ACT No. II of 2017 AN ACT to establish a central office to coordinate inspections by government bodies and to regulate the conduct of inspections with a view to reducing the burden on entities and individuals, and making inspections more transparent and effective.

I assent.

M ARIE- L OUISE

(L.S.)

C OLEIRO P RECA

President

13th January, 2017

ACT No. II of 2017

AN ACT to establish a central office to coordinate inspections

by government bodies and to regulate the conduct of inspections with

a view to reducing the burden on entities and individuals, and making

inspections more transparent and effective.

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:-

(1) The short title of this Act is the Coordination of

Government Inspections Act, 2017.

(2) This Act shall come into force on such a date as the Prime

Minister may by notice in the Gazette appoint, and different dates

may be so appointed for different provisions or different purposes of

this Act.

[Article 9]

Animal Welfare Department

Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disability

Department for Health Regulation

Department for Industrial and Employment Relations

Department for Social Welfare Standards

Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture

Elderly and Community Care Department

Environmental Health Directorate

Environment and Resources Authority

Government Property Division

Health Authority

Jobsplus

Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority

Malta Industrial Parks

Malta Resources Authority

Malta Tourism Authority

Medicines Authority

Occupational Health and Safety Authority

Planning Authority

Plant Health Directorate

Regulator for Energy and Water Services

Veterinary and Phytosanitary Regulation Department

Water Services Corporation

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

€0.72

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires

"entity" means

(a)

any commercial partnership as defined by article

2(1) of the Companies Act;

(b) any undertaking as defined by article 2(1) of the

Companies Act;

(c)

any private organisation as defined by sub-articles

(1) and (6) of article 1 of the Second Schedule to the Civil Code; Cap. 16.

(d) any association of persons, understood in

accordance with article 1(4) of the Second Schedule to the Civil Cap. 16.

Code; and

(e)

the Government, including any ministry

or

department thereof, together with any state body or entity;

"inspection" means an inspection of an entity or an individual

that is carried out by any of the bodies listed in the Schedule in the

exercise of the powers granted to that body by law;

"Inspections Coordination Office" or "Office" means the body

established by article 3;

"inspectorate" means any body listed in the Schedule; and

"Minister" means the Minister responsible for commerce.

(1) There shall be an office of government to be known Establishment

of Inspections

as the Inspections Coordination Office.

Coordination

Office.

(2) Organisational arrangements for the Inspections

Coordination Office shall be made by the Prime Minister under the

Public Administration Act.

(3) Appointments to the Office shall be made under those

provisions of the Constitution that are applicable according to the

organisational arrangements adopted for the Office in terms of sub-

article (2).

(1) Judicial representation in matters pertaining to the Judicial

Inspections Coordination Office shall be governed by article 181B of representation

of the Office

the Code of Organization and Civil Procedure or article 37 of the and

its powers.

Public Administration Act, whichever provision may apply.

(2) The powers assigned by this Act to the Inspections

Coordination Office shall vest in the Head of the Office and any other

member of staff of the Office who acts with the authorisation of the

The aims of the Inspections Coordination Office

(a)

minimise the burden of inspections on entities and

individuals; and

(b) ensure that such inspections are as transparent and

effective as possible.

(2) The Office shall pursue such objectives as are necessary to

achieve its aims, and such objectives may include

(a)

bringing about joint inspections by different

inspectorates;

(b) pooling the resources of inspectorates such that,

where reasonably possible, an inspector may conduct

inspections on behalf of more than one inspectorate;

(c)

establishing a Common Policy Framework

providing for the adoption of modern practices and

methodologies pertaining to inspections, which may include

(i)

common standards, guidance and advice;

(ii) data sharing, shared feedback and shared

reporting;

(iii) the use of risk analysis and risk-based

assessments;

(iv) the adoption of inspection check-lists,

guidelines and other relevant documentation and

information;

(v) the publication, online or otherwise, of

legally vetted guidance for entities and individuals subject

to inspection;

(vi) the application of moratoria for start-up

entities, where appropriate;

(vii) the use of self-assessments by entities and

individuals subject to inspection;

(viii) the conduct of educational campaigns relating

to the provisions of sub-paragraphs (i) to (vii);

(ix) provision

for

compliance

recognition

schemes; and

(x) a common framework for administrative fines

where applicable;

(d) establishing common databases with a view to

avoiding duplication and facilitating joint action; and

(e)

making recommendations to the Prime Minister,

through the Minister, for changes to the laws governing any

inspectorate, where such changes appear necessary to facilitate

the achievement of the aims of the Office.

(1) L-għanijiet tal-Uffiċċju li Jikkordina l-Ispezzjonijiet Għanijiet u

objettivi tal-

għandhom ikunu sabiex

Uffiċċju.

(a) jiġi mnaqqas il-piż tal-ispezzjonijiet fuq entitajiet u

individwi; u

(b) jiġi żgurat li dawk l-ispezzjonijiet isiru bl-aktar mod

trasparenti u effettiv.

