ACT No. IV of 2012 AN ACT to amend the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development Act.

I assent.

G EORGE A BELA

(L.S.)

President

8th May, 2012

ACT No. IV of 2012

AN ACT to amend the Malta Council for Economic and Social

Development Act.

BE IT ENACTED by the President, by and with the advice and

consent of the House of Representatives, in this present Parliament

assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:-

The short title of this Act is the Malta Council for

Economic and Social Development (Amendment) Act, 2012 and this

Act shall be read and construed as one with the Malta Council for

Economic and Social Development Act, hereinafter referred to as "the

principal Act".

Article 4 of the principal Act shall be amended as follows

(1) sub-article (1)(c) thereof shall substituted by the

following

"(c) twelve persons, nominated as follows

(i) ten persons nominated by representative

national employers’ and workers’ organisations

constituted bodies; and

(ii) the Chairperson of the Gozo Regional

Committee, ex officio; and

(iii) the Chairperson of the Civil Society

Committee, ex officio.

The organisations and constituted bodies referred to

in sub-paragraph (i) shall be listed in a Notice

published in the Gazette, which Notice shall also

indicate the number of members representing each

organisation and constituted body.";

(2) in sub-article (2)(a) thereof, the words "sectors or

organizations" shall be substituted by the words "sectors,

organisations or committees".

Article 6 of the principal Act shall be substituted by the Substitution of

article 6 of the

principal Act.

(1)

There shall be a standing Civil

Society Committee which shall, as much as possible, be

representative of Maltese civil society and which shall

be consulted by the Council on all those issues which

the Council may, in its discretion, refer to it.

(2) The members of the Committee shall be

appointed by the Prime Minister upon the advice of the

Minister responsible for dialogue and the Chairperson

of the Council and shall be listed in a Notice issued by

the Prime Minister and published in the Gazette.

Appointments shall be made for a period of two years

which shall commence on the date of the appointment.

(3) The Chairperson of the Committee shall be

elected by the members of the Committee from among

themselves by simple majority, for a period of two

years.

(4) The Chairperson of the Council shall

convene the first meeting of the Committee no later than

fifteen working days following its appointment with the

election of a Chairperson of the Committee as its sole

purpose. The Chairperson of the Council shall carry out

all preliminary and necessary acts to ensure the orderly

election of a Chairperson by the members of the

Committee

(5) The Chairperson of the Committee shall be

an ex officio member of the Council.

(6) The Committee may act notwithstanding

any vacancy amongst its members, provided there is a

quorum present at the meeting.

(7) The Council shall adopt rules of procedure

which shall regulate the proceedings of the Committee

and establish the quorum at meetings thereof.

(1) There shall be a standing Gozo

Regional Committee which shall, as much as possible,

be representative of the island of Gozo and its

community, employers’ and workers’ organisations,

civil society organisations and local councils whose

purposes focus on Gozo affairs in their areas of interest.

The Committee shall be consulted by the Council on all

those issues which the Council may, in its discretion,

refer to it.

(2) The members of the Committee shall be

appointed by the Prime Minister upon the advice of the

Minister responsible for dialogue and the Chairperson

of the Council and shall be listed in a Notice issued by

the Prime Minister and published in the Gazette.

Appointments shall be made for a period of two years

which shall commence on the date of the appointment.

(3) The Chairperson of the Committee shall be

elected by the members of the Committee from among

themselves by simple majority, for a period of two

years.

(4) The Chairperson of the Council shall

convene the first meeting of the Committee no later than

fifteen working days following its appointment with the

election of a Chairperson of the Committee as its sole

purpose. The Chairperson of the Council shall carry out

all preliminary and necessary acts to ensure the orderly

election of a Chairperson by the members of the

Committee

(5) The Chairperson of the Committee shall be

an ex officio member of the Council.

(6) The Committee may act notwithstanding

any vacancy amongst its members, provided there is a

quorum present at the meeting.

(7) The Council shall adopt rules of procedure

which shall regulate the proceedings of the Committee

and establish the quorum at meetings thereof.".

4. Article 15 of the principal Act shall be substituted by the

following new article

"Power to

The Prime Minister may make regulations

make

generally so as to give effect to the provisions of this

regulations.

Act, and for the better carrying out of any of the

provisions of this Act including regulations

establishing the criteria to be used for the composition

of the Civil Society Committee and the Gozo Regional

Committee, the number of members and any other

matter for the proper functioning of such

Committees.".

5. (1) With immediate effect from the coming into force of Transitory

these amendments, the appointment of all members on the Civil provision.

Society Committee and the Gozo Regional Committee shall terminate

and the Prime Minister shall proceed to appoint new members to such

Committees, whether being the previous members or otherwise, in

accordance with articles 6(2) and 6A(2) of the principal Act as

amended by this Act.

(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of articles 6(2) and 6A(2)

of the principal Act as amended by this Act, the first appointment of

all members on the Civil Society Committee and the Gozo Regional

Committee, and the respective Chairpersons, shall be made until the

period ending 31st December, 2013, unless their appointment is

terminated earlier in the light of any regulations which may be made

under article 15 and thereafter, their appointment shall be governed

by the said articles 6 and 6A of the principal Act as amended by this

Act and any regulations which may be made under article 15 of the

principal Act as amended by this Act.

Passed by the House of Representatives at Sitting No. 467 of the

2nd May, 2012.

M ICHAEL F RENDO

Speaker

R AYMOND S CICLUNA

Clerk to the House of Representatives