Malta’s trade deficit widened to EUR 432 million in September 2026, up from a revised EUR 358 million in the same month a year earlier. Imports rose by 2.8% year-on-year to EUR 858.2 million, supported mainly by higher purchases of mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials (30.5%), as well as chemicals (6.9%). These gains were partly offset by a sharp decline in machinery and transport equipment (-23.7%).
By trading partner, the strongest growth in imports was recorded from the Netherlands (92.7%), the United Kingdom (80.1%) and China (6.6%).
Exports, meanwhile, fell by 10.5% to EUR 426.8 million, largely due to lower sales of chemicals (-30.2%), machinery and transport equipment (-12.5%), and miscellaneous manufactured articles (-17.6%). By destination, exports decreased to Germany (-4.6%) and Switzerland (-78.5%), while shipments to Italy rose by 10.3%.
Over the January–September period, however, the trade deficit narrowed to EUR 3,342 million, compared with EUR 3,834 million in the corresponding period a year earlier.
