Malta Customs announces two months deferral of Excise Duty payments

In view of the current economic challenges resulting from social restrictions aimed at controlling the coronavirus pandemic, Government has agreed to the postponement of excise duty payments. This was announced in a statement by Malta Customs this afternoon.

The Excise Duty Act provides that payment of Excise Duty, for certain commodities, is to be normally effected by the 15th day of the following month as from the date of placement on the market, and, for other commodities, payment of Excise Duty is to be effected on the last Sunday of the month.

Thus, economic operators would have been expected to cover relevant payments by 15th and 26th April respectively.

Thus, payments which will become due on the 15th of April 2020, will be deferred to the 15th of June 2020 and payments due on the 26th of April 2020, will be deferred to the 28 of June 2020. Payments which will be due on the 15th of May 2020, will be deferred to the 15th of July 2020 and payments due on the 31st of May 2020, will be deferred to the 26th of July 2020.

Through this measure, Economic operators will be allowed to postpone their payments by two whole months, that is, from April 2020 to June 2020, and from May 2020 to July 2020