# Malta (MT)

**Capital:** Valletta  
**Currency:** Euro (EUR) (EUR)  
**Population:** 574'250  
**Area:** 316 km²

> Malta is an EU island state in the central Mediterranean and one of the region's leading transshipment locations. The Malta Freeport in Marsaxlokk handled around 2.86 million TEU in 2024, over 96 percent of it transshipment traffic. As a member of the eurozone and the EU customs union, the Union Customs Code and the common EU external tariff apply; import VAT is 18 percent (reduced rates 12, 7, 5 and 0 percent). Due to its insular location, supply depends on sea and air freight via the Freeport, Grand Harbour Valletta and Luqa airport. Customs are handled by the Malta Tax and Customs Administration (MTCA), with electronic declarations through NIS and NES.

Malta (ISO code: MT) is an island state in the central Mediterranean south of Sicily and a member of the European Union and the eurozone. It is a parliamentary republic with a Mediterranean climate. The economy is strongly service-oriented (tourism, financial services, ICT, online gaming) and has a sizeable pharmaceuticals and electronics export sector. As an EU member it applies the Union Customs Code and the common external tariff; import VAT is 18 percent. Because of its insular position, supply depends on sea and air freight. The Malta Freeport at Marsaxlokk is one of the leading transshipment hubs in the Mediterranean, handling about 2.86 million TEU in 2024, while Grand Harbour Valletta serves general cargo, RoRo and cruise traffic and Malta International Airport (MLA) handles air freight. The currency is the euro (EUR).

**Top Import Partners:** IT, DE, CN, FR, GB

**Top Export Partners:** DE, FR, IT, SG, US

**Top Import Goods:** Maschinen, Fahrzeuge, Erdöl, Elektronik, Lebensmittel

**Top Export Goods:** Maschinen, Pharmazeutika, Elektronik, Fisch, Chemikalien

**Key Airports:**
- [Malta International Airport (MLA)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/malta-international-airport-mla)
- [Comino Heliport](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/comino-heliport-airport-7306)
- [Xewkija Heliport (GZM)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/xewkija-heliport-airport-gzm)
- [Marsa Airfield](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/marsa-airport-20504)
- [RAF Krendi](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/raf-krendi-airport-27474)
- [Ta' Lambert Airfield](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/ta-lambert-airport-36930)

**Key Seaports:**
- [Valletta Harbors (MT MLA)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/seaports/valletta-harbors-port-mt-mla)
- [Marsaxlokk (MT MAR)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/seaports/marsaxlokk-port-mt-mar)

## Customs & Import

**Import VAT:** Einfuhr-MwSt 18 Prozent Normalsatz  
**Customs complexity:** mittel  
**Customs system:** EU-Zollunion nach Unionszollkodex; elektronische Anmeldung über das National Import System (NIS) der MTCA, Vorabdaten über ICS2.  
**Customs authority:** [Malta Tax and Customs Administration (MTCA), Customs Department](https://mtca.gov.mt/customs)

## Logistics & Risk

**Logistics role:** Mittelmeer-Transshipment-Hub / EU-Inselstaat  
**Economic area:** EU / Eurozone / EU-Zollunion  
**Logistics risk:** niedrig  
**Dangerous goods relevance:** mittel  
**Pharma/cold chain:** mittel bis hoch

## Sources & Last Verified

- [https://mtca.gov.mt/customs](https://mtca.gov.mt/customs)
- [https://mtca.gov.mt/business-tax/vat1/vat-compliance/vat-rates/vat-rates](https://mtca.gov.mt/business-tax/vat1/vat-compliance/vat-rates/vat-rates)
- [https://mtca.gov.mt/customs/electronic-systems/customs-electronic-systems-ces](https://mtca.gov.mt/customs/electronic-systems/customs-electronic-systems-ces)
- [https://nso.gov.mt/population/](https://nso.gov.mt/population/)
- [https://maltafreeport.com.mt/](https://maltafreeport.com.mt/)
- [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malta_Freeport](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malta_Freeport)
- [https://smb.gov.mt/](https://smb.gov.mt/)
- [https://smb.gov.mt/about/](https://smb.gov.mt/about/)

*Last verified: 2026-07-24*

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*Freight Academy — Country Profile: [https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/mt](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/mt)*

*Markdown mirror: [https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/country/en/mt](https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/country/en/mt)*