The Trade-Related Services and Projects Directorate

The Trade-Related Services and Projects Directorate operates through two Units, the Trade Licensing Unit and the Import-Export Unit.

Trade Licensing Unit

By virtue of the Trade Licences Regulation S.L.441.07 the Trade Licensing Unit is the regulatory authority responsible for issuing trading licences for selected commercial activities, namely those of:

  • Street Hawkers selling by retail or rendering a service from the street by means of a vehicle or render a service
  • Market Hawkers operating within the precincts of an open-air market
  • Door-to-Door Salespersons offering goods or services in connection with commercial activities
  • Auctioneers Licences
  • Credit Reference Agencies
  • As well as one-off activities entailing Commercial Fairs and/or Exhibitions, and Car Boot Sales organized by non-profit making organizations
  • Dealers of Precious Metals and Stones

Recent developments, through Legal Notice 261 of 2020, have made it obligatory as from 1 January 2021 for natural or legal persons registered with the VAT Department as conducting operations of a Dealer in Precious Metals and Stones, to also be holders of a Trading Licence. All such dealers are now bound by the conditions provided for in these Regulations and must operate with a Trading Licence issued in the name of the licence holder.

Import-Export Unit

This Unit executes external trading policy namely by clearing for importation and exportation goods subject to controls through Legal Notices – S.L. 117.14 and S.L.117.02. The Department is the issuing entity for such licences and the single point of contact for clients, nonetheless, in fulfilling this role it consults with different competent authorities depending on the category of goods.

In line with the European Union’s and national non-proliferation policy, the Unit scrutinizes on a transaction basis, any transit, transshipment or export of the dual-use goods and military items if these occur in the Maltese territory. Moreover, it examines brokering activities involving the same strategic goods if these are conducted by traders established in Malta. This in fulfillment of S.L.365.12 and S.L.365.13.

The Unit also implement the European Union’s Conflict Minerals Regulation – Regulation (EU) 2017/821 which came in full force in January 2021. The aim of this regulation is to impart responsible sourcing by European importers of four minerals, namely tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold, which sometimes finance armed conflict or are mined using forced labour.

The Commerce Department can be reached on 25690100 or 25690101 and queries may be addressed to [email protected]. They will then be passed on to the relevant Unit.

Last Update

Last updated on the 12th of June 2026