Farm Advisory Services Regulations, 2010 (L.N. 113 of 2010)

B 1249VERŻJONI ELETTRONIKA A.L. 113 tal-2010 ATT DWAR IL-PROVVISTI U S-SERVIZZI (KAP. 117) Regolamenti ta’ l-2010 dwar is-Servizzi Konsultattivi għall-Irziezet BIS-SAĦĦA tas-setgħat mogħtija bl-Artikolu 3 tal-Att dwar il-Provvisti u s-Servizzi, il-Ministru għar-Riżorsi u Affarijiet Rurali għamel dawn ir-regolamenti li ġejjin: 1. (1) It-titolu ta’ dawn ir-regolamenti huwa r-Regolamenti ta’ l-2010 dwar is-Servizzi Konsultattivi għall-Irziezet. (2) Dawn ir-regolamenti jirregolaw it-twaqqif u r-reġistrazzjoni tas-Servizzi Konsultattivi tal-Irziezet biex jassistu l-bdiewa u lil dawk li jrabbu l-annimali billi jingħataw pariri professjonali dwar il-ħtigijiet statutorji ta’ immaniġġar, biedja għaqlija u kondizzjonijiet ambjentali tajba, standards ta’ sigurtà fuq ix-xogħol u dwar il-leġislazzjoni kollha assoċjata tal-Komunità għat-titjib tar-riżultati ta’ l-azjenda tagħhom. 2. F’dawn ir-regolamenti, sakemm it-tifsir tal-kliem ma’ jkunx jeħtieġ xort oħra: “l-Att” tfisser l-Att dwar il-Provvista u s-Servizzi; “awtorità kompetenti” tfisser l-Aġenzija tal-Pagamenti fi ħdan il-Ministeru responsabbli għall-affarijiet rurali; “i l-Bord” tfisser i l-Bord ta’ Reġistrazzjoni ta’ Konsulenza għall-Irziezet; “entità” tinkludi kull kumpanija, assoċjazzjoni, koperattiva, trade union, soċjetà, jew xi forma oħra rikonoxxuta legalment. 3. L-għan ewlieni ta’ servizzi konsultattivi għall-irziezet għandu jkun li jingħata sostenn lill-bdiewa u lil dawk li jrabbu Titolu u skop. Tifsiriet. Għan tas-servizzi konsultattivi għall irziezet. Suppliment tal-Gazzetta tal-Gvern ta’ Malta Nru. 18,560, 5 ta’ Marzu, 2010 Taqsima B B 1250 VERŻJONI ELETTRONIKA l-annimali fl-uzu ta’ servizzi ta’ konsulenza għat-titjib tal prestazzjoni globali ta’ l-attività tagħhom. Servizz ta’ konsulenza minima bħal dan għall-bdiewa għandu jkopri: (a) ir-rekwiziti ta’ ġestjoni statutarji u l-kundizzjonijiet agrikoli u ambjentali tajba li hemm provdut dwarhom fl Artikli 5 u 6 u fl-Annessi III u IV tar-Regolamenti KE 73/2009; (b) standards ta’ sigurtà fuq ix-xogħol ibbażata fuq il legislazzjoni tal-Komunità; (ċ) osservanza, mill-bdiewa u dawk li jrabbu l-annimali fl-irziezet ta’ – (i) prattiċi ta’ biedja tajbin, (ii) kodiċi ta’ prattiċi agrikoli tajbin, (iii) standards tas-saħħa u s-siġurtà, (iv) għarfien u fuq kollox il-konformità mad Direttivi kollha li jaqgħu taħt il-cross compliance, (v) żviluppi u obbligi fuq il-pagamenti CAP attwali u futuri u miżuri ta’ żvilupp rurali; (d) għajnuna fil-mili tal-formuli ta’ l-applikazzjoni u, jew pjani ta’ miżuri ta’ ġestjoni ta’ razzett sħiħ ta’ mizuri ta’ żvilupp rurali. 4. Għandu jingħata sostenn għall-użu ta’ servizzi ta’ konsulenza sabiex il-bdiewa u dawk li jrabbu l-annimali u dawk li jieħdu ħsieb il-foresti jkunu jistgħu jagħmlu tajjeb għall-ispejjez li joriġinaw mill-uzu ta’ servizzi rikonoxxuti. 5. Għandu jkun hemm Bord, li jkun magħruf bħala l-Bord ta’ Reġistrazzjoni ta’ Konsulenza għall-Irziezet, li għandu jinħatar skond id-dispożizzjonijiet ta’ dawn ir-regolamenti, u li għandu jirrakkomanda lir-reġistratur il-ħruġ, is-sopensjoni, it-tħassir jew ir-reintegrazzjoni ta’ ċertifikati fir-reġistru,jew kull azzjoni oħra li titqies neċessarja mill-Bord. 6. (1) Deċiżjoniiet dwar applikazzjonij iet għar reġistrazzjoni għandhom jittieħdu mill-Bord magħmul minn ħames Għan tas-Servizzi ta’ Konsulenza. Ħruġ ta’ ċertifikati dwar is-Servizzi ta’ l-Irziezet. Il-Bord. B 1251VERŻJONI ELETTRONIKA persuni li jkunu jirraprezentaw lill-Ministeru responsabbli għall agrikoltura. Dawn il-membri għandhom jiġu appuntanti mis Segretarju Permanenti fil-Ministeru responsabbli għall-agrikoltura. Il-President għandu jkun appuntat mill-membri tal-Bord matul l-ewwel seduta. Is-segretarju tal-Bord