Serivzzi tal-Intermedjazzjoni Online għall-Utenti Kummerċjali

Suppliment tal-Gazzetta tal-Gvern ta’ Malta, Nru. 20,727, 29 ta’ Ottubru, 2021

A.L. 405 tal-2021

ATT BIEX JIRREGOLA KOMUNIKAZZJONIJIET

ELETTRONIĊI

(KAP. 399)

Regolamenti tal-2021 dwar Miżuri ta’ Infurzar fir-rigward ta’

Serivzzi tal-Intermedjazzjoni Online għall-Utenti Kummerċjali

BIS-SAĦĦA tas-setgћat mogћtija bl-artikolu 47 tal-Att biex

jirregola Komunikazzjonijiet Elettroniċi, il-Ministru għall-Ekonomija

u l-Industrija, wara konsultazzjoni mal-Awtorità ta’ Malta dwar il-

Komunikazzjoni, gћamel dawn ir-regolamenti li ġejjin:-

(1) It-titolu ta’ dawn ir-regolamenti hu r-Regolamenti tal- Titolu u għan.

2021 dwar Miżuri ta’ Infurzar fir-rigward ta’ Servizzi tal-

Intermedjazzjoni Online għall-Utenti Kummerċjali.

(2) L-għan ta’ dawn ir-regolamenti hu li jkun hemm fis-seħħ

miżuri ta’ infurzar biex ikun hemm konformità mar-Regolament 2019/

1150 tal-Parlament Ewropew u tal-Kunsill tal-20 ta’ Ġunju 2019 dwar

il-promozzjoni tal-korrettezza u tat-trasparenza għall-utenti

kummerċjali tas-servizzi tal-intermedjazzjoni online

(1)

F’dawn ir-regolamenti, kemm-il darba r-rabta tal- Tifsir.

kliem ma teħtieġx xort’oħra

"Att" ifisser l-Att biex jirregola Komunikazzjonijiet Elettroniċi;

"Awtorità" tfisser l-Awtorità ta’ Malta dwar il-Komunikazzjoni,

jew kull awtorità oħra li tista’ minn żmien għal żmien tiġi stabbilita

taħt l-Att għat-Twaqqif ta’ Awtorità ta’ Malta dwar il- Kap. 418.

Komunikazzjoni;

"Ministru" tfisser il-Ministru responsabbli għal komunikazzjoni;

"organizzazzjoni, assoċjazzjoni jew korp pubblika maħtur"

tfisser organizzazzjoni, assoċjazzjoni jew entità pubblika li tista’ minn

żmien għal żmien tiġi maħtura skont ir-regolament 3;

"Qorti Ċivili" tfisser il-Qorti Ċivili (is-Sezzjoni tal-Kummerċ)

stabbilita skont l-artikolu 3 tal-Ordni dwar it-Twaqqif ta’ Sezzjonjiet L.S. 12. 19.

tal-Qrati Ċivili;

"Regolament 2019/1150" tfisser ir-Regolament (UE) 2019/1150

tal-Parlament Ewropew u tal-Kunsill tal-20 ta’ Ġunju 2019 dwar il-

promozzjoni tal-korrettezza u tat-trasparenza għall-utenti kummerċjali

tas-servizzi tal-intermedjazzjoni online.

(2) It-tifsir kif mogħtija fl-Artkolu 2 tar-Regolament 2019/

1150 għandhom japplikaw għal dawn ir-regolamenti.

(1) Il-Ministru jista’, wara konsultazzjoni mal-Awtorità,

għall-finijiet tal-paragrafu 1 tal-Artikolu 14 tar-Regolament 2019/

1150, jaħtar

assoċjazzjonijiet

(a) dawk l-organizzazzzjonijiet jew assoċjazzjonijiet

stabbiliti f’Malta li jissodisfaw mill-inqas ir-rekwiżiti tal-

paragrafu 3 tal-Artikolu 14 tar-Regolament 2019/1150; u

(b) korpi pubbliċi stabbiliti f’Malta li jissodisfaw ir-

rekwiżiti tal-paragrafu 4 tal-Artikolu 14 tar-Regolament 2019/

1150. (2) L-Awtorità għandha tikkomunika lill-Kummissjoni

Ewropea l-isem u l-għan ta’ kull organizzazzjoni, assoċjazzjoni jew

korp pubbliku hekk maħtur.

Utent kummerċjali jista’ japplika lil Qorti Ċivili biex

jingħata rimedju fil-konfront ta’ fornitur ta’ servizzi tal-

intermedjazzjoni online għal kull telf jew danni, ikun kif ikun deskritt,

imġarrab minħabba nuqqas ta’ konformità min-naħa ta’ tali fornitur

mad-dispożizzjonijiet tar-Regolament 2019/1150 li ġejjin

(a)

Artikolu 3 (termini u kundizzjonijiet);

(b)

Artikolu 4 (restrizzjoni, sospensjoni u terminazzjoni);

u, jew

(ċ)

Artikolu 8 (termini kuntrattwali speċifiċi).

