                       IMPORTED EGGS (MARKING)                     [ CAP.   75.             1
CHAPTER 75
 IMPORTED EGGS (MARKING) ACT
To regulate the marking of imported eggs.
(15th August, 1933) *
Enacted by ACT XXX of 1933, as amended by Legal Notice 4 of 1963;
and Act XIII of 1983.
Short title.
Marking of 
imported eggs. 
2. (1) It shall not be lawful to import into Malta hen or duck
eggs, in shell, which have not been previously marked with the
name of the country of origin in accordance with and for the
purposes of this Act and any regulations made thereunder.
(2) Such mark shall be legibly impressed in indelible ink in
capital Roman letters not less than two millimetres in height.
Sale of imported 
eggs not bearing 
indication of 
origin.
3. It shall not be lawful for any person to sell, expose or keep
for sale, or supply by way of compensation to any person in his
service under a contractual obligation, hen or duck eggs, in shell,
imported from abroad, which are not marked as provided in the last
preceding section or the mark whereof is obliterated, wholly in
part.
Power of Minister 
to make 
regulations. 
Amended by: 
L.N. 4 of 1963. 
 4. (1) The Minister responsible for customs may make, vary
or revoke regulations for the execution of this Act.
 (2) Such regulations shall be published in the Government
Gazette and, unless otherwise provided, shall come into force two
weeks after such publication.
Controlling 
officers.
 5. (1) The control of imported eggs is entrusted to the
officers of the customs and to the Inspectors of Agriculture who
shall have the powers conferred upon them by this Act and by any
regulation made thereunder.
(2) Such control may, with the like powers, be also entrusted to
the Sanitary Inspectors as well as to Police officers not below the
rank of sub-inspector.
Powers of 
controlling 
officers.
6. (1) The officers referred to in the last preceding section
shall have power to enter any premises used in connection with the
trading in and the storage of eggs.
(2) The said officers shall also have power to take, at their
choice, for the purpose of examination and analysis, samples of
suspected eggs, in such manner and subject to such conditions as
shall be prescribed by regulations and, if needs be, to impound or
seize such eggs.
(3) It shall also be lawful for the said officers to require the
* See  original section 10 of Act, which section has been omitted under the Malta
Statute Law Revision Ordinance, 1936, and the Statute Law Revision Act, 1980.
  2         CAP. 75. ]                IMPORTED EGGS (MARKING) 
production of any commercial documents relating to any eggs to
which this Act or any regulation made thereunder applies.
Duty of importers, 
etc.
7. It shall be the duty of every importer, master of a vessel,
consignee, vendor or other person having in his possession or
otherwise interested in any eggs to which this Act applies, to
furnish, if so required by any of the said officers, all particulars
sending to establish the ownership, origin and destination of any
suspected eggs or of any eggs not conforming to the provisions of
this Act or of any regulations made thereunder.
Exemptions. 
Amended by: 
L.N. 4 of 1963.
8. The Minister responsible for customs may exempt from the
provisions of this Act or of any regulations made thereunder the
importation of and the trading in fertile eggs of improved breeds
intended for incubation.
Offences and 
penalties. 
Amended by: 
XIII. 1983.5
9. (1) If any person shall import or attempt to import into
Malta or shall sell, expose, keep or offer for sale or otherwise deal
in, or supply to any person in his service under a contractual
obligation, any eggs not duly marked as provided in section 2, or
shall obstruct or refuse to permit the inspection, verification or the
taking of samples, or shall refuse to give any information or to
produce any document required by the controlling officers or shall
otherwise commit any breach of the provisions of this Act or of any
regulations made under and in pursuance of this Act, he shall be
liable to a fine ( multa ) from one lira to twenty liri.
(2) In the case of a second or subsequent offence within two
years from the previous offence, the offender shall, in addition to
the pecuniary punishment, be liable to imprisonment for a term not
exceeding one month.
(3) In all cases, it shall be lawful for the court to order the
goods in relation to which the offence has been committed, to be
forfeited.
