Government Notices published in Government Gazette No. 21,399 of 4th March 2025

IT is notified for general information that the following Legal Notices were published in the Supplement to the Government Gazette No. 21,398 of 28th February, 2025 (Legal Notices 48 to 49).

L.N. 48 of 2025: Regulator for Energy and Water Services Act (Cap. 545); Feed-in Tariffs Scheme (Electricity Generated from Solar Photovoltaic Installations) (Amendment) Regulations, 2025.

L.N. 49 of 2025: Council for Maltese Living Abroad (Amendment) Act, 2024 (Act No. Xxiv of 2024) (Cap. 515); Commencement Notice.

IT is notified that in exercise of such powers as provided by Article (3) of the Commissioners for Oaths Ordinance (Cap. 79) the Minister for Justice and Reform of the Construction Sector appointed as Commissioners for Oaths, in the performance of their duties and for as long as they remain in such office, the undermentioned:

Public Officers/Employees

Vassallo, Advocate Dr Audrey, Asst Registrar, Dept of Justice

By Authority

Jonathan Attard

Minister for Justice and Reform of the Construction Sector

Notice in terms of Article 61(1)

In terms of the proviso to article 61 (1) of the Duty on Documents and Transfers Act, the Commissioner for Tax and Customs hereby notifies the persons listed hereunder to call at the Capital Transfer Duty Department, 63, Triq Zekka, Valletta, to collect the notices made on such persons.

Contingency measures laid down on the areas of Xagħra and the Marsalforn route (Gozo) for the control of Citrus Tristeza Virus (CTV)

WITH reference to Part V (Containment and Eradication of Plant Pests), Article 20 (1) of the Act, the Plant Protection Directorate within the Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights hereby notifies that:

1. Following the identification of more Citrus Tristeza Virus (CTV) infected trees in the areas of Xagħra and along the Marsalforn route in Gozo, which are located on the following coordinates:

a. 36.062507 latitude, 14.256324 longitude

b. 36.063401 latitude, 14.262382 longitude

c. 36.059049 latitude, 14.2594 longitude;

2. Areas falling within 500m of these co-ordinates will be placed under contingency measures, as the CTV virus poses a significant threat to the citrus trees of the Maltese Islands;

3. Infected trees will be marked with identification tags by officials from the Plant Protection Directorate, after which the trees will be destroyed;

4. Individuals in possession of CTV infected trees will be informed in writing by the Plant Protection Directorate regarding the scheduled destruction of these trees;

5. The destruction of infected trees must be carried out by the owners on the date specified by the Plant Protection Directorate, in the presence of Inspectors from the Monitoring and Control Unit. The process involves uprooting, cutting the trees into pieces, and burning them at a designated location within the area of cultivation;

6. Any person, entity, authority, or legal entity responsible for property where infected trees are located must inform the Plant Protection Directorate of any other citrus trees in their possession, both within and outside the designated contingency areas;

7. Individuals are required to periodically apply plant protection products to monitor aphids on all citrus trees in their possession within the contingency areas and to apply plant protection products when necessary to minimise the risk of further spreading the infection. They are obligated to follow any additional guidelines as may be issued by the Plant Protection Directorate;

8. Only plant protection products registered for use on citrus in the Maltese Islands, as per the list issued by the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority, may be used for aphid control;

9. Persons in possession of infected trees must ensure that any produce harvested from these trees is circulated without leaves and peduncles;

10. The Plant Protection Directorate will conduct surveys in the areas under contingency measures for a period of up to three years to ensure that no further infected trees are present.

11. The Director may issue additional or more stringent guidelines as necessary, to prevent the further spread of the CTV virus.

Notification of Affixation of Notice

It is notified for general information that in terms of Regulation No. 10 of Subsidiary Legislation 573.06, a notice has been affixed on the hereunder indicated sites informing co-tenants recognised in solidum with the submission of the application that has been made by other co-tenants on the same land. Applicant is responsible to ensure that the notice is to remain affixed on site for five (5) working days from the date of affixation.

If the notice is removed by third parties prior to the expiry of such date, the applicant must contact the Lands Authority on (enforcement.la@landsauthority.org.mt), so that the notice is re-affixed on site.

Per Capita Assistance to Independent Schools related to human resources, services and facilities required for the Implementation of Educational Reforms as per National Education Strategy (2024-2030)

To support the implementation of the National Education Strategy (2024-2030), the Minister for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation is extending the Per Capita Assistance scheme that aims to provide per capita assistance to Independent Schools with regards to human resources and identified categories of services and facilities related to such reforms in the interest of national educational development, so that learners in these schools may also benefit from the highest quality educational environment.

With the above in mind and in the context of the Government/ MUT 2024-2029 Sectoral Agreement,this scheme is being extended to cover also part reimbrsement of salaries of eligible Educators currently being employed and paid by independent schools.

