Legal & Regulatory Updates | June Issue

Legal & Compliance Bulletin

This issue brings together notable legal, regulatory, and compliance developments across a range of sectors, focusing on changes that may have practical implications for your organisation. Our aim is to keep you informed and well-prepared in an evolving regulatory landscape.

Outlined below is an overview of the key updates from this quarter:

MGA

• 8 May 2026: The MGA launched a targeted consultation on the proposed AI Gaming Charter, setting out principles for the ethical and responsible use of artificial intelligence within the gaming sector.
• 4 May 2026: The MGA drew attention to further AMLA public consultations on additional draft AML/CFT regulatory technical standards and guidelines relevant to authorised persons subject to AML/CFT obligations.
• 29 April 2026: The MGA issued a targeted consultation on proposed enhancements to the Recognition Notice Framework.
• 2 April 2026: The MGA published information on enhancements to Malta’s VAT and Gaming Tax Frameworks for the gaming sector, following the publication of Legal Notices 84 and 86 of 2026 on 1 April 2026.

MFSA

• 22 June 2026: The MFSA issued a Dear CEO Letter outlining the outcomes of its thematic review on Terrorist Financing, Proliferation Financing and Targeted Financial Sanctions evasion risks within credit institutions, setting out key supervisory observations and regulatory expectations.
• 17 June 2026: The MFSA published a Discussion Paper on Decentralised Finance (DeFi) to support Malta’s next-generation financial services framework and invited stakeholder feedback.
• 11 June 2026: The MFSA published the key findings from its 2025 Outcomes-Based Supervision Review of marketing communications across the financial services sector.
• 4 June 2026: The MFSA issued a Dear CEO Letter setting out supervisory expectations for licensed financial services firms on the responsible governance and use of Artificial Intelligence, reflecting the evolving requirements of the EU AI Act and related European regulatory developments.
• 18 May 2026: The MFSA launched a consultation on the tokenisation of financial instruments and real-world assets, exploring how distributed ledger technology could be integrated into Malta’s financial services framework.

FIAU

• 23 June 2026: The FIAU published its 2025 Annual Report together with the latest FATF Public Statements of 19 June 2026, reminding subject persons of their obligations concerning high-risk jurisdictions and jurisdictions under increased monitoring.
• 22 June 2026: The FIAU published a Strategic Analysis on Organised Crime in Malta.
• 17 June 2026: The FIAU published FAQs on Settlements and the Enforcement Process, providing subject persons with additional guidance on enforcement procedures.
• 11 June 2026: The FIAU announced the planned alignment of the Risk Evaluation Questionnaire (REQ) with AMLA supervisory data points.
• 10 June 2026: The FIAU highlighted AMLA’s public consultation on draft guidelines relating to the ongoing monitoring of business relationships.
• 26 May 2026: The FIAU published guidance on key preparatory steps for AMLA direct supervision ahead of the 2027 selection exercise.

MCCAA

• During the quarter: The Office for Competition continued its merger control activity, issuing decisions on a number of notified concentrations, including the acquisition of Trustmoore Cooperatief U.A. by IK SC IV Luxco S.à r.l. and the acquisition of sole control of Eles Semiconductor Equipment S.p.A. by Atlas Copco AB.
• During the quarter: The Office for Consumer Affairs also published the Consumer Rights (Amendment) Regulations, 2026 (Legal Notice 145 of 2026), further strengthening Malta’s consumer protection framework.

FSSA

• During the quarter: The Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSA) continued issuing public notifications through the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) concerning unsafe food products, in line with its responsibilities under the Food Safety and Security Act (Chapter 649).

IDPC

• 11 June 2026: The IDPC highlighted that the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) had met with Commissioner Michael McGrath and adopted a common template for data breach notifications during its latest plenary.
• 28 May 2026: The IDPC participated in the 2026 BIIDPA Meeting, hosted by the Gibraltar Regulatory Authority, continuing its cooperation with peer data protection authorities.
• 20 May 2026: The IDPC published its fourth newsletter, featuring updates on data protection, the GDPR, artificial intelligence and related developments.
• 22 April 2026: Dr Reno Borg took the oath of office as Information and Data Protection Commissioner, assuming office with effect from 24 April 2026, following the expiry of Commissioner Ian Deguara’s mandate on 23 April 2026.
• 16 April 2026: The IDPC highlighted the EDPB’s adoption of guidelines on the processing of personal data for scientific research, approval of the first European Data Protection Seal for international data transfers, and adoption of a template for Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs) as part of the EDPB’s broader initiative to simplify and promote consistent GDPR compliance across the European Union.