Digitalisation took centre stage during SME Week 2025, as The Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry and the Malta Business Registry (MBR) jointly hosted a session titled “Simplification through Digitalisation.” The event explored how digital innovation is reshaping the relationship between businesses and regulators, with discussions highlighting new tools, smarter systems, and a shared vision for a more efficient business ecosystem.

Central to the discussion was the Centralised Data Repository, a government initiative built around the once-only principle — allowing businesses to provide information to authorities just once, reducing paperwork and streamlining compliance.

Opening the session, Malta Chamber President William Spiteri Bailey emphasised the need for collaboration between institutions and enterprises to advance digital progress: “As we advocate for digitalisation and simplification from our institutions, we also encourage businesses to look inward — to modernise their operations, adopt digital tools, and strengthen governance. Only by moving forward together — public and private sectors, side by side — can we build a business environment that is truly efficient, competitive, and future-ready.”

Dr Geraldine Spiteri Lucas, MBR CEO and Registrar, presented the latest developments in Malta’s digital infrastructure, including enhancements to the BAROS system — which simplifies administrative work for Corporate Service Providers — and progress on the Malta Business Wallet, a digital identity tool designed to make interactions between businesses and authorities faster and more transparent.

In a fireside chat, Dr Marthese Portelli, CEO of The Malta Chamber, spoke about the need for AI readiness across Malta’s business community. She called for companies to identify where AI can truly add value, build governance frameworks around its use, and link technology adoption with measurable outcomes.

Annalise Zammit, MBR COO and Deputy Registrar, said transparency and data quality remain at the core of the registry’s mission. “We are now exploring the integration of artificial intelligence to streamline processes — particularly in the registration and timely assessment of financial statements,” she explained. Zammit also revealed that MBR is developing API packages to enable real-time information sharing and investing in workforce training to align with its digital vision.

From the private sector, Nick Xuereb, CFO of Toly Products, discussed how automation and AI are transforming business operations, cutting repetitive tasks and improving financial reporting accuracy. He also welcomed the Business Wallet concept as a step toward simplifying KYC processes and reducing bureaucracy.