UBO Register

In terms of the Fifth Anti-Money Laundering Directive (Directive (EU) 2018/843), which as from 10^th January 2020 is in force in all the EU, member states are required to maintain inter-connected, publicly available national Ultimate Beneficial Owner ("UBO") registries. 

In the regard, the Maltese Registrar of Companies ("the Registrar") had introduced the Companies Act (Register of Beneficial Owners) Regulations, whereby Maltese companies are required to hold updated information on their UBOs and are also required to submit a notification regarding same to the Registrar and also notify the Registrar in case of changes to the UBOs within 14 days of such change. The only exceptions allowed are in cases where all the direct shareholders of the Maltese company are natural persons, or in cases where the Maltese company is listed on a regulated market.