ACT No. I of 2017 AN ACT to amend the Civil Code, Cap. 16.

I assent.

M ARIE- L OUISE

(L.S.)

C OLEIRO P RECA

President

13th January, 2017

ACT No. I of 2017

AN ACT to amend the Civil Code, Cap. 16.

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 Civil Code (Amendment) Short title.

Act, 2017, and this Act shall be read and construed as one with the

Civil Code, hereinafter referred to as "the Code".

In paragraph (d) of article 2148 of the Code, for the words Amendment of

"persons paid by the year" there shall be substituted the word article

the Code.

"persons".

Article 2156 of the Code shall be amended as follows

Amendment of

article 2156 of

the Code.

(a) in paragraph (g) thereof, for the words "or other

dues." there shall be substituted the words "or other dues:"; and

(b) immediately after paragraph (g) thereof,

as

amended, there shall be added the following new proviso

"Provided that actions referred to in paragraphs (a)

and (c), where such payments are due to the Government

of Malta, shall be barred by prescription by the lapse of ten

years.".

Article 2160 of the Code shall be amended as follows

(a) in sub-article (1) thereof, for the words "upon being

put on oath, do not declare that" there shall be substituted the

words "do not of their own accord declare on oath, during the

cause, that";

(b) in the Maltese version of sub-article (2) thereof, for

the words "jiġi mogħti lill-werrieta" there shall be substituted

the words "jingħata mill-werrieta", and for the words "lil

oħrajn" there shall be substituted the words "minn oħrajn"; and

(c)

immediately after sub-article (2) thereof, there shall

be added the following new sub-articles

"(3) Where a party to the proceedings declares on

oath that he or she is not a debtor, such party shall be

required to give reasons why he or she considers himself or

herself not to be a debtor.

(4) If the party to the proceedings declares on

oath that he or she is not a debtor because of the lapse of

time, such declaration shall be considered as an admission

of the debt and consequently voids the plea of

prescription.".

Passed by the House of Representatives at Sitting No.466 of the

9th January, 2017.

A NĠLU F ARRUGIA

Speaker

R AYMOND S CICLUNA

Clerk of the House of Representatives

€0.36