L-għadd ta’ kumpaniji rreġistrati Malta issa qabeż is-70,000. Madwar 30 fil-mija ta’ dawn ġew irreġistrati fl-aħħar ħames snin, b’żieda annwali medja fir-reġistrazzjonijiet ta’ madwar 12 fil-mija matul dawn is-snin. Dan fih innifsu jista’ jitqies bħala suċċess għall-Att dwar il-Kumpaniji, u jidher li huwa raġonevoli li wieħed jgħid li n-negozji jħossuhom komdi jistabilixxu kumpaniji li huma rregolati permezz tad-dispożizzjonijiet ta’ din il-liġi.
Stqarrija għall-Istampa mill-Ministeru għall-Finanzi
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Dan qalu l-Ministru tal-Finanzi Edward Scicluna waqt konferenza ta’ nofstanhar organizzata mill-Akkademja tal-Liġi, il-Kamra tal-Avukati u d-Dipartiment tad-Dritt Kummerċjali tal-Università ta’ Malta fil-kampus tal-Università, il-Belt, biex tfakkar l-20 anniversarju mill-Att dwar il-Kumpaniji tal-1995.
Il-Ministru Scicluna ddeskriva l-leġiżlazzjoni riċenti dwar il-provedituri ta’ servizzi lill-kumpaniji bħala pass fit-triq it-tajba f’dan ir-rigward, u osserva li l-benefiċċju tar-responsabbiltà limitata għall-azzjonisti jġib miegħu l-obbligi legali tad-divulgazzjoni mill-kumpaniji. Huwa semma’ x-xogħol li għaddej biex id-Direttiva Unika tal-UE dwar il-Kontabilità tiġi trasposta fil-liġijiet Maltin, b’enfasi fuq is-sejbien ta’ qafas xieraq ta’ kontabilità għall-entitajiet iż-żgħar, b’mod li jagħti kas tar-realtajiet tas-suq u n-negozju ta’ Malta.
Madankollu, din ir-realtà ġġib magħha wkoll ċerti sfidi. Ir-Reġistru tal-Kumpaniji f’Malta, flimkien mal-qrati tal-pajjiż, se jkunu qed jittrattaw aktar każijiet fil-futur qarib.
“L-importanza tal-Att dwar il-Kumpaniji ma tistax tiġi ssottovalutata,” qal il-Ministru Scicluna. “Proporzjon kbir tal-attività kummerċjali fil-komunità tagħna ssir permezz tal-kumpanija b’responsabbiltà limitata. Kontinwament niltaqgħu mal-kumpaniji fil-ħajja ta’ kuljum tagħna, anki jekk ma naħsbux wisq dwar din ir-realtà. Dik hija raġuni biżżejjed biex naraw li l-Att dwar il-Kumpaniji jiġi aġġornat u mmodernizzat regolarment sabiex jibqa’ konformi mal-ħtiġijiet tas-settur tan-negozju u ta’ dawk li jipprovdu l-finanzjament u l-kreditu lill-kumpaniji.”
Company registrations on the increase by around 12 per cent every year
The number of companies registered in Malta has now topped the 70,000 mark. About 30 per cent of these have been registered in the last five years alone, with an average annual increase in registrations of around 12 per cent during these years. This, in itself, can be seen as a success of the Companies Act, and it seems reasonable to say that businesses feel comfortable to set-up companies which are regulated by the Act’s provisions.
Press Release from the Ministry for Finance
This was stated by Finance Minister Edward Scicluna during a half-day conference organised by the Malta Law Academy, the Chamber of Advocates and the Department of Commercial Law of the University of Malta at the University’s Valletta campus to mark the 20th anniversary of the Companies Act 1995.
Minister Scicluna hailed the recent legislation on company service providers as a step in the right direction in this regard, pointing out that the benefit of limited liability for shareholders brings with it the legal obligations of disclosure by companies. He mentioned the ongoing work to transpose the EU’s Single Accounting Directive in Malta’s laws, with a focus of finding an appropriate accounting framework for the smaller entities, keeping in mind Malta’s market and business realities.
However this reality also brings its own challenges. The Maltese Registry of Companies, together with the Courts of Malta, will be dealing with more cases in the foreseeable future.
“The importance of the Companies Act cannot be underestimated,” Minister Scicluna said. “A large proportion of the commercial activity in our community is carried out through the medium of the limited liability company. We continuously deal with companies in our daily lives even if we may not think too much about this reality. That is enough reason why we should make sure that the Companies Act is regularly upgraded and modernised so as to keep it in line with the needs of the business sector and those who provide finance and credit to companies.”
Sunday 24th May 2015
