Malta's New Trade Secrets Law

On May 14, 2019, Malta’s Trade Secrets Act, 2018, came into effect.

Published July 13, 2018, the Act implements EU Directive 2016/943/EU.

The law’s remedies include, inter alia, injunctions, seizure, and damages, and it provides safeguards for trade secrets during and after legal proceedings. It also allows the court to award damages or impose sanctions against parties initiating legal proceedings in bad faith or abusively. Exceptions to the law include public disclosure requirements, reporting illegal activity, and freedom of expression and information. The statute of limitations is two years from the day the trade secret holder knows or should know of the “unlawful acquisition, use, and disclosure of the trade secrets.”

The text of the Trade Secrets Act, 2018, may be found here.