(1) Organizzazzjoni, assoċjazzjoni jew korp pubbliku

organizzazzjoni,

maħtur jista’ jippreżenta rikors lil Qorti Ċivili għal ordni biex iwaqqaf

jew jipprojbixxi xi nuqqas ta’ konformità minn fornitur ta’ servizzi tal-

intermedjazzjoni online jew minn fornitur ta’ magni tat-tiftix online,

skont kif ikun il-każ, jekk iqis li kien hemm jew probabli li jkun

hemm

(a) ksur minn fornitur ta’ servizzi tal-intermedjazzjoni

online ta’ xi obbligu biex jadderixxi ma’ xi waħda mid-

dispożizzjonijiet tar-Regolament 2019/1150 li ġejjin

(i)

Artikolu 3 (termini u kundizzjonijiet);

(ii)

Artikolu

(restrizzjoni,

sospensjoni

u

terminazzjoni);

(iii) Artikolu 5 (ikklassifikar);

(iv) Artikolu 6 (prodotti u servizz anċillari);

(v)

Artikolu 7 (trattament differenzjat);

(vi) Artikolu 8 (termini kuntrattwali speċifiċi);

(vii) Artikolu 9 (aċċess għad-data);

(viii) Artikolu 10 (restrizzjonijiet biex jiġu offruti

kundizzjonijiet differenti b’mezzi oħra);

(ix) Artikolu 11 (sistema interna tat-trattament tal-

ilmenti); u, jew

(x)

Artikolu 12 (medjazzjoni).

(b) ksur min-naħa ta’ fornitur ta’ magni tat-tiftix online

ta’ obbligu biex jaderrixxi ma’ xi waħda mid-dispożizzjonijiet

tar-Regolament 2019/1150 li ġejjin

(i)

Artikolu 5 (ikklassifikar); u, jew

(ii)

Artikolu 7 (trattament differenzjat).

(1) Il-Qorti Ċivili meta tirċievi rikors skont ir- Setgħat tal-Qorti

regolamenti 4 jew 5, għandha tordna n-notifika tar-rikors fir-rigward Ċivili.

tal-persuna li fil-konfront tagħha jkun sar ir-rikors u li tkun

allegatament qiegħda taġixxi bi ksur tar-Regolament 2019/1150, liema

persuna għandha tkun intitolata li twieġeb fi żmien għoxrin (20) jum

jew perjodu inqas li l-Qorti tqis li jkun adatt fiċ-ċirkostanzi, liema

perjodu jibda mid-data tan-notifika fuq dik il-persuna.

(2) Il-Qorti Ċivili tista’ meta tiddeċiedi kwalunkwe azzjoni li

titressaq quddiemha skont dawn ir-regolamenti, tagħti kwalunkwe

rimedju xieraq fuq it- termini li hi tista’ tqis meħtieġa biex jiżguraw

konformità mar-rekwiżiti tar-Regolamenti 2019/1150. Il-Qorti meta

tagħmel dan għandha tqis l-interessi kollha involuti b’mod partikolari

l-interess pubbliku.

(3) Il-Qorti Ċivili tista’ meta tiddeċiedi kwalunkwe azzjoni li

titressaq quddiemha skont dawn ir-regolamenti, teħtieġ ukoll li

kwalunkwe fornitur ta’ servizzi tal-intermedjazzjoni online jew

fornitur ta’ magni tat-tiftix online jippubblika f’dik il-forma u

manjiera u sa fejn il-Qorti tqis xieraq bil-għan li jiġu eliminati

kwalunkwe effetti kontinwi ta’ nuqqas ta’ konformità

(a)

kopja tad-deċiżjoni tal-qorti; u, jew

(b)

stqarrija korrettiva hekk kif tista’ tiddetermina l-

Qorti.

(4) Sakemm ma jingħadx mod ieħor f’dawn ir-regolamenti, id-

dispożizzjonijiet tal-Kodiċi ta’ Organizzazzjoni u Proċedura Ċivili fir-

rigward tas-smigħ u d-determinazzjoni ta’ każijiet u ta’ kwalunkwe

appell minnhom għandhom japplikaw għal kull azzjoni li tista’ issir

skont dawn ir-regolamenti

Iżda għandu jkun hemm dritt ta’ appell minn deċiżjoni tal-

Qorti Ċivili fuq punt ta’ liġi lil Qorti tal-Appell (Superjuri).

