S.L. 549.61 Art. 16Functions.

(1) The competent authority shall have the following duties and powers:

(a) to create awareness on the scope and necessity of strategic environmental assessments;

(b) to be informed by the responsible authority, or responsible authorities if applicable, that a strategic environmental assessment is being conducted on a particular plan or programme;

(c) to be informed by the responsible authority, or responsible authorities if applicable, on why a strategic environmental assessment has not been undertaken on a plan or programme;

(d) to implement fully the provisions of regulation 4(8);

(e) to ensure to the best of its ability that the responsible authority, or responsible authorities if applicable, have followed the provisions of these regulations and to document the process adopted inclusive of any supporting documentation and consultation material;

(f) to act as a repository of all material related to a strategic environmental assessment for a plan or programme;

(g) to demand any information it deems is related to any strategic environmental assessment from any entity inclusive of information that results from a decision for a strategic environmental assessment to be undertaken or otherwise;

(h) to provide guidance to responsible authorities;

(i) to represent Malta in any local and international fora on strategic environmental assessments;

(j) to act as the Focal Point for other Member States who wish to consult Malta in cases of transboundary effects;

(k) to promote the use of a strategic environmental assessments in Malta;

(l) to audit the quality of a strategic environmental assessments to provide third party input into securing the true quality of the strategic environmental assessment process.

(2) Nothing contained in these regulations shall be construed as implying that the competent authority shall be responsible for the carrying out of any strategic environmental assessment. Any strategic environmental assessment as shall be required to be carried out in terms of these regulations shall fall under the responsible authority.

Part IV

Transitory Provisions