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, ...

Act XLVIII of 2016, entitled the Family Business Act (the "Act"),  [1] creates a legal framework for the registration of family businesses "established in Malta".  [2]  The system of registration contained in the Act allows Maltese authorities to supervise the grant offinancial "benefits"  [3]  to those businesses that meet any of the criteria set out in Article 3 of the Act, and which have been duly registered with "the Regulator". [4] Indeed, Article 7 of the Act provides that a business shall be a registered family business once it has ...

Employee share schemes have not been as widely used in Malta as they have in some of our European neighbours. However, in general, companies use employee share schemes to attract, retain and reward talent by offering their employees a share in the success they help to create in the company. They provide a form of cash free reward and/or remuneration for employers as well as align the interests of employees with those of the company's shareholders to enhance performance and the company's success. 1. Purpose The company must first look at what it wishes to achieve f...

This article was written by Dr Richard Camilleri, Dr Annalies Muscat and Dr Laura Spiteri In Thake et v Kummissjoni Elettoraliet, decided on the 8 October 2018, the Constitutional Court held that when it is alleged that a criminal offence has been committed or the severity of the fine imposed means that the conduct in question is deemed to be of a criminal nature, the matter must be determined solely by a court and not by any other body or judicial organ (see more here ). This line of reasoning confirms the decision of the same court in Federation of Estate Agents...