Government Notices published in Govt. Gazette No. 20618 of 4th May 2021

Public Contracts Review Board

IT is notified for general information that, in exercise of the powers conferred by article 81(1) of the Public Procurement Regulations S.L. 601.03, the Prime Minister has appointed Mr. Kenneth Swain, B.Accty (Hons), Dip. Tax, FIA, FMIT, CPA, as Chairman of the Public Contracts Review Board in lieu of Dr Ian Spiteri Bailey, LL.D, LL.M, EU (Employment).  This appointment is valid for a period of three years with effect from 27th April, 2021.

IT is notified for general information that the following Legal Notices were published in the Supplement to the Government Gazette No. 20,614 of 27th April, 2021, and No. 20,616 of 30th April, 2021, respectively.

L.N. 186 of 2021: Income Tax Management Act (Cap. 372); Income Tax (Declaration of Secrecy) (Amendment) Rules, 2021.

L.N. 187 of 2021: Value Added Tax Act (Amendment of Second Schedule) Regulations, 2020 (Legal Notice 219 of 2020); Commencement Notice.

L.N. 188 of 2021: Value Added Tax Act (Amendment of Third Schedule) Regulations, 2020 (Legal Notice 220 of 2020); Commencement Notice.

L.N. 189 of 2021: Value Added Tax Act (Amendment of Fourth Schedule) Regulations, 2020 (Legal Notice 221 of 2020); Commencement Notice.

L.N. 190 of 2021: Value Added Tax Act (Amendment of Fifth Schedule) Regulations, 2020 (Legal Notice 222 of 2020); Commencement Notice.

L.N. 191 of 2021: Value Added Tax Act (Amendment of Sixth Schedule) Regulations, 2020 (Legal Notice 223 of 2020); Commencement Notice.

L.N. 192 of 2021: Value Added Tax Act (Amendment of Eleventh Schedule) Regulations, 2020 (Legal Notice 224 of 2020); Commencement Notice.

L.N. 193 of 2021: Value Added Tax Act (Amendment of Twelfth Schedule) Regulations, 2020 (Legal Notice 225 of 2020); Commencement Notice.

L.N. 194 of 2021: Value Added Tax Act (Amendment of Fourteenth Schedule) Regulations, 2020 (Legal Notice 226 of 2020); Commencement Notice.

L.N. 195 of 2021: Constitution of Malta; Public Service Commission Appointments (Amendment) Regulations, 2021.

L.N. 196 of 2021: Public Health Act (Cap. 465); Travel Ban (Extension to All Countries) (Amendment) Order, 2021.

L.N. 197 of 2021: Public Health Act (Cap. 465); Period of Quarantine (Amendment) Order, 2021.

L.N. 198 of 2021: Income Tax Act (Cap. 123); Double Taxation Relief (Taxes on Income) (The Swiss Confederation) (Amendment) Order, 2021.

L.N. 199 of 2021: Prevention of Money Laundering Act (Cap. 373); Prevention of Money Laundering and Funding of Terrorism (Amendment) Regulations, 2021.

L.N. 200 of 2021: Traffic Regulation Ordinance (Cap. 65); Motor Vehicles (Carriage of Dangerous  Goods by Road) (Amendment) Regulations, 2021.

L.n. 201 of 2021: Building and Construction Authority Act, 2021(Act No. XIV of 2021); Commencement Notice.

L.n. 202 of 2021: Board of Directors for Mental Health Services Regulations (S.L. 528.07); Commencement Notice.

L.n. 203 of 2021: Public Health Act (Cap. 465); Vaccination against COVID-19 Certificate Order, 2021.

IT is hereby notified for general information that in accordance with Article 1 and 7 of the Statute and Regulations of the Marsa Racing Club, the Minister for Inclusion and Social Wellbeing has approved the appointment of the Malta Racing Club Council. These appointments are valid till the 31st December, 2021.

Chairperson

Justice Emeritus Antonio Mizzi

Deputy Chairperson

Mr Edwin Borg

Members

Mr George Farrugia

Mr Anthony Mifsud

Mr Joseph Zerafa

Secretary

Mr Peter Paul Caruana

IT is hereby notified that in virtue of Article 14(d) and Article 19 of the Notarial Profession and Notarial Archives Act (Cap. 55) and by a Decree issued on the 14/4/2021 by the Court of Revision of Notarial Acts, Notary Doctor Charlene Mifsud nèe Caruana has renounced from exercising the profession of Notary Public and consequently has appointed Notary Doctor Sharon Faith Farrugia as Keeper of all her original deeds, including public wills.

Dr Keith Francis German

Chief Notary to Government

Refund Grant on the Deposit Paidfor Postponement or Adaptation ofWeddings/Civil Union Ceremonies

WITH reference to Government Notice number 921, published in Government Gazette number 20,458 of 10th August, 2020, and subsequently amended by Government Notice number 1287, that was published on the 3rd November, 2020, in Government Gazette number 20,511, the grant scheme 'Refund Grant on the deposit paid for postponement or adaptation of Weddings/Civil Union Ceremonies' is being amended as follows.

As part of the Government Economic Recovery Plan in order to alleviate the unprecedented difficulties which some couples were faced with,  due to the Covid-19 outbreak the Minister for Finance and Employment has made the following scheme, whereby couples who had to postpone or adapt their wedding due to the restrictions caused by Covid-19 will get reimbursed for their forfeited deposits.

1. Interpretation

In this scheme, unless the context otherwise requires:

'eligible applicants' means:

a) a couple who got married or entered a civil union, in terms of the relative provisions of the Civil Code (Cap. 16);

b) whose wedding/civil union ceremony was originally due to be held between 8th March, 2020 and 31st December, 2021, and had to be postponed or adapted due to Covid-19 outbreak, as proven by the submitted documentation;

c) due to postponement or adaptation of their wedding/ civil union ceremony they had to forfeit the deposit paid on goods and services relating to their wedding/civil union ceremony as proven by the documentation.