The eligible expenses claimed relating to Human Resources costs (i.e. part reimbursement of salary) shall not exceed 80% (eighty percent) of the total eligible assistance provided by the Government to the School under the scheme in any one calendar year. The remaining balance shall relate to eligible expenditure for services and facilities of the total school entitlement as per below.

SCHEME

1. Interpretation

In this scheme, unless the context otherwise requires: “applicant" means a person, who on the date of application is officially recognised as the Head of the Independent School, or temporarily acting that capacity, and on whose behalf such person is applying for the assistance which may be granted under this Scheme;

“effective date" means from 1st January, 2024 to 31st December, 2025.

“Malta" means the Maltese Islands;

“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;

“payslip" means written official evidence that the wage of an Educator has been duly disbursed by the school and received by the employee.

“Teachers Warrant" means a valid permanent or temporary warrant issued by the Council for the Teaching Profession.

“acknowledgement of notification of employment" (NOE) means the document issued by the Education Recources Department of MEYR acknowledgement an employee's engagment within the named independent school applying for this scheme. In case of a supply educator, the acknowledgement of notification of employment needs to reflect the current scholastic year.

The Head of School takes full responsbility that the NOE submitted fully reflects the actual role of the employee including subject/s approved and taught.

“independent school" means:

an institution the resources of which, both of persons and of things, are ordained towards the promotion of the education and training of other persons through the dissemination of knowledge in accordance with article 2 of the Education Act (Cap. 605); and

an institution providing education at kindergarten, primary and/or secondary level/s; and

an institution that is fully compliant with the National Minimum Curriculum and is thus not applying specific waivers therefrom in agreement with the Directorate for Quality and Standards in Education, as is the case with International Schools, and

an institution which already has a valid licence to operate as a school in full compliance of the Education Act (Cap. 605) as at the effective date of this Grant;

'eligible expenditure' means:

any expense, including Human Resources costs (partreimbursement of salary) incurred in theimplementation of the Education Strategy for Maltaandthe National Curriculum Framework; and any expenseincurred including Human Resources costs which though not part of the Education Strategyfor Malta or the National Curriculum Framework, is to be implemented by all Schools in Malta and shall include the following:

Human resources; part reimbursement of salary for Head of School, Assistant Head, Head of Department and teacher, Inclusion Coordinator, Supply Teacher, Supply Graduate Teacher, Kindergarten Educator / Supply KGE.

Provided that eligible expenses claimed related to Human Resources costs as described in this paragraph, shall not exceed 80% (eighty percent) of the total assistance provided by the Government to the School under the Scheme in any one calendar year. The remaining balance of the total assistance provided by the Government to the School will be for services and facilities.

Services and Facilities

Services related to the individual needs of students; investment in ICT hardware, software and IT licences;

improvement in science facilities;

improvement in sports facilities;

improvement in the professional development of teachers in independent schools;

services directly and reasonably related to the above, such as architect/engineer/expert fees where applicable;

continuous professional development opportunities for educators/educational leaders and professional support in relation to improvement linked to national policies and the National Quality Standards;

costs related to exceptional circumstances of national nature.

Works of a Capital Nature and services directly related to the improvement of the quality of teaching and learning. These may include the expenses of the construction / upgrading and/or completion phase incurred in order for a school to extend and/or enhance its teaching services in the primary or secondary level, as may be required, and directly related services, such as P.A. processing fees originally envisaged in the planning stages of the works of a capital nature.

Services and works carried out as from the effective date as detailed in DQSE circular: Per Capita Grant Scheme– 2025 (DQSE 02/2025). Expenses related to travel and accommodation shall not be considered eligible expenditure.

2. Area of applicability

This scheme relates to eligible expenditure including part reimbursement of salaries by an independent school carried out during the eligible period. It should be noted that schools that apply for assistance under any other Government scheme shall not benefit from assistance for the same expenditure under this scheme.

3. Manner of application and supporting documents required:

i) Applications under this scheme are to be made on the form referred to in the schedule to this scheme and to contain all the information, details and documents as required in the said form and in terms of this scheme,

ii) Applications are to be accompanied by the documents shown hereunder:

a copy of the identity card of the applicant or, in the absence of an identity card, any other official document that identifies the applicant;

For Eligible Expenditure:

Human Resources

payslips for educators are to be submitted as a soft copy accompanied by requested documentation; approval or notification of employment and valid teaching warrant (permanent or temporary) for Educators who are currently eligible for one, according to CTP parameters and National Minimum Conditions 605.02.81 (not applicable for Kindergarten Educators / Supply KGEs and Inclusion Co-ordinators).

Services and Facilities

The original fiscal receipt/s as well as the commercial invoices authenticated by the Head of School and, where applicable, by a warranted architect;

In the case of school furniture, equipment and software that fall within eligible expenditure. and which items are not purchased from Malta, the original invoices of the purchase of such items issued by the supplier together with the delivery note/s, the original documentary proof that final payment has been effected, and clearance from Maltapost/ Department of Customs Malta, as may be required. These documents must confirm that such items were really purchased; the expenditure costs, and which costs include duty and VAT as may be required, were really paid in full; and that such purchase was effected by the school applying for the grant under this scheme for the same school. Such purchased items must also conform to EU standard safety regulations, as may be required.

