Cap. 232 Art. 16Exemption of aircraft and parts thereof from seizure on patent claims.

(1) Any lawful entry into Malta or any lawful transit across Malta, with or without landings, of an aircraft to which this article applies shall not entail any seizure or detention of the aircraft or any proceedings being brought against the owner or operator thereof or any other interference therewith by or on behalf of any person in Malta, on the grounds that the construction, mechanism, parts, accessories or operation of the aircraft is or are an infringement of any patent, design or model.

(2) The importation into, and storage in, Malta of spare parts and spare equipment for an aircraft to which this article applies and the use and installation thereof in the repair of such an aircraft shall not entail any seizure or detention of the aircraft or of the spare parts or spare equipment or any proceedings being brought against the owner of the spare parts or spare equipment or any other interference with the aircraft by or on behalf of any person in Malta on the grounds that the spare parts or spare equipment or their installation are or is an infringement of any patent, design or model: Provided that this subarticle shall not apply in relation to any spare parts or spare equipment which are sold or distributed in Malta or are exported from Malta for sale or distribution.

(3) This article applies -

(a) to an aircraft, other than an aircraft used in military, customs or police services, registered in any country or territory in respect of which there is for the time being in force a declaration by order by the Minister that the benefits of the provisions of any international convention to which this article relates apply to that country or territory;

(b) to such other aircraft as the Minister may by order specify.