Tax incentives on heritage donations welcomed

Nationalist MP Jason Azzopardi yesterday welcomed a recent legal notice giving tax incentives to companies or individuals who contribute to the national heritage.

Speaking in Parliament, Dr Azzopardi recalled that he had proposed such incentives in a speech in the House two years ago after being shown French legislation during a visit to the Louvre in Paris. Under French law, when an item is donated to the cultural heritage authorities, 90 per cent of its value is paid back in income tax rebates.

Dr Azzopardi explained that in terms of a legal notice issued by the Maltese government on November 3, anyone making a donation of over Lm1,000 in cash or kind to the Superintendence of National Heritage, Heritage Malta, the Malta Heritage Foundation on heritage NGOs would be eligible for a tax rebate.

Various conditions apply, notably that the donations have to be certified by the heritage authorities concerned and they have to be made for purposes of exhibition, research or preservation.

The legal notice also provides for a rebate of income tax for cash donations of over Lm5,000 for restoration works.

The Nationalist MP said it was important that people and companies were made aware of these incentives so that the cultural heritage would be able to benefit from useful donations and funding for restoration.