għandhu jkun rappreżentant mill-Aġenzija tal-Pagamenti li jkun ukoll ir-reġistratur u li jkun responsabbli għar-reġistru tas-Servizzi Konsultattivi ta’ l-Irziezet. Il-Bord għandu jirregola l-proċeduri interni tiegħu. (2) Il-Bord għandu jevalwa l-applikazzjonijiet għall għarfien u għar-reġistrazzjoni u għandu jħejji lista ta’ l-entitjiet kollha li, fl-opinjoni tal-Bord, ikunu jissodisfaw ir-rekwiżiti għar reġistrazzjoni u li għalhekk għandhom jinħarġu b’ċertifikat ta’ reġistrazzjoni. Il-Bord għandu wkoll jagħti l-motivazzjonijiet għad deċiżjonijiet li jieħu. (3) Id-deċiżjonijiet tal-Bord li jaċċetta jew li jirrifjuta applikazzjoni għal reġistrazzjoni fir-Reġistru għandha tiġi avżata bil-miktub lill-applikant fi żmien 30 jum mid-deċiżjoni. (4) Applikanti li ma jkunux jaqblu mar-riżultat tal proċess ta’ reġistrazzjoni jkollhom id-dritt li jappellaw minn dik id-deċiżjoni bil-miktub quddiem il-Bord għar-Riżoluzzjoni ta’ Kontroversji msemmija fir-Regolamenti tal-2007 dwar il-Bord għar-Riżoluzzjoni ta’ Kontroversji, fiż-żmien 15-il jum mid-data tal-komunikazzjoni tad-deċiżjoni; ir-riżultat tal-appell għandu jingħata fiż-żmien tletin jum minn meta jkun ġie ippreżentat l-appell u d-deċiżjoni tal-Bord għar-Riżoluzzjoni ta’ Kontroversji għandha tkun waħda finali. 7. Ir-reġistratur ikun responsabbli għar-reġistru u għall-ħruġ ta’ ċertifikati ta’ reġistrazzjoni fir-Reġistru, u li jniżżel nota fih ta’ kull sospensjoni, tħassir u reintegrazzjoni ta’ dawk iċ-ċertifikati. Il lista ta’ l-entitajiet reġistrati għandha ssir pubblika u tiġi rriveduta regolarment għal kull bidla li ssir fiha. 8. L-entitajiet għandhom jagħtu aċċċess għal membri jew persuni awtorizzati mill-Bord biex iwettqu spezzjoni biex jivverifikaw il-preċizjoni ta’ kull informazzjoni provduta fid dikjarazzjoni biex tiġi żgurata l-konformità ma’ dawn ir regolamenti. 9. Kull applikazzjoniji għar-reġistrazzjoni għandha tiġi ippreżentata lill-awtorità kompetenti skond avviż li jiġi pubblikat fil-Gazzetta tal-Gvern. A.L. 168 ta’ l-2007. Obbligi tar-reġistratur. Spezzjonijiet tal-Bord Applikazzjoni għar reġistrazzjoni. B 1252 VERŻJONI ELETTRONIKA 10. (1 ) Sabiex tkun reġ is t ra ta bħa la en t i tà ta ’ konsultazzjoni ta’ l-irziezet, l-entità għandha turi li għandha grupp ewlieni b’kompetenza ta’ sentejn esperjenza u esperti jew konsulenti tekniċi kwalifikati b’ livell adatt ta’ taħriġ, u għarfien rikonoxxut ta’ kull politka tal-PAK, cross compliance, kif ukoll prattiċi ta’ biedja tajbin, CoGAP, siġurtà u saħħa, miżuri u applikazzjonijiet ta’ żvilupp rurali, u produzzjoni agrikola (trobbija ta’ l-annimali u kultivazzjoni tar-raba). Jistgħu jiġu kkunsidrati ukoll xi espert jew konsulent wieħed li jkollu l-istess rekwiziti bħal dawk imsemmija hawn qabel. Il-grupp li jagħti sostenn tekniku lil xi espert u, jew konsulent, għandu jkun reġistrat ukoll. Il Servizzi Konsultattivi għall-Irziezet għandhom j.uru li l-membri li jiffurmaw parti mill-grupp ta’ sostenn tekniku jkollu diploma u, jew esperjenza twila tax-xogħol f’dak il-kamp li jkun qiegħed jaħdem fih. Dawn l-esperti u konsulenti jistgħu ukoll ikollhom is sostenn ta’ grupp tekniku amministrattiv. Kull rapport li jinħareġ mill-entità magħzula għandu jiġi ffirmat minn dawk l-esperti u l-konsulenti u mhux minn membru tal-grupp ta’ sostenn. Flimkien ma’ l-applikazzjoni għandu jiġi ppreżentat il-curriculum vitae flimkien ma’ transcript tal-krediti ta’ l-esperti prinċipali bi prova tal-kwalifiki tagħhom. Mhux possibbli li l-esperti jkunu parti minn aktar minn entità waħda tas-Servizzi ta’ Konsulenza għall-Irziezet. (2) L-entità għandha tara li torganizza korsijiet ta’ taħriġ fl-oqsma tekniċi kollha koperti bis-sub-regolament (1) ta’ dan ir-regolament. (3 ) L -en t i t à għandha l - ewwe l t ħa l l a s d r i t t amministrattiva