Act VI of 2026 establishes the Credit Review Office (Uffiċċju għall-Analiżi tal-Kreditu) to give eligible businesses a route to challenge lending decisions. Eligible applicants are sole traders resident in Malta, companies incorporated in Malta, or other persons prescribed by the Minister. Eligible applications cover: formal refusal of a credit facility; no decision within the bank's own charter timeframe; withdrawal or reduction of an existing credit facility; refusal to restructure an existing credit facility. Excluded: EU state aid refusals, non-performing facility decisions, credit above €2,000,000, credit below €5,000, and AML/CFT compliance refusals. Process: (1) internal complaint to the lending institution first; (2) after exhausting internal remedies, applicant has 90 days to apply in writing to the credit analyst; (3) mediation is the primary approach but is voluntary; (4) if mediation fails, the credit analyst investigates and issues a non-binding recommendation. The credit analyst acts independently and impartially. Every lending institution must publish a charter setting out its credit application process, timelines and complaint procedure. Where no charter exists, the default Schedule applies (7 days to acknowledge, 60 days to decide). MFSA supervises charter compliance. Proceedings are private and confidential. Recommendations cannot award monetary compensation. Annual report laid before Parliament within 6 months. Financial Services Arbiter (Cap. 555) jurisdiction excludes matters covered by this Act.

Credit Review Office Act