EXPORTATION CONTROL ġ S.L.117.02 1
SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 117.02
EXPORTATION CONTROL REGULATIONS
29th October, 1948
GOVERNMENT NOTICE 668 of 1948, as amended by Government
Notices 621 of 1955, 655 of 1956 and 298 of 1958; Legal Notices 34 of
1959, 48 of 1961, 15 of 1964, 29 and 80 of 1967, 105 of 1969, 62 and 105
of 1970, 22 of 1973, 114 of 1974, 70 of 1976, 55 of 1979, 44 of 1985, 107 of
1988, 126 of 1990, 42 and 154 of 1991, 42, 44, 45 and 117 of 1992, 105 of
1998, 82 of 1999, 51 and 230 of 2000, and 196 of 2003. 
Title.
Regulations.
Interpretation.
Amended by:
G.N. 621 of 1955;
G.N. 298 of 1958;
L.N. 15 of 1964.
2. In these Regulations -
"Director" means the Director of Trade and includes any officer
of the Department of Trade to whom the Director may from time to
time assign any powers or duties under these Regulations;
"exportation" means and includes the sending, taking or carrying
of any goods from these Islands to any other place, by whatever
means the carriage is effected; and ''export'' shall be construed
accordingly.
Prohibition to 
export.
Amended by:
G.N. 621 of 1955;
G.N. 655 of 1956;
G.N. 298 of 1958.
Substituted by:
L.N. 34 of 1959.
Amended by:
L.N. 15 of 1964;
L.N. 29 of 1967;
L.N. 55 of 1979;
L.N. 126 of 1990;
L.N. 42 of 1991;
L.N. 117 of 1992;
L.N. 82 of 1999;
L.N. 51 of 2000;
L.N. 230 of 2000.
3. (1) Saving the provisions of sub-regulation (3) of this
regulation and of regulation 5, the exportation of all goods from
these Islands is prohibited except under a licence issued by the
Director and in accordance with such conditions, if any, as are
specified in the licence.
(2) The Director may in his discretion refuse the grant of any
licence or, in granting it, impose such conditions as he may deem
proper, including the price to be paid for the purchase of goods, in
either case without assigning any reason therefor.
(3) An open general licence is hereby granted for the
exportation from these Islands, other than the exportation to Iraq of
goods of any description not included in the Schedule.
General 
prohibition.
Added by:
L.N. 42 of 1992.
Amended by:
L.N. 44 of 1992;
L.N. 45 of 1992.
4. (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of any other regulation,
the exportation of any goods from these islands to any destination,
where the exportation of such goods to such destination is
prohibited by a resolution of the Security Council of the United
Nations under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter is
prohibited and no licence shall be issued for such exportation.
(2) For the purposes of sub-regulation (1), the Director shall
by notice in the Gazette publish from time to time a reference to
any resolution to which the said sub-regulation applies.
(3) The provisions of this regulation shall also apply to any
goods referred to in sub-regulation (1), originating from outside
these islands and landed therein only for the purpose of
transhipment.
2 ġ S.L.117.02 EXPORTATION CONTROL
Articles in breach 
of copyright.
Added by:
L.N. 117 of 1992.
5. Notwithstanding the provisions of the foregoing regulations
the exportation of any article or other thing made, manufactured,
duplicated or otherwise reproduced or copied in violation of the
rights of copyright enjoyed by any person and protected by or
under Maltese law is prohibited and no licence shall be issued for
such exportation.
Clearance of goods 
prior to shipment.
S.L. 37.05
6. The exporter or shipper of any goods intended for
exportation or as ships’ stores shall before actual shipment make
due entry and obtain clearance of the goods by delivery to the
officer of Customs of the licence obtained under these Regulations
and of all documents required by the Customs Regulations.
Applications for 
licences.
Amended by:
G.N. 621 of 1955;
G.N. 298 of 1958;
L.N. 15 of 1964.
7. All applications for licences to export goods shall be made
on a form obtainable at the Department of Trade and shall contain
particulars as to the names and addresses of the consignor and of
the consignee of the goods and the ultimate destination of the
goods, together with a declaration by the person making the
application to the effect that the particulars in the application are
true and correctly stated.
Evidence. 8. Any exporter or shipper of goods exported from these
Islands under the provisions of these Regulations shall, if so
required by the Comptroller of Customs, furnish, within such time
as may be prescribed, satisfactory evidence that the goods have
reached the destination to which they were authorised by such
licence to be exported, and in default, such exporter or shipper shall
be guilty of an offence against these Regulations, provided that the
person charged with the offence can prove that he did not consent
to or connive at that the goods reach a destination other than the
one to which they were authorised by such licence to be exported.
False statements, 
etc.
9. If, for the purpose of obtaining any licence for the
exportation or shipment as ships’ stores of any goods, any person
makes any statement or furnishes any document or information
which is, to his knowledge, false in any material particular or
recklessly makes any statement which is false in any material
particular, he shall be guilty of an offence against these
Regulations, and any licence which may have been granted shall be
of no effect.
Director may 
revoke or modify 
licence.
Amended by:
G.N. 621 of 1955;
G.N. 298 of 1958;
L.N. 15 of 1964.
10. The Director may in his discretion revoke or modify any
licence previously granted by him, without assigning any reason for
such revocation or modification.
Cessation of 
licence.
