Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1503864
NEWS 16 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 16 JULY 2023 KURT SANSONE A new licensing regime regulating the demolition, excavation and construction sectors can come in- to force after the European Com- mission gave its go-ahead, Malta- Today has learnt. Brussels informed the Maltese government last Friday the legal notice can come into force after it underwent a rigorous "propor- tionality test" as demanded by EU directives. The test is required whenever legislation impacts the perfor- mance of any profession. It is expected that the legal notice will be published in the next few days in the Government Gazette. Immediately, it will be followed by a call to all contractors working in the fields of demolition, exca- vation and construction to apply for a licence by 31 October 2023. Those who do not apply by this date will not be able to operate as from 1 November. The applications will be evaluat- ed by a Licensing Committee to be established within the Building & Construction Authority. Contractors waiting for their licence will be able to continue operating during the evaluation period. Those who shall apply for a li- cence after the 1 November, will have to wait for the evaluation of their application and the eventual issuing of the licence to be able to operate. This is the first time that a li- censing regime has been intro- duced for building contractors, a decision spearheaded by Planning Minister Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi. The legal notice was drafted following a consultation process with stakeholders and the pub- lic during the months of March and April. The green light from Brussels arrived in the same week government faced widespread criticism over its refusal to hold a public inquiry into the death of Jean Paul Sofia. Sofia died last December when a building under construction collapsed. Green light from Brussels for new contractors licensing regime This is the first time that a licensing regime has been introduced for building contractors, a decision spearheaded by Planning Minister Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi (inset)