kif stipulat fl-Iskeda li tinsab ma’ dawn ir regolamenti. Il-Bord imbagħad jeżamina jekk l-entità għandhiex tiġi rikonoxxuta. Wara li l-Bord jikkomunika lill-entità li tkun ġiet rikonoxxuta, l-entita għandha tħallas id-dritt ta’ rikonoxximent kif stabbilit fl-Iskeda. Dak id-dritt mhux rifondibbli. (4) L-entità għandha tipprovdi wkoll dikjarazzjoni li ma jeżistix konflitt t’interess mal-klijenti tagħha. L-entità għandha l-obbligu tiżgura li l-uffiċjali konsultattivi li jkunu jagħtu parir lill klijenti ma jkollhomx l-istess applikazzjonijiet ta’ status ta’ valutazzjoni. 11. Il-Bord għandu jirreġistra entità jekk dan ikun sodisfatt li din tkun konformi mal-kriterji stabbiliti fir-regolament 10 ta’ dawn ir-regolamenti. Kriterji għar reġistrazzjoni. Reġistrazzjoni mill Bord. B 1253VERŻJONI ELETTRONIKA 12. (1) Entitajiet reġistrati bħala entitajiet ta’ konsulenza tal-irziezet għandhom jsegwu l-pariri u r-rakkomandazzjonijiet mogħtija mill-Ministru responsabbli għall-agrikoltura; barra minn hekk, dawk l-entitatijiet għandhom id-doveri jiżguraw li xogħol korrelatat m’għandux jintbagħat lura jew ikun mitlub mill-Ministru responsabbli għall-agrikoltura. (2) Entitajiet ta’ konsulenza dwar l-irziezet għandhom jassumu responsabbiltà sħiħa dwar l-informazzjoni u servizzi mogħtija lill-klijenti tagħhom mill-impjegati tagħhom, u għandhom jipprovdu dikjarazzjoni iffirmata għal dan l-għan meta jkunu qiegħdin jippreżentaw id-dokument ta’ reġistrazzjoni tagħhom. (3) Kull data, record jew tibdil fl-istatus tal-entità jew klijenti għandhom jiġu rappurtati lill-Bord fi żmien għaxart ijiem tax-xogħol. (4) Dwar l-aċċess pubbliku għad-dokumenti , l-entitajiet privati u awtoritajiet appuntati m’għandhomx jikxfu informazzjoni personali jew individwali li huma jiksbu fl-attività konsultattiva tagħhom lil persuni li ma jkunux il-bidwi li jkun qiegħed jamministra dak ir-razzett, ħlief meta jiġu skoperti xi irregolarità jew ksur waqt l-attività tagħhom. Dik l-irregolarità jew ksur ikunu koperti bl-obbligu li tiġi informata awtorità pubblika, b’mod partikolari fil-każ ta’ reati kriminali. (5) L-entità tas-servizz konsultattiv tal-irziezet għandha xhar qabel it-terminazzjoni taċ-ċertifikat ta’ reġistrazzjoni, jipprovdu kopja tar-rapport dwar l-istatus ta’ kull klijent lill-entità tal-Gvern. (6) L-entità tas-servizz ta’ konsulenza tal-irziezet għandu jiżgura li l-esperti tagħha jattendu korsijiet speċjalizzati għat-taħriġ approvat mill-Ministeru responsabbli għall-agrikoltura dwar cross compliance, l-obbligi dwar il-Ħtiġijiet Statutoji ta’ Maniġġar, Biedja Għaqlija u Kondizzjonijiet Ambjentali Tajba. (7) Is-Servizzi Konsultattivi tal-Irziezet, għandhom jipprovdu rapporti ta’ l-istatus kull sitt xhur biex ikunu eżaminati mill-Bord. Ir-rapport ta’ sitt xhur għandu jiġi ppreżentat mhux aktar tard mill-1 ta’ Ġunju u l-1 ta’ kull Diċembru ta’ kull sena. (8) L-awtorità kompetenti tista’ toħroġ linji gwida dwar ir-rapport ta’ l-istatus u fuq it-twaqqif tas-Servizzi Konsultattiv għall-Irziezet. Obbligi tal-entitajiet. B 1254 VERŻJONI ELETTRONIKA 13. (1) Iċ-ċertifikat ta’ reġistrazzjoni għandu jkun fih din l-informazzjoni li ġejja: (a) l-isem ta’ l-entità jew ta’ xi mezz ieħor ta’ identifikazzjoni; (b) id-data meta jkun inħareġ iċ-ċertifikat. (2) Iċ-ċertifikati maħruġin lill-entitajiet ta’ konsulenza dwar l-irziezet eliġibbli għandhom ikunu validi għal sena. Dawn iċ-ċertifikati jistgħu jiġġeddu wara li ssir applikazzjoni mis-Servizz ta’ Konsulenza għall-Irziezet u dan sakemm il-kriterji kollha għar-reġistrazzjoni, kif provdut fir-regolament 10 jkunu għas sodisfazzjoni tal-Bord. 14. Il-Bord jista’ jħassar kull ċertifikat mogħti taħt id dispozizzjonijiet ta’ dawn ir-regolamenti meta d-deterntur ta’ dak iċ-ċertifikat: (a) jinsab ħati minn qorti ta’ ġurisdizzjoni kriminali ta’ reat, li jsir minħabba f’nuqqas ta’ prudenza, nuqqas ta’ attenzjoni, nuqqas ta’ ħila f’arti jew professjoni, kif ukoll minħabba f’nuqqas ta’ osservanza ta’ dawn ir-regolamenti; (b) jinsab ħati minn qorti ta’ ġurisdizzjoni kriminali ta’ xi reat taħt id-dispożizzjonijiet tal-Att, jew ta’ regolamenti magħmulin taħtu; jew (ċ) ikun, fil-fehma tal-Bord, ippreżenta xogħol taħt il livelli mixtieqa jew xogħol li jkun deliberatament qarrieqi f’xi proċedura ta’ konsulenza dwar l-irziezet; jew (d) jonqos milli jħallas id-dritt għat-tiġdid dovut ta’ kull sena; jew (e) jonqos milli jipprovdi d-dokumenti neċessarji u, jew evidenza kif meħtieġ mill-Bord fi żmien xahar minn meta jkun mitlub jagħmel dan. 15. (1) Kull entità li, għall-għanijiet li tikseb iċ-ċertifikat għar-reġistrazzjoni fir-Reġistru, tagħti informazzjoni żbaljata jew xort’oħra taġixxi b’mod li jqarraq jew li jiffroda, tkun ħatja ta’ reat u tista’, meta tinsab ħatja, teħel multa ta’ mhux izjed minn elfejn tliet mija u disgħa u għoxrin euro (€2,329). Ċertifikat ta’ reġistrazzjoni. Tħassir ta’ ċertifikati. Informazzjoni fuq iċ-ċertifikati. B 1255VERŻJONI ELETTRONIKA (2) Ir-reati u l-multi msemmija f’dan ir-regolament għandhom ikunu mingħajr preġudizzju għal kull reat u pieni oħra skond l-Att jew kull liġi oħra. 16. L-entitajiet ta’ konsulenza dwar l-irziezet għandhom jintrabtu li jikkonformaw jew li jaċċettaw kull tibdil fl-impenji, li jkunu daħlu għalihom b’mod konformi ma’ dawn ir-regolamenti, li jistgħu jkunu meħtiega bħala riżultat tal-leġislazzjoni ta’ l-Unjoni Ewropea jew leġislazzjoni lokali dwar il-Fond Agrikolu Ewropew għall-Iżvilupp Rurali. 17. Ir-regoli u l-proċeduri kif ukoll ir-rekwiżiti minimi biex entità tiġi aċċettata bħala entità ta’ konsulenza dwar l-irziezet reġistrata għandhom jiġu pubblikati fil-Gazzetta. 18. Ir-Regolamenti tal-2008 dwar Servizzi ta’ Konsulenza fil-Qasam ta’ l-Agrikoltura, huma b’dawn revokati. Tibdil għall-impenji. Pubblikazzjoni tar regoli u proċeduri. Tirrevoka A.L. 41. ta’ l-2008. B 1256 VERŻJONI ELETTRONIKA SKEDA Regolamenti 10(3) SKEDA TAD-DRITTIJIET GĦAR-REGISTRAZZJONI GĦAL SERVIZZI TA’ KONSULENZA FIL-QASAM TA’ L-AGRIKOLTURA Id-drittijiet li ġejjin għandhom japplikaw għal reġistrazzjoni ta’ Entitajiet ta’ Konsulenza tal-Irziezet: DESKRIZZJONI TAD-DRITT Euro Dritt Amministrattiiv 20 Dritt ta’ Reġistrazzjoni 150 Dritt Annwali għat-Tiġdid ta’ kull sena 30 B 1257VERŻJONI ELETTRONIKA L.N. 113 of 2010 SUPPLIES AND SERVICES ACT (CAP. 117) Farm Advisory Services Regulations, 2010 IN exercise of the powers conferred by Article 3 of the Supplies and Services Act, the Ministry for Resources and Rural Affairs has made the following regulations: 1. (1) The title of these regulations is the Farm Advisory Services Regulations, 2010. (2) These regulations shall regulate the setting up and registration of the Farm Advisory Service to assist farmers and livestock breeders by providing professional advice on statutory management requirements, good agricultural and environmental conditions, occupational safety standards and all associated European Community legislation for the improvement of the overall performance of their holding. 2. In these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires – “the Act” means the Supplies and Services Act; “the Board” means the Farm Advisory Registration Board set by regulation 5 hereof; “competent authority” means the Paying Agency within the Ministry responsible for rural affairs. “entity” includes any company, association, co operative, trade union, partnership, or any other recognised legal form. 3. The primary objective of the Farm Advisory service shall be to provide advisory services to farmers and livestock breeders for the improvement of the overall performance