The Maltese Italian Chamber of Commerce has accused the customs department of discriminating against imports arriving from Sicily by ferry. 

The complaint came after the department published a reminder that all non-EU second-hand vehicles arriving from Sicily by catamaran should be declared in advance or upon arrival before being driven further inland.  

Failure to do so could result in legal action and "possible seizure of vehicles/goods," it said. 

In a statement on Thursday, the chamber said the notice appeared to “unfairly target only the transportation of vehicles via catamaran from Pozzallo.” 

“Other entry points... such as from Catania, Marseille, Genoa, Bari, or even Greece, are not specifically mentioned or subjected to the same obligations,” it said. 

“The chamber called on authorities to “ensure future communications and regulations are developed and applied in a non-discriminatory manner.” 

According to data from the National Statistics Office, between January to November last year, imports of vehicles, including parts, totalled over €220 million.