MCESD Leads Discussion on Regulation of Malta’s Construction Industry through the Licensing of Building Contractors
The MCESD has once again taken up an important subject matter for our country – the regulation of construction contractors. During its seventh council meeting for the year, the MCESD, along with the Parliamentary Secretary for Social Dialogue, the Hon. Andy Ellul, the Minister for Public Works and Planning, the Hon. Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, the social partners and experts from the field discussed the licensing of contractors and the future of the industry.
The CEO of the Building and Construction Authority, Mr. Jesmond Muscat, presented the planned licensing obligation for construction contractors to the social partners. He explained proposed regulations for licensing contractors working in demolition, excavation, and building. Mr. Muscat further added that a specific period for the receipt of applications for contractor’s licenses would be between 1st June 2023 and 31st October 2023. After the 1st of November 2023, no demolition, excavation, and building activities can be done if the application has not been submitted. The CEO of the Authority also highlighted that a contractor could only operate if they were given provisional clearance as the first step for the issuance of the license by the relative Committee set up at BCA. Moreover, from June 2024 onwards, a building contractor cannot work without an issued license.
The Kamra tal-Periti and the Malta Developers Association were also invited to the meeting, where both made important observations and recommendations to MCESD.
The social partners actively participated in the discussion, stressing the need for more enforcement in the Building Industry while making concrete suggestions to improve it through the effective and enforceable licencing of Building Contractors. It is vital for all stakeholders to work together to ensure that the industry is safe, sustainable, and of high quality. The MCESD’s efforts to regulate the industry through consultation with social partners and experts are commendable and should lead to positive outcomes for the construction industry in Malta.
The presentation delivered by the Building and Construction Authority can be accessed from here.