of their holding. Such minimum advisory service to farmers shall cover: (a) the statutory management requirements and the good agricultural and environmental conditions provided for Citation and scope. Interpretation. Objectives of farm advisory services. B 1258 VERŻJONI ELETTRONIKA in Articles 5 and 6 and in Annexes III and IV to Regulation EC 73/2009; (b) occupational safety standards based on Community legislation; (c) observance, by farmers and livestock breeders, of – (i) good farming practices, (ii) code of good agricultural practices, (iii) health and safety standards, (iv) awareness and above all compliance with all Directives falling under cross compliance, (v) developments and obligations on current and future CAP payments and rural developments measures; (d) aid in the compilation of application forms and, or whole farm management plans of rural development measures. 4. Advisory services shall be granted in order to help farmers, livestock breeders and forest holders to meet costs arising from the use of recognised services. 5. There shall be a board, to be known as the Farm Advisory Registration Board, which shall be appointed in accordance with the provisions of these regulations, and which shall, inform the registrar to issue certificates or make any suspensions, cancellations and reinstatements of those certificates in the register, or any other action deemed necessary by the Board. 6. (1) Decisions on applications for registration shall be taken by the Board composed of five members being representatives from the Ministry responsible for agriculture. All these members shall be appointed by the Permanent Secretary responsible at the Ministry responsible for agriculture. The chairperson shall be appointed by the members of the Board during their first sitting. The secretary to the Board shall be a representative from the Paying Agency who shall also act as registrar and shall be responsible for the register of the Farm Advisory Services. The Board shall regulate its own procedure Aim of advisory services. Issue of certificates for Farm Advisory Services. The Board. B 1259VERŻJONI ELETTRONIKA (2) The Board shall assess applications for recognition and for registration and shall prepare a list of all entities which, in the opinion of the Board, meet the requirements for registration and which therefore may be issued with a certificate of registration. The Board shall also provide reasons for its decisions. (3) The decisions of the Board to accept or to refuse an application for registration in the Register shall be notified in writing by the registrar to the applicant within thirty days from the decision. (4) Applicants who do not agree with the outcome of the registration process will have the right to appeal from such decision in writing to the Board of Disputes referred to in the Dispute Resolution Board Regulations, 2007 within fifteen days from when the decision is issued; the result of the appeal shall be communicated within thirty days from the lodging of the appeal and the decision of the Dispute Resolution Board shall be final. 7. The registrar shall be responsible for keeping the register and shall issue a certificate of registration in the Register, and shall also note therein all suspensions, cancellations and reinstatements of those certificates. The list of the registered entities shall be made public and will be updated regularly with any changes therein. 8. Entities shall undertake to allow access to members or persons authorised by the Board for the purpose of carrying out an inspection in order to verify the accuracy of any information provided or any declaration made to ensure compliance with these regulations. 9. Applications for registration shall be submitted to the competent authority in terms of a notice to be published in the Gazette. 