These documents are to be endorsed by the Head of School.

where applicable, an official certificate issued by the warranted architect confirming that the eligible works of a capital nature as described in the application form are in conformity with all the existing regulations and laws, and in accordance with the necessary permits issued by P.A., as well as the consent of third parties, if and as may be required for the works to be carried out,

where applicable, an officially endorsed copy of the Planning Authority (P.A.) approval of the works of a capital nature as described in the application form;

where applicable, an officially endorsed copy of the P.A. Compliance Certificate of the said works of a capital nature;

any other document which the Minister for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation may, from time to time, require.

Only those applications that are in conformity with all the provisions of this scheme shall be eligible for payment of the assistance referred to in Clause 5 of this scheme.

Applications under this scheme, including the documents that are to be submitted with the application as a soft copy shall also be submitted by hand to the Directorate for Quality and Standards in Education, Joseph Abela Scolaro street Ħamrun, for receipt eligibility purposes. During the period between the commencement of such works and their termination, application for grants related to the termination of the various phases of such works shall also be considered.

For Part Salary Reimbursement

A) The scheme will partly reimburse eligible monthly payslips of Educators (Head of School,Assistant Head, Head of Department, Inclusion Coordinator, Teacher/ Supply Graduate Teacher/ Supply Teacher/ Kindergarten Educator /Supply KGE), up to a maximum of Euros 1,400 on the NET amount for every payslip upon submission of:

A valid payslip

A valid Teachers Warrant (for Educators who are currently eligible for one, according to CTP parameters and National Minimum Conditions 605.02.81 (not applicable for Kindergarten Educators / Supply KGEs and Inclusion Co-ordinators)

A valid Acknowledgement of Notification of Employment issued by ERD.

B) Payslips will be collected by DQSE for processing in April/May 2025 (Payslips for January 2025 to April 2025 both months can be included).

November 2025 (Payslips for April 2025 (if not previously submitted) to October 2025.

An annual circular shall be issued by the DQSE delivering dates and parameters accordingly.

4. Per Capita Assistance payable under this Scheme

Funds shall be allocated in the form of reimbursement of receipts and submitted staff documentation that are eligible as per sections 1, 2 and 3 above, and according to the number of registered students as officially submitted by the school at the beginning of each scholastic year and officially approved by the Directorate Educational Services.

The maximum yearly allocation of funds shall be as follows:

€228 for every child in kindergarten;

€448 for every pupil in primary school;

€766 for every pupil in secondary school (i.e. up to and

year 11).

5. Deadlines for submission of applications

Applications are accepted as per the deadline stipulated in the DQSE circular: Per Capita Grant Scheme– 2025 (DQSE 02/2025).

Applications submitted after this date shall not be accepted. Funds not used in one year cannot be carried over in the following year.

6. Payment of funds

The funds shall be paid to the applicant through bank transactions.

7. Validity of application

An application shall not be deemed to have been submitted unless it is full and complete in all material respects and unless it contains all the information and is accompanied by all the documentation requested. Late applications will not be considered. The Head of School (HOS) is legally responsible and liable for the authenticity and veracity of all submitted documents and information.

Only those schools who are signatories of the Contract signed between the Government of Malta and the named Independent School shall be deemed to be eligible for this scheme and the reimbursement thereof.

As per Contract signed between the Government of Malta and the named Independent Schools, beneficiaries of this scheme cannot increase tuition fees further than the stipulated twelve percent (12%) yearly for the duration of the contract.

Provided that, as per Subsidiary Legislation National Minimum Conditions for all Schools 605.02.12.3 no alteration school fees or other dues shall be made without giving prior notice thereof to the Ministry of Education at least one month before the proposed change is to come into effect.

The DQSE reserves the right to follow criteria as stipulated in contract signed between the Government of Malta and the named Independent School and S.L. NMC 605.02 and conduct unannounced checks regarding the scheme.

8. Right of Appeal

Applicants whose applications or part thereof are not approved by the Directorate for Quality' and Standards in Education shall be so informed within one month of date of submission of application, and shall have the right to appeal this decision in writing with the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation.

Such appeals must be made not later than 15 calendar days after the communication of non-approval by the Director, DQSE. The decision of the Permanent Secretary (MEYR) shall be final.

9. Duration of the Scheme

This Scheme shall remain in force till the effective date and shall cease thereafter to be in force. This scheme may be terminated before that date by means of a Notice in the Goernment Gazette, and may be renewed for further periods through a similar Notice.

10. Amendments to the Scheme

The Minister responsible for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation shall have the right to make any amendments to this scheme by the publication of the said amendments in the Government Gazette.

SCHEDULE

Application form as communicated by the Directorate for Quality and Standards in Education.

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: