European notaries who want to practise in Malta can do so after a nationality restriction was removed, but they still must be proficient in Maltese and English.

The restriction had been lifted after the European Court of Justice ruled it breached freedom of establishment.

The government said that, following the ECJ ruling, it had taken measures to protect Maltese notaries. The law was changed in line with the ruling but the ability to read and write in both Maltese and English was added as a requisite to obtain a warrant, the Justice Ministry said.