10. (1) In order to be registered as a farm advisory entity, the entity shall have to demonstrate that it has a core with competent two years experience and qualified technical experts or consultants with an appropriate level of technical and economic based training, and proven knowledge of CAP policies, cross compliance, as well as good farming practices, CoGAP, health and safety, rural development measures and applications, and agricultural production (livestock and crop husbandry). A single expert or consultant with the same requirements as above can also be considered. The technical support team to any expert and, or L.N. 168 of 2007. Registrar’s obligations. Board inspections. Application for registration. Criteria for registration. B 1260 VERŻJONI ELETTRONIKA consultants, must also be registered. The Farm Advisory Service shall demonstrate that the members forming the technical support team has a diploma and, or long work experience in the field he is working in. Such experts and consultants can also be supported by a team of technical administrative team. Any report issued by the entity selected would have to be signed by such experts and consultants and not by a member of the support team. A curriculum vitae together with a transcript of their credits of the core experts is to be presented as evidence of their qualification together with the application by the entity for registration. The experts cannot be part of more than one Farm Advisory Service entity. (2) The entity must undertake to organize training courses in all technical areas covered by sub-regulation (1) hereof. (3) The entity shall first pay an administrative fee indicated in the Schedule to these regulations The Board shall then assess whether the entity should be recognised. Following a communication from the Board that the entity may be recognised, the entity shall pay the recognition fee as established in the Schedule. This recognition fee shall not be refundable. (4) The entity shall also provide a declaration indicating that there is no conflict of interest with their clients. The entity shall be bound to ensure that the advisory officials who provide client advice shall not have the same evaluating status applications. 11. The Board shall register an entity if it is satisfied that it meets the criteria established in regulation 10 hereof. 12. (1) Registered farm advisory entities shall be obliged to follow advice and recommendations given by the Ministry responsible for agriculture; moreover, such entities are bound to ensure that correlated work shall not be re-diverted to, or requested from the Ministry responsible for agriculture. (2) Farm advisory entities shall take full responsibility of all information provided and services rendered to their clients by their personnel, and they shall provide a signed declaration to this effect when submitting the relevant registration documentation. (3) Client data, records or status changes shall be reported to the Board within ten working days. Registration by the board. Obligation of the Entities. B 1261VERŻJONI ELETTRONIKA (4) Insofar as public access to documents is concerned, private bodies and designated authorities shall not disclose personal or individual information which they obtain in their advisory activity to persons other than the farmer managing the holding concerned, except where any irregularity or infringement is found during their activity. Such irregularity or infringement is to be covered by an obligation to inform a public authority, in particular in the case of criminal offences. (5) The farm advisory service entity shall, one month prior the termination of validity date issued on the certificate, provide