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L.S. 9.30 Regolamenti dwar l-Indirizzar tad-Disseminazzjoni ta’ Kontenut Terroristiku Online

ADDRESSING THE DISSEMINATION

TERRORIST CONTENT ONLINE [ S.L. 9.30 SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 9.30 ADDRESSING THE DISSEMINATION

TERRORIST CONTENT ONLINE REGULATIONS 24th May, 2023 LEGAL NOTICE 67

  1. The title

these regulations is Addressing the Dissemination

Terrorist Content Online Regulations. Citation. 2. These regulations provide for the implementing provisions

Regulation (EU) 2021/784

the European Parliament and

the Council

29 April 2021 on addressing the dissemination

terrorist content online. Scope. 3. requires: Interpretation. In these regulations, unless the context otherwise "Charter"; means the Charter

Fundamental Rights

the European Union; "Code" means the Criminal Code; Cap.9. "Court" means the Court

Magistrates as a Court

Criminal Judicature; "Member State" means a Member State

the EU and the European Economic Area; "Police" means the Malta Police Force; "Regulation" means Regulation (EU) 2021/784

the European Parliament and

the Council

29 April 2021 on addressing the dissemination

terrorist content online. 4.

(1)Upon application to the Court filed by a police

ficer not below the rank

inspector, a Magistrate may issue a removal orderin respect

a hosting service provider, in terms

Article 3

the Regulation, requiring the hosting service provider in Malta or in another Member State to remove terrorist content or disable access to terrorist content in all Member States.

(2)Where a removal order has not been previously issued to the hosting service provider, the Police shall provide that hosting service provider with information on the applicable procedures and deadlines, at least twelve
(12)hours before the issuing

the removal order; Provided that a lesser period shall apply in urgent cases. Removal order. 1 2 [ S.L. 9.30 ADDRESSING THE DISSEMINATION

TERRORIST CONTENT ONLINE

(3)The Police shall transmit the removal order to the contact point

the hosting service provider by electronic means capable

producing a written record under conditions that allow to establish the authentication

the sender, including the accuracy

the date and the time

sending and receipt

the order.

(4)Where the hosting service provider has its established or legal representative in another Member State, the Police shall simultaneously send a copy

the removal order to the competent authority

the Member State where the hosting service provider has its main establishment or legal representative.

(5)For the purposes

sub-article

(6)

Article 3

the Regulation, the hosting service provider shall, without undue delay, submit the form set out in Annex II

the Regulation by means

an application to the Court containing information on the removal

the terrorist content or the disabling

access to the terrorist content in all Member States, indicating, in particular, the time

that removal or disabling.

(6)For the purposes

sub-articles

(7)and
(8)

Article 3

the Regulation, the hosting service provider shall submit the form set out in Annex III

the Regulation, where applicable, by means

an application to the Court.

(7)When the removal order becomes final with respect to a hosting service provider having its establishment or legal representative in another Member State, the Police shall inform the competent authority

the Member State where the hosting service provider has its main establishment or where its legal representative resides or is established,

that fact. When a hosting service provider is exposed to terrorist content. 5.

(1)For the purposes

article 5

(4)

the Regulation , upon application to the Court filed by a Police

ficer not below the rank

inspector, the Magistrate shall hear submissions from the Police and the hosting service provider and, on the basis

objective factors, may decide that a hosting service provider is exposed to terrorist content and, in such case, notify the hosting service provider

the decision.

(2)If the Magistrate decides that the hosting service provider is exposed to terrorist content, the hosting service provider shall, within three
(3)months from receipt

the decision and on an annual basis thereafter, report to the Police on the specific measures that it has taken in accordance with the provisions

article 5

(5)

the Regulation. S.L. 460.35.

