Xifres de comerç exterior de Malta

Foreign Trade in Figures

Centrally located in the Mediterranean, Malta has long portrayed itself as a bridge between Europe and North Africa. Its economy relies heavily on foreign trade, principally with Europe. International trade represents 227% of the GDP (World Bank, latest data available), one of the highest ratios in the world. Malta mainly exports machinery and transport equipment (31.1%), mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials (29.8%), miscellaneous manufactured articles (15.5%), chemicals (11.6%), and food (7.0%); whereas imports are led by machinery and transport equipment (36.5%), mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials (23.8%), food (10.4%), chemicals (10.0%), and miscellaneous manufactured articles (9.3% - data NSO, 2023).

Malta’s main import partners are Italy (19.8%), Germany (7.8%), France (7.8%), the UK (6.2%), Spain (5.6%), and the Netherlands (4.7%), with exports directed mostly towards Germany (18.7%), Italy (3.7%), Hong Kong (3.2%), the UK (2.2%), and Spain (1.6%). The majority of imports, accounting for 55.2%, originated from the European Union, with an additional 19.9% sourced from Asia. Likewise, exports were primarily aimed at the European Union, constituting 37.1%, while Asia received 16.9% (data NSO 2023).

The country has a structural trade deficit in terms of merchandise: in 2023, the deficit narrowed by EUR 779.3 million compared to 2022, reaching EUR 4,061.2 million. Imports stood at EUR 8,577.5 million whereas exports reached EUR 4,516.3 million, representing decreases of EUR 934.3 million and EUR 155.0 million, respectively (table 1). Lower imports were mainly recorded in mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials (EUR 527.5 million), machinery and transport equipment (EUR 459.8 million), and chemicals (EUR 66.1 million), partly offset by increases in food (EUR 86.4 million) and miscellaneous manufactured articles (EUR 40.8 million). On the exports side, the main decreases were registered in mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials (EUR 176.9 million), food (EUR 73.6 million), and chemicals (EUR 47.1 million). These were partly offset by an increase in machinery and transport equipment (EUR 153.4 million – data NSO). On the other hand, the country is a net exporter of services (USD 24.8 billion in exports against USD 18.9 billion in imports in 2023, WTO).
According to preliminary figures from the NSO, the deficit in 2024 widened by EUR 536.3 million compared to the same period in 2023, reaching EUR 4,634.2 million. Imports totalled EUR 9,743.5 million, while exports amounted to EUR 5,109.3 million, reflecting increases of EUR 980.6 million and EUR 444.3 million, respectively (Table 1). The rise in imports was mainly due to higher purchases of Mineral fuels, lubricants, and related materials (EUR 656.9 million) and Machinery and transport equipment (EUR 317.4 million). On the export side, increases were primarily seen in Mineral fuels, lubricants, and related materials (EUR 296.9 million), Chemicals (EUR 80.0 million), and Miscellaneous transactions and commodities (EUR 53.1 million).