ACT No. XXIX of 2020 AN ACT to amend the Civil Code, Cap. 16 and the Criminal Code, Cap. 9, in order to make provision for immunity from liability in cases of rescue or attempted rescue.

I assent.

(L.S.)

GEORGE VELLA

President

12th June, 2020

ACT No. XXIX of 2020

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

Cap. 9, in order to make provision for immunity from liability in cases

of rescue or attempted rescue.

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 Civil Code

(Amendment) Act and the Criminal Code (Amendment) Act, 2020,

and this Act shall be read and construed as one with the Civil Code and

the Criminal Code respectively.

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

responsible for justice may by notice in the Gazette establish and

different dates may be established for different provisions or different

purposes of this Act.

PART I

Amendment to the Criminal Code

This Part amends the Criminal Code, and it shall be read and

construed as one with the Criminal Code, hereinafter in this part referred

to as "the Code".

Immediately after article 226B of the Code, there shall be Addition of new

article 226C to

added the following new article

the Code.

226C. Notwithstanding the provisions

"Involuntary

homicide or

bodily harm in of articles 225, 226 and 226A, a person will not

the course of a

rescue attempt. be criminally liable if, confronted with a

present or imminent danger to another person,

he performs an act necessary to ensure the

safety of that person, whether or not the act

actually ensures the safety of the person

Provided that this article shall not apply

where the means used are disproportionate to the

seriousness of the threat or where the act is

performed with malice or gross negligence.".

PART II

Amendment to the Civil Code

This Part amends the Civil Code, and it shall be read and Amendment to

construed as one with the Civil Code, hereinafter in this part referred to the

Civil Code.

as "the Code".

Immediately after article 1033 of the Civil Code, there shall Addition of new

article 1033A

be added the following new article

the Code.

" Exemption in

1033A. Notwithstanding the provisions

the case of

of articles 1031, 1032 and 1033, any person who

rescue or

causes damages in the performance of a rescue

assistance.

or in the course of assisting another person

whose life or personal safety is in clear danger,

shall not be liable for any damage caused in the

course of the rescue or of giving assistance to

the person who he rescued or assisted or tried to

rescue or assist, to that person’s property or to

third parties or third party property

Provided that, the person performing

the rescue or granting the assistance above

mentioned shall be liable for acts performed

with malice or gross negligence.".

Passed by the House of Representatives at Sitting No. 341 of the

9th June, 2020.

ANĠLU FARRUGIA

Speaker

RAYMOND SCICLUNA

Clerk of the House of Representatives

€ 0.36

jinqara u jinftiehem ħaġa waħda mal-Kodiċi Ċivili u l-Kodiċi Kap. 9.

Kriminali rispettivament.

(2) Dan l-Att għandu jidħol fis-seħħ f’dik id-data li l-Ministru

responsabbli għall-ġustizzja jista’ b’avviż fil-Gazzetta jistabbilixxi, u

jistgħu jiġu stabbiliti dati differenti għal dispożizzjonijiet u għanijiet

differenti ta’ dan l-Att.

TAQSIMA I

Emenda għall-Kodiċi Kriminali

2. Din it-Taqsima temenda l-Kodiċi Kriminali u għandha tinqara Emenda tal-

u tinftiehem ħaġa waħda mal-Kodiċi Kriminali, hawnhekk iżjed ’il Kodiċi

Kriminali.

quddiem f’din it-Taqsima msejjaħ "il-Kodiċi".

3. Minnufih wara l-artikolu 226B tal-Kodiċi, għandu jiżdied dan

l-artikolu ġdid li ġej

226Ċ.

Minkejja d-dispożizzjonijiet tal-

"Omiċidju

involontarju

artikoli 225, 226 u 226A, persuna m’għandhiex

jew offiża fuq

il-persuna

tkun responsabbli kriminalment jekk,

kkawżati waqt

ikkonfrontata b’periklu attwali jew imminenti

tentattiv ta’

salvataġġ.

lil persuna oħra, tieħu l-azzjoni meħtieġa

sabiex tiżgura s-sigurtà ta’ dik il-persuna, anke

jekk l-azzjoni fil-fatt ma tiżgurax is-sigurtà tal-

persuna

Iżda dan l-artikolu ma japplikax fil-każ

meta l-mezzi użati jkunu sproporzjonati għall-

gravità tat-theddida jew meta l-azzjoni tkun

ittieħdet dolożament jew b’negliġenza

grossolana.".

TAQSIMA II

Emenda għall-Kodiċi Ċivili

4. Din it-Taqsima temenda l-Kodiċi Ċivili u għandha tinqara u

tinftiehem ħaġa waħda mal-Kodiċi Ċivili, hawnhekk iżjed ‘il quddiem

f’din it-Taqsima msejjaħ "il-Kodiċi".

5. Minnufih wara l-artikolu 1033 tal-Kodiċi, għandu jiżdied l-

artikolu ġdid li ġej

" Eżenzjoni

1033A. Minkejja d-dispożizzjonijiet tal-

f’każ ta’

artikoli 1031, 1032 u 1033, kull persuna li

salvataġġ jew

tikkaġuna danni fit-twettiq ta’ salvataġġ jew ta’

assistenza.

għajnuna lil ħaddieħor li ħajtu jew is-sikurezza

personali tiegħu tkun tinsab f’periklu ċar, ma

għandha tkun responsabbli għal ebda danni

kawżati waqt dak is-salvataġġ jew għoti ta’

għajnuna lill-persuna li hija tkun salvat jew

assistiet jew tkun ippruvat issalva jew tassisti,

lill-proprjetà tagħha jew lil terzi persuni jew

lill-proprjetà tagħhom

Iżda l-persuna li twettaq is-salvataġġ

jew li tagħti l-għajnuna kif fuq imsemmi

għandha tkun responsabbli għal atti mwettqa

dolożament jew b’negliġenza grossolana.".

Mgħoddi mill-Kamra tad-Deputati fis-Seduta Nru 341 tad-9 ta’

Ġunju, 2020.

ANĠLU FARRUGIA

Speaker

RAYMOND SCICLUNA

Skrivan tal-Kamra tad-Deputati