'application' means an application made for a grant under this scheme;

'effective date' means 8th March, 2020;

'Malta' means the islands of Malta;

'Member State' means a Member State of the European Union;

'European Union' has the same meaning as is assigned to it by article 2 of the European Union Act (Cap. 460), and includes Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein;

'forfeited deposit' means deposit paid to supplier/ service provider for the supply of goods and services relating to a marriage/civil union ceremony, which deposit was charged by the supplier/service provider, subsequent to the postponement or adaptation of the marriage/civil union ceremony due to Covid-19 restrictions.

'goods and services relating to the postponement or adaptation of weddings/civil union ceremonies' means the goods and services specified in the First Schedule to this scheme;

'person residing in Malta' means a natural person who either holds a legally valid identification document issued in terms of the Identity Card and other Documents Act (Cap. 258) or who has a residence permit or equivalent documentation issued by the national competent authority;

'fiscal receipt' means a receipt as defined in the Thirteenth Schedule to the Value Added Tax Act (Cap. 406), as subsequently amended, and also includes any regulation made under the same Act;

'marriage/civil union ceremony' means a ceremony where two people are united in marriage/a civil union in terms of the relative provisions of the Civil Code (Cap. 16).

2. Area of applicability

a) This scheme applies to expenditure incurred by eligible applicants due to forfeited deposit paid for the supply of goods and services relating to their marriage/civil union ceremony, which had to be postponed or adapted due to Covid-19 restrictions.

b) The postponed/ adapted marriage/civil union ceremony was held/subsequently held, which function was performed in Malta and where, on the date of marriage/civil union, at least one of the applicants is a person residing in Malta.

3. Expenditure to be reported

The expenditure to be reported is in respect to the deposit paid and forfeited due to wedding/civil union postponement or adaptation for the supply of goods and services indicated in the First Schedule to this scheme.

4. Manner of application and supporting documents

Applications under this scheme shall be made only via the official electronic portal/s which may be indicated from time to time for this purpose.

For this purpose, the applicant shall furnish the details of the receipt of the deposit paid and details of the final fiscal receipt of goods and service provided, for the actual wedding/civil union ceremony held/ subsequently held and any further documentation required to be submitted as required on the indicated portal.

Provided that, the below listed documentation are kept by the applicant for a period of not less than two years from the date of application and produced upon request to the Office of the Commissioner for Revenue for verification purposes:

a) copy of the original invoices and the receipt of the deposit paid;

b) copy of final fiscal receipt of goods and service provided, for the actual wedding/civil union ceremony/ held/subsequently held;

c) where applicable, a copy of the original contracts and subsequent amendments;

d) declaration of the vendor/ service provider that he kept original deposit.

Failure to produce any such documents upon request, the applicant will be obliged to refund the amount paid under the scheme and in the case of a fraudulent application criminal action in terms of the Criminal Code (Cap 9) will be taken against him.

Only those applications that are found to conform to the provisions of this Scheme shall be eligible for payment of the grant referred to in section 5 of this scheme.

Applications under this scheme, including the details of documents required, should be submitted by not later than six months (180 days) from the date of the marriage/civil union ceremony. Applications received 'late', that is after the six-month period, shall be deemed to be invalid applications.

5. Grant payable under the Scheme

Eligible applicants may apply for a once-only grant of a maximum of €2,000 reimbursing forfeited deposit paid due to postponement or adaptation of wedding/ Civil union ceremony due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

6. Payment of grant

The grant will be credited to the bank account indicated by the applicant in the application.

7.Validity of application

An application shall not be deemed to be valid unless:

(a) it is full and complete in all material aspects;

(b) it is accompanied by all the relevant documentation or details as required;

(c) is furnished to the Office of the Commissioner for Revenue by not later than six months from the date of the wedding/civil union ceremony as is stipulated in Section 4 of this scheme.

8. Duration of the scheme

This scheme shall remain in force, for a definite duration, that will commence from the effective date and end once the allocation of €2 million is exhausted, unless this scheme is not modified/terminated by means of a Notice in the Government Gazette.

9. Amendments to the scheme

The Minister for Finance and Employment reserves the right to make any amendments to this scheme by the publication of the said amendments in the Government Gazette.

10. Transitory Provisions

Applications made under this scheme relating to the expenditure incurred by eligible applicants, on the deposit of supply of goods and services relating to their wedding/civil union ceremony, which original function was held/ was due to be held between the effective date and the date of publication of this Notice, shall be deemed to be valid applications under this scheme.

FIRST SCHEDULE

Categories of supplies of goods and services connected with weddings/civil union ceremonies.

Clause 3

1. Hairdresser – Beautician – Make-up artist

2. Bridal/Partner wear including bridesmaids'/pageboys

3. Hire of suits: bridegroom/partner, witnesses, best man, ushers, etc.

4. Bridal/Partner car and other chauffeur hired cars

5. Flowers and floral arrangements

6. Audio visual services: video-audio recordings –photography

7. Services of singer/choir/musicians at wedding /civil union ceremony

8. Services of singers/musicians/bands disco at wedding/ civil union reception

9. Hire of wedding/civil union reception venue

10. Catering, beverages and waiter services at wedding/ civil union reception

11. Services of an event organiser

12. Other expenses – souvenirs, invites, etc.

THE Commissioner of Inland Revenue notifies that, on the date shown hereunder, the price of gold and silver on which valuations made by the Consul for Goldsmiths and Silversmiths are based has been fixed for the purposes of article 14 of the said Act as follows: