On the 4 th March 2021, the Seventh Chamber of the Court of Justice of the European Union issued its decision on an important matter related to the breach of ambient air quality legislation by the UK government ( European Commission v. United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, c-664/18 ). This case is only one among several others filed by the Commission against EU Member States, including France, Italy, Bulgaria and Hungary. Directive 2008/50/EC on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe required Member States of the EU to adopt the air polluti...

If one wishes to import foreign plants into Malta or Gozo, it would be worth noting the new Propagation Material of Ornamental Plants Regulations (the "Regulations").  [1] These Regulations came into force on the 5 th October 2018 and ensure that any propagation material of ornamental plants produced or placed on the Maltese market meet predetermined standards of quality. Commission Directives 1993/49/EEC,  [2] 1998/56/EC,  [3] 1999/67/EC,  [4] 1999/68/EC  [5] and Commission Implementing Directive (EU) 2018/484 have been transposed by virt...

The Duty on Donations of Marketable Securities and Immovable Property Used for Business (Exemption) Order (the "Order"),  [1] recently amended by Legal Notice 412 of 2018,  [2] introduces a reduced rate of duty for gratuitous transfers of business property. The aim is to partially relieve the burden placed on individuals who intend to transfer immovable property forming part of a family business. The Order applies, inter alia , to individuals transferring, by gratuitous title, immovable property being a commercial tenement as defined in article 1525 of t...

Due to growing public consciousness regarding the subject of artwork and cultural property plundered in times of war and colonialisation, the European Parliament has recently adopted a resolution asking for a harmonized system of laws aimed at regulating the restitution of such objects to their lawful owners. On the 17 th January, 2019 the European Parliament voted resoundingly in favour of a resolution calling on the Union institutions and Member States to establish a legal framework encouraging the identification and recovery of artistic and cultural works. In p...

On the 25 th January 2019, the Minister for the Economy, Investment and Small Businesses published the "Skills Development Regulations, 2019",  [1] which aim to financially assist those undertakings that offer schemes of professional training to their employees. The regulations apply to the period between the 1 st September 2018 and the 31 st December 2020. They also repeal the "Assistance for Knowledge Transfer Regulations", but such repeal should not affect any aid previously awarded by virtue of their past application.  [2] Under the new regulations, ...