11. A licence issued for the exportation of goods shall cease to
have effect -
( a ) if the sale of the goods is not confirmed within fifteen
days from the date of the issue of the licence or in such
other period as may be prescribed in the licence; or
( b ) if the goods to which the licence relates are not
exported within thirty days from the date of the issue
of the licence or within such other period as may be
prescribed in the licence; or
EXPORTATION CONTROL ġ S.L.117.02 3
( c ) if any of the conditions in the licence are not complied
with.
Extension of 
periods.
Amended by:
G.N. 621 of 1955;
G.N. 298 of 1958;
L.N. 15 of 1964.
12. The Director may in his discretion and on application for
the purpose being made, extend any of the periods mentioned in or
imposed under these Regulations.
Licences issued 
under these 
Regulations.
13. Licences issued under these Regulations shall not exempt
the holder or any other person from compliance with the
requirement of a licence under any other law in force.
Application to bear 
stamps.
14. Every application under these Regulations shall bear
stamps to the value of two cents five mils.
Goods to be 
covered by export 
licence.
15. No master or person in charge of a vessel shall receive on
board any goods which are not covered by an export licence. The
licence shall be attached to the master’s copy of the bill of lading
relating to the goods.
Bank to be 
furnished with 
duplicate of export 
licence.
16. No bank shall pay or arrange for the payment of any money
for goods exported unless the duplicate of the export licence is
produced to it. The duplicate licence shall be retained by the bank.
Permission from 
the Comptroller.
17. No person shall take or cause to be taken to any quay or
other place any goods without a permit from the Comptroller of
Customs, and all goods intended for exportation or as ships’ stores
shall be shipped only from such place as shall be stated in the said
permit.
Non-applicability 
of these 
Regulations.
Substituted by:
L.N. 80 of 1967.
18. The provisions of these Regulations shall not apply in so
far as they are inconsistent with any international agreement,
arrangement or understanding to which the Government of Malta is
a party.
Offences and 
penalties.
Amended by:
L.N. 114 of 1974.
19. Any person who contravenes or fails to comply with any of
these Regulations shall be guilty of an offence against these
Regulations and shall, on conviction before the Court of
Magistrates (Malta) or the Court of Magistrates (Gozo) sitting as a
Courts of Criminal Judicature, be liable to punishment as follows:
( a ) when the value of the goods which have been exported
or in respect of the exportation of which an attempt or
a preparatory act has been make does not exceed
twenty liri, to a fine ( multa ) of not less than ten liri but
not exceeding fifty liri;
( b ) when the value of the goods which have been exported
or in respect of the exportation of which an attempt or
some preparatory act has been made, exceeds twenty
liri but does not exceed five hundred liri, to a fine
( multa ) of not less than one hundred liri but not
exceeding five hundred liri or to imprisonment for a
term not exceeding three months or to both such fine
and such imprisonment;
( c ) when the value of the goods which have been exported
or in respect of the exportation of which an attempt or
some preparatory act has been made exceeds five
hundred liri, to a fine ( multa ) of not less than two
4 ġ S.L.117.02 EXPORTATION CONTROL
hundred liri but not exceeding   one thousand liri and to
imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months;
( d ) where the offence relates to gas/diesel oil, the court
shall impose a term of imprisonment for a period of
not less than ten days and not more than six months
and shall order the suspension of any relevant licence
or licences, if any, existing in the name of the offender
for a period not exceeding twelve months, 
and in all cases the court shall moreover order the forfeiture of the
goods to which the offence relates, even though the owner thereof
may not be a party to the proceedings.
Added by:
L.N. 34 of 1959;
Substituted by:
L.N. 48 of 1961.
Amended by:
L.N. 105 of 1969;
L.N. 62 of 1970;
L.N. 105 of 1970.
Substituted by:
L.N. 22 of 1973.
Amended by:
L.N. 114 of 1974.
Substituted by:
L.N 70 of 1976;
L.N. 55 of 1979.
Amended by:
L.N. 44 of 1985;
L.N. 107 of 1988;
L.N. 154 of 1991;
L.N. 105 of 1998;
L.N. 196 of 2003.
SCHEDULE
(Regulation 3(3))
Animal feeding stuffs - prepared 
Animals, live
Antiques and articles or objects of historical value 
Carts, cabs and landaus
Cereals
Chemicals (falling under Chapters 28 and 29 of the Harmonised
System Code)
Coins
Construction and earth moving equipment 
Drums, empty
Edible oil 
Fish, fresh 
Flour
Foodstuffs, except the following:
Chocolate
Custard, jellies and flavoured powder
Fruits, canned or candied
Meat, locally canned, (excluding pork products)
Mushrooms
Peas, canned
Gas cylinders
Articles of gold (manufactured or semi-manufactured)
Gold bullion 
Jute bags
Malta stone and objects made therefrom
Petroleum products, the following: 
Benzine
Fuel oil 
EXPORTATION CONTROL ġ S.L.117.02 5
Gas oil 
Kerosene 
Liquified gas
Plant and Machinery 
Rabbit skins
Scrap, ferrous and non-ferrous 
Seeds
Articles of silver (manufactured and semi-manufactured) 
Strategic war material
Textiles, the following as applicable only for exports to the
European Community:
Breeches, shorts, trousers, slacks, woven
Tugboats, pontoons and similar craft 
Vehicles for the transportation of goods 
Wire mesh for the reinforcement of concrete 
Wool shearings.
Rough diamonds
