Protection of Agricultural Land (Amendment) Regulations, 2026

L.N. 105 of 2026

AGRICULTURE ACT

(CAP. 639)

Protection of Agricultural Land (Amendment) Regulations, 2026

IN EXERCISE of the powers conferred by article 7 of the

Agriculture Act, the Minister responsible for agriculture and rural

affairs, has made the following regulations:-

(1) The title of these regulations is the Protection of

Agricultural Land (Amendment) Regulations, 2026 and these

regulations shall be read and construed as one with the Protection of

Agricultural Land Regulations, hereinafter referred to as the "principal

(2) These regulations shall come into force within two (2)

months from their publication in the Gazette.

Regulation 8 of the principal regulations shall be

substituted by the following new regulation

The use of agricultural land for non-

agricultural activities, including the practice of hobbies,

is permissible provided that it does not interfere with

agricultural activities which may be carried out in

accordance with regulation 6 or cause any

environmental degradation

Provided that any non-agricultural activity

on agricultural land shall comply with the provisions of

these regulations and any other obligations according to

law.".

3. Regulation 9 of the principal regulations shall be

substituted by the following new regulation

(1) In cases of agricultural land which is

"Unregistered land.

not registered under any person and is not maintained in

terms of regulation 5, the Director shall affix a notice

on the site of the agricultural land as well as publish a

Government notice ordering that any person having an

interest in such agricultural land shall declare and

describe such interest to the Director within three (3)

months from the said publication, and if no declaration

is made the Director shall request Riżorsi Agrikoli

Malta to register the agricultural land in its name and by

virtue of such registration Riżorsi Agrikoli Malta shall

acquire the effective possession of such agricultural

land and shall have the power to allocate it to an

agricultural activity

Provided that if a valid title on such

agricultural land is proven to the satisfaction of the

Director, he shall cancel the registration of the land

under Riżorsi Agrikoli Malta by the end of the

agricultural year in which a valid title was established,

and register it in favour of the title holder

Provided further that any registration under

the preceding proviso shall only become effective if any

fine (multa), fee or other debt in accordance with these

regulations is settled by the title holder, unless the

holder of the valid title demonstrates to the satisfaction

of the Director that it was impossible for him to register

the land and comply with the land use obligation in

accordance with these regulations, and thus any such

fine (multa), fee or debt shall cease to be due even if it

resulted from an offence in accordance with these

regulations.

(2) Riżorsi Agrikoli Malta shall manage

agricultural land registered in its favour in accordance

with sub-regulation (1) as a bonus paterfamilias

Provided that if such agricultural land ceases

to be registered on Riżorsi Agrikoli Malta in order to be

registered in favour of a holder of a valid title according

to sub-regulation (1), such title holder shall compensate

Riżorsi Agrikoli Malta for all costs incurred for the

taking over of the agricultural land and management of

same, including but not limited to notarial, legal and

fiscal costs, and the costs for all improvements made by

Riżorsi Agrikoli Malta and this unless the valid title

holder demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Director

that it was impossible for him to register the land and to

comply with the land use obligation according to these

regulations, and thus any costs shall cease to be due

even if these resulted from an offence in accordance

with these regulations.

(3) If a holder of a valid title on an agricultural

land proves to the satisfaction of the Director that

(a) it was impossible for him to register

the agricultural land in accordance with these

regulations; and

(b) undertakes to act as a farmer or engage

a farmer for such agricultural land upon the

registration in his name according to these

regulations,

he shall be entitled to the payment of any amount

as equivalent to that collected by Riżorsi Agrikoli

Malta for such agricultural land from third parties,

excluding costs in accordance with sub-regulation (2),

and such equivalent amount shall be paid to the farmer

or to the valid title holder by Riżorsi Agrikoli Malta.".

€0.27