Cap. 146 Art. 7Power to make regulations.

The Minister responsible for Agriculture and the Minister responsible for Fisheries may, with the concurrence of the Minister responsible for Finance, make regulations for the purpose of implementing the provisions of this Act and, without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, to provide:

(a) for the establishment of any paying agency with the function of administering any scheme or other measure relating to any financial or other guidance or assistance to be provided under this Act;

(b) for the establishment and management of any schemes and guarantee funds for the purpose of providing financial and other forms of guidance or assistance of any nature to the agricultural industry and to the fishing industry under this Act;

(c) for the standards to be observed by persons applying for any financial or other guidance or assistance under this Act;

(d) for the measures to be taken to ensure compliance with international and other standards relating to products or equipment used in the agricultural industry or in the fishing industry by persons applying for any financial or other guidance or assistance under this Act;

(e) for any matters that may be required for the purpose of complying with any international obligation of Malta relating to the agricultural industry or to the fishing industry and involving schemes of financial assistance, guarantees or guidance to any said industry;

(f) for any matter related to the resolution of disputes arising in connection with the operation of this Act including the establishment of an appellate body and the regulation of appeals from decisions taken under this Act;

(g) for enabling the Director of Agriculture or the Director of Fisheries, as the case may be, to impose administrative penalties or sanctions upon any person acting in contravention of any of the provisions of this Act or of any regulations made thereunder: Provided that any administrative penalty provided for by regulations made under this article shall not exceed the sum of two thousand and three hundred and twenty-nine euro and thirty-seven cents (€2,329.37) for each offence and two hundred and thirty-two euro and ninety-four cents (€232.94) for each day during which failure to observe the provisions of this Act or of any regulations made thereunder persists;

(h) for providing that any person who contravenes any provision of any regulations made under this Act shall be guilty of a criminal offence: Provided that any criminal offences provided for in regulations made under this article shall not, without prejudice to any higher punishment to which the offender may be liable under any other law, provide that upon conviction the offender shall be liable to a fine (multa) of more than six thousand and nine hundred eighty-eight euro and twelve cents (€6,988.12) or, in the case of a continuing offence , to a further fine (multa) of six hundred and ninety-eight euro and eighty-one cents (€698.81) for each day during which the offence continues.