In the case 'Michael Zammit v. Kontrollur tad-Dwana et ' decided on the 8 th February 2019, the First Hall of the Civil Court (Constitutional Jurisdiction) found that Articles 68 and 72(4) of Chapter 37 of the Laws of Malta (Customs Ordinance), together with Article 16A of Chapter 382 of the Laws of Malta (Excise Duty Act), are in breach of Article 1 of Protocol 1 of the European Convention of Human Rights and Article 37 of the Constitution of Malta (the right to property). It also found that Articles 72 and 73 of Chapter 37 of the Laws of Malta (Customs Ordinance...

The applicants are the owners of an apartment in Melita Street, Valletta which was inherited from their father who died in September 2006. The father of the applicants and his brothers had entered into a contract granting a temporary emphyteusis on August 4, 1981.In this contract the apartment was given for a period of 17 years on temporary emphyteusis which commenced on August 12, 1981 and the ground rent was set at Lm120 annually. The concession expired on August 11, 1998 but in virtue of Article 12(2)(b)(i) of Chapter 158 of the Laws of Malta the tenants had th...

Any lending of funds needs to be adequately secured. This is a practice which every lender knows and should observe in order to adequately protect his credit. However, the meaning of "adequate security" is not straight forward and lenders must be careful when selecting their preferred security . This issue came to the fore in Malta in the judicial sale by auction initiated in year 2018 in the names Neofarma Pharmaceuticals Ltd. Vs Cauchi Gera et (Court Ref. No. 9/2018) , by which The creditor company demanded the sale of a pharmacy licence. This meant that the imm...

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...

​ A European Union national (hereinafter referred to as 'the Appellant') previously convicted and incarcerated for trafficking drugs challenged the decision given under the authority of the Director of Citizenship and Expatriate Affairs (hereinafter referred to as 'the Director') which had effectively limited his right to freedom of movement and required his removal from Malta. This decision had been confirmed by the Immigration Appeals Board that considered that the Director had correctly applied the law. The Appellant contested both these decisions through an ap...