EMD Trust Services Limited is licensed by the Malta Financial Services Authority to act as trustee and co-trustee.

Five partners, all advocates, lead the firm: Tonio Ellul, Italo Ellul, Louise Ellul Cachia Caruana, Jeremy Debono and Pierre Mifsud. Erika Gollcher is Associate Director for accounting and VAT, and Reuben Farrugia is Associate Director for advisory services.

Company, financial services and funds

Corporate and commercial law is the starting point for many clients, and the advisory side can then incorporate and administer the company. If you are choosing a structure, our overview of how corporate tax works in Malta is a good primer before you speak to a lawyer.

The financial services team advises investment services companies, collective investment schemes, insurance companies, financial institutions and credit institutions, both when they set up and on an ongoing basis. It helps choose a structure, prepares licence and authorisation applications to the regulator and provides compliance advice. Our financial services in Malta overview explains the sector as a whole. Back-office operations for financial services firms need the regulator's approval before they start, and advance revenue rulings can be sought on the tax treatment of financial instruments and international business.

Funds are a particular strength. The Investment Services Act of 1994 provides the framework, allowing funds to be set up as companies, unit trusts or contractual arrangements, open-ended or closed-ended, retail or professional. Hedge funds are licensed as Professional Investor Funds, which are promoted to qualifying, extraordinary or experienced investors. Alternative investment fund managers below the thresholds of €100 million or €500 million of assets, depending on the structure, fall into a lighter de minimis regime. Private collective investment schemes with a maximum of fifteen participants need written recognition rather than a licence.

Other financial lines include investment services, foreign exchange businesses, insurance law, including captives and protected cell companies, electronic money institutions, retirement schemes, short-term and micro lending, and fintech and blockchain work.

Insurance, trusts and specialist lending

Insurance law is a distinct practice. Insurance business in Malta is governed by the Insurance Business Act of 1998 and the Insurance Intermediaries Act of 2007, together with regulations that follow European Union directives, and insurers can passport their business across the European Economic Area. Maltese law defines a captive broadly enough to include members of a trade, industry or professional association who insure risks connected with their own sector. The firm advises on insurance companies, captive insurance companies, insurance management companies, insurance intermediaries and protected cell companies, which let a company set up a cell and write risk through it.

Trusts, foundations and associations are another strand, backed by the group's own licensed trustee, EMD Trust Services Limited, and by tax advice on how each structure is treated.

Short-term and micro lending is a more specialised field. It covers small unsecured loans repaid over a period from thirty days to six months, and operators must make full disclosure of charges, fees and risks to borrowers. The firm helps structure, set up and licence financial institutions that carry on this kind of lending, and it also advises on credit institutions more generally. These services are aimed at businesses setting up in Malta rather than at individuals looking for a loan.

Gaming, tax, shipping and aviation

EMD advises companies seeking a Malta iGaming licence and on the tax treatment of gaming businesses, and it has dedicated pages for iGaming companies on both the legal and the tax side. Operators weighing up a move can read our guide to iGaming in Malta for the wider picture, then use the firm to turn that into an application, a corporate structure and a compliance plan.

The tax practice covers companies, individuals, trusts, foundations and associations, property rental, shipping companies, aircraft companies, media and entertainment companies, manufacturing, and financial services. UK readers can start with our guide to Malta tax for UK nationals.

Maltese registration is a draw for shipping and aviation. The firm handles yacht and ship registration, aircraft registration and air operator certificate matters, and advice on the tax incentives for the international aviation industry. Yacht owners looking for a vessel can browse 73 Marine, a yacht broker in the directory.

Other practice areas include employment law and industrial relations, intellectual property, data protection, health and safety, equality, media law, litigation, civil law, arbitration and mediation, property conveyance and medical cannabis, so a client with several legal needs can stay with one firm.

Residence, citizenship and moving to Malta

Residence and immigration work is a major strand, and the range of programmes is wide. EMD covers citizenship by direct investment, ordinary, long-term and temporary residence, the Residence Programme, the Global Residence Programme, the Malta Permanent Residence Programme, the Malta Retirement Programme, the Malta Startup Residence Programme and the Nomad Residence Permit. Each programme has its own eligibility rules, so the practical first step is to explain your circumstances, whether you are an investor, a retiree, a remote worker or a founder, and ask which route fits.

For UK citizens, our guide to relocating to Malta from the UK gives the general picture, and our guide to working remotely in Malta covers the Nomad Residence Permit. Our directory also lists ACC Malta Immigration Advisors for comparison.

Payroll, family business and everyday administration

EMD runs payroll outsourcing for businesses in sectors such as IT, retail, construction, transport, marketing, recruitment, consulting and hospitality. The service covers registration with Jobsplus, tax and social security, income tax and social security calculations, monthly and annual FS5, FS7 and FS3 submissions, employee tax returns, payslips, salary payments, maternity leave applications, work permit and residence card applications, employment contracts and representation before the authorities.

A family business advisory service covers funding and cashflow, balancing family and business needs, legal and regulatory matters, management coaching, project support, and divesting and succession planning.

Visiting the Valletta Waterfront

The office is at Vaults 13-15, Valletta Waterfront, just below the old city walls, and our Valletta guide describes the capital and how to get around it. Visitors can stay close by in the hotels in Valletta listing. If you are combining a meeting with sightseeing, allow time to explore the capital on foot.

The firm does not publish opening hours or fees, so the best first step is a short note on what you need: a company, a fund, a licence, a residence application, a registration or a payroll arrangement. Use the VisitMalta.co.uk enquiry form on this page and we will pass your message to EMD, who will reply to you directly.