Malta

PDF accessibility in Malta

Transposition law: Accessibility Measures (European Accessibility Act) Regulations (Subsidiary Legislation 627.03, made by Legal Notice 214 of 2022), which transposes the European Accessibility Act
In force since: 2025-06-28
Supervising authority: The Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disability (CRPD) as market-surveillance authority for products and services under the EAA; the Malta Communications Authority (MCA) for public-sector websites and mobile applications
Official language(s): mt, en

Enforcement

Malta runs two parallel tracks. For public-sector websites, apps, and the documents they publish, the Malta Communications Authority monitors compliance on a continuous basis and operates a public complaints procedure. For the broader products-and-services regime under the European Accessibility Act, the Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disability acts as market-surveillance authority — it can monitor compliance, require corrective action or withdrawal of non-compliant offerings, and impose penalties calibrated to the severity, scope, and number of people affected. The technical baseline for public-sector accessibility is EN 301 549, which incorporates WCAG 2.1.

What's specific to Malta

Two separate regimes with two authorities: public-sector websites and their documents fall under S.L. 418.03 and the Malta Communications Authority, while the wider EAA products-and-services rules fall under S.L. 627.03 and the CRPD.
Malta transposed the EU Web Accessibility Directive earlier, through S.L. 418.03 (Legal Notice 89 of 2019) under the Malta Communications Authority Act — this is the track that governs public-sector document accessibility, applying EN 301 549 / WCAG 2.1 AA.
The European Accessibility Act's microenterprise carve-out applies: an enterprise with fewer than 10 people and annual turnover or balance-sheet total not exceeding €2 million is exempt when it PROVIDES services (the exemption does not extend to product manufacturers).
Malta is bilingual: legislation is enacted in Maltese and English, and where the two texts conflict the Maltese version prevails. Organisations relying on the English text should keep this in mind.
The EAA's transitional deadlines apply in Malta beyond the 28 June 2025 start — including obligations for emergency communications and run-off periods for certain legacy products and self-service terminals in later years.

What this means in practice

Malta reaches document accessibility through two instruments, and it helps to know which one applies to you. Public-sector bodies have been covered since 2019 by S.L. 418.03, which transposed the EU Web Accessibility Directive under the Malta Communications Authority Act: their websites, apps, and the documents published on them must meet EN 301 549 (WCAG 2.1 AA), and the MCA monitors this continuously and runs a complaints process. The broader European Accessibility Act arrived through S.L. 627.03 (Legal Notice 214 of 2022) and applies from 28 June 2025, extending accessibility obligations to a range of private-sector products and services with the Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disability as market-surveillance authority. Two Maltese specifics matter in practice. First, the microenterprise exemption: a service provider with fewer than 10 staff and turnover or balance sheet under €2 million is out of scope, though product manufacturers are not. Second, the bilingual point — the Maltese text of the law prevails over the English, so treat English translations as a guide rather than the final word. The technical target is the same EN 301 549 baseline used across the EU, so documents built to the EU standard meet Maltese expectations. Remediate high-volume document templates first and keep evidence of the checks that ran, so conformance is demonstrable. This is general information, not legal advice, and penalty specifics should be confirmed with the primary legislation or counsel.

How Normfluss helps

Normfluss checks your PDFs against the technical criteria that underpin document accessibility — tagging, reading order, alternate text, language, and structure — and issues a signed evidence record of exactly what was tested, in Malta and across the markets it serves. The evidence describes conformance within a stated scope; it is not a legal determination.

Frequently asked questions

Is accessibility a legal requirement in Malta?

Yes. Public-sector websites, apps, and their documents have been covered since 2019 by S.L. 418.03 (WCAG 2.1 AA via EN 301 549), monitored by the Malta Communications Authority. From 28 June 2025 the European Accessibility Act — transposed as S.L. 627.03 — extends accessibility obligations to a range of private-sector products and services, overseen by the Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disability.

Which law transposes the European Accessibility Act in Malta?

The Accessibility Measures (European Accessibility Act) Regulations — Subsidiary Legislation 627.03, made by Legal Notice 214 of 2022. It applies from 28 June 2025, the EU-wide EAA application date. The designated market-surveillance authority is the Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disability (CRPD).

Are small businesses in Malta exempt from the accessibility rules?

The European Accessibility Act includes a microenterprise carve-out that Malta adopts: an enterprise with fewer than 10 people and annual turnover or balance-sheet total not exceeding €2 million is exempt when it provides services. The exemption does not extend to product manufacturers, and the public-sector web rules are unaffected.

What accessibility standard applies to documents in Malta?

The technical baseline is EN 301 549, the harmonised European standard that incorporates WCAG 2.1 at Level AA — the same standard used across the EU. A document built to meet EN 301 549 / WCAG AA meets Maltese expectations for accessible content.