L.N. 405 of 2021

ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS (REGULATION) ACT

(CAP. 399)

Online Intermediation Services for Business Users (Enforcement

Measures) Regulations, 2021

IN EXERCISE of the powers conferred by article 47 of the

Electronic Communications (Regulation) Act, the Minister for the

Economy and Industry, after consultation with the Malta

Communications Authority, has made the following regulations:-

1. (1) The title of these regulations is the Online Citation and

Intermediation Services for Business Users (Enforcement Measures) scope.

Regulations, 2021.

(2) The scope of these regulations is to have in place

enforcement measures in compliance with Regulation (EU) 2019/1150

of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on

promoting fairness and transparency for business users of online

intermediation services.

2. (1)

In these regulations, unless the context otherwise Interpretation.

requires

"Act" means the Electronic Communications (Regulation) Act;

"Authority" means the Malta Communications Authority, or any

other authority as may from time to time be established under the

Malta Communications Authority Act;

"Civil Court" means the Civil Court (Commercial Section)

established by article 3 of the Civil Courts (Establishment of Sections) S.L. 12. 19.

Order;

"designated organisation, association or public body" means an

organisation, association or public body as may from time to time be

designated in accordance with regulation 3;

"Minister" means the Minister responsible for communications;

"Regulation 2019/1150" means Regulation (EU) 2019/1150 of

the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on

promoting fairness and transparency for business users of online

intermediation services.

(2) The definitions as assigned in Article 2 of Regulation 2019/

1150 shall apply to these regulations.

3. (1) The Minister may, after consultation with the

Authority, for the purposes of paragraph 1 of Article 14 of Regulation

2019/1150, designate

(a) such organisations or associations established in

Malta that meet at least the requirements of paragraph 3 of

Article 14 of Regulation 2019/1150, following a written request

by any such organisation or association to be so designated to the

Minister; and

(b) public bodies set up in Malta that meet the

requirements of paragraph 4 of Article 14 of Regulation 2019/

1150. (2) The Authority shall communicate to the European

Commission the name and purpose of any such designated

organisation, association or public body.

4. A business user may apply to the Civil Court to seek

redress against a provider of online intermediation services for any

loss or damage, however so described, suffered consequential to non-

compliance by such a provider with the following provisions of

Regulation 2019/1150

(a)

Article 3 (terms and conditions);

(b)

Article 4 (restriction, suspension and termination);

and, or

(c)

Article 8 (specific contractual terms).

5. (1) A designated organisation, association or public body

may apply to the Civil Court for an order to stop or prohibit non-

compliance by a provider of online intermediation services or by a

provider of online search engines, as the case may be, if it considers

that there has been or that there is likely to be

(a) a breach by a provider of online intermediation

services of an obligation to comply with any of the following

provisions of Regulation 2019/1150

(i)

Article 3 (terms and conditions);

(ii) Article

(restriction,

suspension

and

termination);

(iii) Article 5 (ranking);

(iv) Article 6 (ancillary goods and services);

(v)

Article 7 (differentiated treatment);

(vi) Article 8 (specific contractual terms);

(vii) Article 9 (access to data);

(viii) Article 10 (restrictions to offer different

conditions through other means);

(ix) Article

(internal

complaint-handling

system); and, or

(x)

Article 12 (mediation);

(b) a breach by a provider of an online search engine of

an obligation to comply with any of the following provisions of

Regulation 2019/1150

(i)

Article 5 (ranking); and, or

(ii)

Article 7 (differentiated treatment).

6. (1) The Civil Court on receipt of an application under Powers of the

regulations 4 or 5, shall order the notification of the application onto Civil Court.

the person against whom the application is filed and who is allegedly

acting in breach of Regulation 2019/1150, which person shall be

entitled to reply within twenty (20) days or such lesser period as the

Court may consider appropriate in the circumstances, which period

shall commence as from the date of notification upon that person.

(2) The Civil Court may in determining any action brought

before it in accordance with these regulations, grant any appropriate

remedy on such terms as it may consider necessary to secure

compliance with the requirements of Regulation 2019/1150. In doing

so the Court shall have regard to all the interests involved in particular

the public interest.

(3) The Civil Court may in determining any action brought

before it in accordance with these regulations, also require that any

provider of online intermediation services or provider of an online

search engine publishes in such form and manner and to such extent as

the Court considers appropriate for the purpose of eliminating any

continuing effects of non-compliance

(a)

a copy of the court decision; and, or

(b)

a corrective statement as may be determined by the

Court.

(4) Unless provided otherwise in these regulations, the provisions

of the Code of Organization and Civil Procedure for the hearing and

determination of cases and of any appeal therefrom shall apply in

relation to any actions brought under these regulations

Provided that there shall be a right of appeal from a

decision of the Civil Court on a point of law to the Court of Appeal

(Superior).

€0.36