Malta: Consumer Law

The European Union has agreed on a major legislative reform to Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, introducing significant changes to air passenger rights across the EU. Set to enter force in August 2027, the reform strengthens existing protections while introducing new obligations for airlines, including proactive notification duties, enhanced rerouting requirements, and expanded protections for passengers with reduced mobility.

The Court of Justice of the European Union has ruled on whether luxury brands can use historical dates in their trademarks when those dates suggest centuries of craftsmanship and heritage that don't actually exist. This landmark decision examines how false claims about a business's age may deceive consumers about product quality, particularly when tradition and prestige are key factors in purchasing luxury goods.

A major change is coming for consumers and businesses within the EU who buy goods from China. From 1 July 2026, the European Union will introduce new customs rules affecting low-value imports, meaning many small parcels arriving from outside the EU will no longer benefit from the previous customs duty exemption.

The practical stakes were considerable. If Rome II applied, Article 4(1) would designate the law of the place where the damage occurred — which, for online gambling losses, would normally be the habitual residence of the consumer.

The European Commission is preparing a major reform of consumer protection rules in the digital environment.

As part of the European Union's Green Deal and its objective for fostering an environmentally sustainable circular economy, on the 13th of June 2024, the European Parliament and the Council adopted Directive (EU) 2024/1799 on common rules.

In December of last year, the European Court of Justice ("ECJ" or the "Court") ruled against Vodafone's standard charges levied on their customers for using certain payment instruments when paying...

On 7 April 2022, the CJEU, in delivering a ruling in the case of Fuhrmann-2-GmbH v. B., adopted a consumer friendly approach by clarifying that for consumers to be validly bound by an electronically formed contract, ...

On the 8 July 2020 EIOPA (the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority) issued a statement to outline its expectations in relation to how manufacturers ...