a copy of the status report of each client to the Government entity. (6) Farm advisory services shall ensure that its experts shall attend a specialized training course approved by the Ministry responsible for agriculture on cross compliance covering the obligations of the Statutory Management Requirements and Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions. (7) The Farm Advisory Services shall provide half yearly status reports on the Farm Advisory service to be assessed by the Board. The half yearly report shall be submitted not later than the 1st June and the 1st December of each year. (8) The competent authority may issue guidelines for the status report and on the setting up of the Farm Advisory Services. 13. (1) The certificate of registration shall contain the following information: (a) the name of the enti ty or other means of identification; (b) the date when the certificate is issued. (2) Certificates issued to eligible farm advisory entities shall be valid for one year. Certificates may be renewed following an application of the Farm Advisory Service provided that all the criteria for registration as provided in regulation 10 are to the Board’s satisfaction. 14. The Board may cancel any certificate granted under the provisions of these regulations when the holder of that certificate: Certificate of registration. Cancellation of certificates. B 1262 VERŻJONI ELETTRONIKA (a) is found guilty by a court of criminal jurisdiction of a crime committed through imprudence, carelessness, unskilfulness in an art or profession, or non-observance of these regulations; or (b) is found guilty by a court of criminal jurisdiction of any offence under the provisions of the Act, or of any regulations made thereunder; or (c) has, in the opinion of the Board, submitted substandard or deliberately misleading work in any farm advisory procedure; or (d) fails to pay the yearly renewal fee; or (e) upon failure to provide the necessary documentation and, or evidence as requested by the Board within one month from the request. 15. (1) Any entity which, for the purposes of obtaining the certificate for registration in the Register, gives any wrong information or otherwise acts in a deceitful or fraudulent manner, shall be guilty of an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine (multa) not exceeding two thousand and three hundred and twenty-nine euro (€2,329). (2) The offences and fines mentioned in this regulation shall be without prejudice to any other offences and penalties in terms of the Act or of any other law. 16. Farm advisory entities shall undertake to comply with or accept any changes to the commitments, undertaken in accordance with these regulations that may be necessary as a result of European Union or national legislation on the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. 17. The rules and procedures as well as the minimum requirements for an entity to be accepted as a registered farm advisory entity shall be published in the Gazette. 18. The Farm Advisory Services Regulations, 2008 are hereby being revoked. Information on certificates. Changes to commitments. Publication of rules and procedures. Revokes L.N. 41 of 2008 B 1263VERŻJONI ELETTRONIKA SCHEDULE Regulation 10, (3) SCHEDULE OF FEES FOR REGISTRATION FOR FARM ADVISORY SERVICES The following shall apply for registration of Farm Advisory Entities: DESCRIPTION OF FEE Euro Administrative Fee 20 Registration Fee 150 Yearly Renewal Fee 30 B 1264 VERŻJONI ELETTRONIKA Ippubblikat mid-Dipartiment tal-Informazzjoni (doi.gov.mt) — Valletta — Published by the Department of Information (doi.gov.mt) — Valletta Mitbugħ fl-Istamperija tal-Gvern fuq karta riċiklata — Printed at the Government Printing Press on recycled paper Prezz/Price €0.75