(2) L-Uffiċċju għandu jsegwi dawk l-objettivi li huma

neċessarji sabiex jilħaq l-għan tiegħu, u dawk l-objettivi jistgħu

jinkludu

(a)

li jġiegħel isiru spezzjonijiet konġunti minn

spettorati differenti;

(b) li jiggruppa r-riżorsi tal-ispettorati sabiex, fejn hu

raġjonevolment possibbli, spettur ikun jista’ jwettaq

spezzjonijiet għan-nom ta’ aktar minn spettorat wieħed;

(ċ) li jistabbilixxi Qafas ta' Politika Komuni li taħseb

għall-adozzjoni ta’ prattiċi u metodoloġiji moderni marbuta

mal-ispezzjonijiet, u dawn il-prattiċi u metodoloġiji jistgħu

jinkludu

(i)

standards komuni, gwida u pariri;

(ii) il-kondiviżjoni ta’ data u l-forniment ta’

evalwazzjoni, u rapporti konġunti;

(iii) l-użu ta’ analiżi tar-riskju u valutazzjonijiet

ibbażati fuq ir-riskju;

(iv) l-adozzjoni ta’ listi ta' kontroll dwar

spezzjonijiet, gwidi u dokumentazzjoni u informazzjoni

rilevanti oħra;

(v) il-pubblikazzjoni, online jew xort’oħra, ta’

gwida mistħarrġa legalment għal entitajiet u individwi

soġġetti għal spezzjoni;

(vi) l-applikazzjoni ta’ moratorji għal entitajiet li

jkunu għadhom kemm bdew l-operat tagħhom, fejn xieraq;

(vii) l-użu ta’ awtovalutazzjonijiet minn entitajiet

u individwi soġġetti għal spezzjoni;

(viii) it-tmexxija ta' kampanji edukattivi relatati

mad-dispożizzjonijiet tas-subpargrafi (i) sa (vii);

(ix) id-dispożizzjonijiet

dwar

skemi

dwar

rikonoxximent ta’ konformità; u

(x) qafas komuni għal multi amministrattivi fejn

applikabbli;

(d) li jistabbilixxi databases komuni bil-għan li tiġi

evitata d-duplikazzjoni u sabiex tiġi faċilitata azzjoni konġunta;

u

(e)

jagħmel rakkomandazzjonijiet lill-Prim Ministru,

permezz tal-Ministru, rigward bidliet fil-liġijiet li jirregolaw xi

spettorat, meta dawk il-bidliet ikunu jidhru neċessarji, sabiex

jiffaċilitaw il-kisba tal-għanijiet tal-Uffiċċju.

(1) The Office may give such directions to inspectorates Powers of the

as are necessary to achieve its aims and objectives under article 5 and, Office

limitation

notwithstanding any other law, it shall be the duty of officers of thereon.

inspectorates and those responsible for them to carry out those

directions.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of sub-article (1), the

Office may

(a)

give directions to inspectorates concerning the

conduct of joint inspections, the pooling of resources, and the

sharing of data;

(b) issue binding standards governing the conduct of

inspections and the adoption of practices and methodologies

relating to inspections;

(c)

establish and maintain common databases and other

repositories of information; and

(d) establish advisory and consultative fora including

such representatives of inspectorates and other persons as the

Office may consider necessary, and convene meetings thereof.

(3) The Office may require any inspectorate or member of

staff thereof to provide it with any information that the Office

considers necessary for the purpose of ensuring compliance with the

provisions of this Act, any regulations issued thereunder, and any

directions or standards issued by the Office.

(4) The Office may not give directions to any inspectorate or

member of staff thereof concerning the results of an inspection or the

conclusions to be drawn from it, except in so far as may be necessary

for corrective purposes if that inspection is carried out in

contravention of the directions or standards issued by the Office.

(1) The Inspections Coordination Office may, by

instrument in writing, empower an inspectorate to conduct

inspections on behalf of any other inspectorate, and in such a case

(a)

the officers who are tasked by their inspectorate

with conducting such inspections shall act, and shall be

regarded for all purposes at law, as officers of the inspectorate

on behalf of which the inspections are conducted;

(b) the officers in question shall assume all powers

granted by law to the officers of the inspectorate on behalf of

which the inspections are conducted; and

(c)

where any law requires officers of an inspectorate to

act only upon authorisation from, or the delegation of powers

by, their inspectorate, the Head thereof, or any other person or

authority, such authorisation or delegation of powers shall be

regarded as given or made by virtue of the instrument issued by

the Office under sub-article (1).

(2) The provisions of sub-article (1) shall have effect

notwithstanding any other law, but without prejudice to

(a)

any provisions of law requiring officers conducting

particular inspections to hold any profession or other

qualifications; and

(b)

article 6(4) of this Act.

(1) The sharing of data, the maintenance of common

databases and repositories of information, and the provision of

information to the Inspections Coordination Office under this Act

shall be subject to the Data Protection Act.

(2) The sharing of data, the maintenance of common databases

and repositories of information, as provided for by this Act with a

view to facilitating reductions in the burden of inspections on entities

and individuals, shall be regarded as activities that are carried out in

the public interest for the purposes of article 9(e) of the Data

Protection Act.

(1) The jurisdiction of the Inspections Coordination

Office shall be limited to inspections carried out by the bodies listed

in the Schedule.

(2) The Minister may amend or substitute the Schedule by

order in the Gazette after consultation with the Head of the

Inspections Coordination Office.

The Minister may, after consultation with the Head of the Power to make

Inspections Coordination Office, make regulations to give better regulations.

effect to any of the provisions of this Act.