(3)Where, based on the report referred to in sub-regulation
(2)and, where relevant, any other objective factors, the Police, acting on the advice

the Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Unit, as defined in the Measures for High Common Level

Security

Network ADDRESSING THE DISSEMINATION

TERRORIST CONTENT ONLINE [ S.L. 9.30 3 and Information Systems Order, consider that the specific measures taken do not comply with paragraphs

(2)and
(3)

Article 5

the Regulation, the Police shall submit a report to the Court by means

an application filed by a police

ficer not below the rank

inspector. The Court shall hear submissions from the Police and the hosting service provider and may require the hosting service provider to take the necessary measures.

(4)A hosting service provider may, at any time, request the Magistrate to review and, where appropriate, amend or revoke any decision referred to in sub-regulations
(1)or
(3).
(5)The Magistrate shall, within three
(3)months from receipt

the request referred to in sub-regulation

(4), adopt a reasoned decision on the request based on objective factors and notify the hosting service provider

that decision. 6. The Magistrate or the Police may request a hosting service provider to preserve terrorist content and related data for a specified period further to that provided in Article 6

the Regulation, for as long as necessary, for ongoing administrative or judi1cial review proceedings or for the purposes

complaint handling in accordance with Article 10

the Regulation. Preservation

content and related data. 7.

(1)When the Police receive a copy

a removal order issued by the competent authority

another Member State against a hosting service provider established in Malta or having its legal representative in Malta, a Police

ficer not below the rank

inspector shall immediately, by means

an application, request the Court to decide whether it shall scrutinise the removal order in terms

the Regulation. Receipt

the removal order by the Police.

(2)Where, following a decision to scrutinise the removal order and the carrying out

such scrutiny, the Magistrate finds that the order seriously or manifestly infringes the provisions

the Regulation or the fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Charter, the Magistrate shall adopt a reasoned decision to that effect.

(3)Scrutiny

the removal order and, where applicable, adoption

the reasoned decision, shall be carried out within seventytwo

(72)hours

receipt

the copy

the removal order by the Police.

(4)Hosting service providers and content providers shall have the right to submit, within forty-eight
(48)hours

receiving a removal order, an application together with a reasoned request to the Court requesting scrutiny

the removal order as referred to in subregulation

(1)

this regulation.

(5)The Magistrate shall, within seventy-two
(72)hours

receiving the application referred to in sub-regulation

(4), following 4 [ S.L. 9.30 ADDRESSING THE DISSEMINATION

TERRORIST CONTENT ONLINE scrutiny

the removal order, adopt a reasoned decision setting out its findings as to whether the removal order seriously or manifestly infringes the provisions

the Regulation, or the fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Charter.

(6)When the Magistrate, upon scrutiny

the removal order, decides that the removal order issued by the competent authority

another Member State is in accordance with the provisions

the Charter and

the Regulation, the Magistrate shall issue a reasoned decision requiring the hosting service provider to comply with the requirements

the removal order. When a removal order becomes final. 8. A removal order shall become final upon the expiry

two

(2)days where no appeal to the Court

Criminal Appeal, Inferior Jurisdiction, has been lodged, or upon confirmation following an appeal. Penalties. 9.

(1)A hosting service provider who fails to comply with one or more

the obligations set out in Article 3

(3)and
(6), Article 4
(2)and
(7), Article 5
(1),
(2),
(3),
(5)and
(6), Articles 6, 7, 10 and 11, Article 14
(5), Article 15
(1)and Article 17

the Regulation shall be guilty

an

fence and shall be liable, on conviction, to the punishment

imprisonment for a term

not less than 6 (six) months and not more than two

(2)years or to a fine (multa) not exceeding fifty thousand euro (€50,000) or to both such fine and imprisonment: Provided that where the hosting service provider is a body corporate having a distinct legal personality, it shall be liable on conviction to a fine (multa) not exceeding three hundred thousand euro (€300,000): Provided further that a hosting service provider that systematically or persistently fails to comply with the obligation set out in paragraph
(3)

Article 3

the Regulation shall, on conviction, be liable to the punishment

a fine (multa) not exceeding four percent (4%)

his global turnover

the preceding business year.

(2)When imposing punishment, the Court shall take into consideration Article 18
(2)

the Regulation.

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AI explanation based on the official legal text. Indicative, not a substitute for legal advice.