S.L. 460.43 Art. 4Critical Entities Resilience Committee. 8 [S.L. 9

(1) There shall be a Committee designated as the

Critical Entities Resilience Committee composed of such members as shall be appointed by the Minister from amongst public officers occupying a senior position and performing duties in the ministries responsible for matters relating to resilience of critical entities and infrastructure as well as from amongst employees occupying a senior position in the other organisations having a main concern in the management, running and control of critical entities and infrastructure in Malta:

Provided that the Minister may appoint other persons as members of the committee who he deems to have the experience and to have shown the capacity in matters relating to resilience of critical entities:

Provided further that the competent authorities listed in the Schedule, other than the CIP Department, may appoint one (1) person as their representative in the Committee. INFRASTRUCTURES (IDENTIFICATION, 460.43 DESIGNATION AND PROTECTION)

(2) The Director General responsible for the CIP Department shall be the chairman of the Committee, the Director of this Department shall be the deputy chairman, and one (1) other representative from this Department shall act as the secretary of the Committee. The chairman, deputy chairman and secretary shall not possess voting rights. The deputy chairman shall act instead of the chairman whenever the chairman is absent from a meeting of the Committee or is unable to act as chairman for any reason.

(3) The appointed members shall hold office for such term, that shall not be for more than three (3) years, as may be specified in their letter of appointment.

(4) If any vacancy in the committee occurs during the period of appointment, on account of death, resignation or for any other cause, the Minister shall, as soon as practicable, appoint another person to fill the vacancy:

Provided that the Committee and the members thereof may act notwithstanding any such vacancy.

(5) Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, the Minister may at any time terminate the appointment of an appointed member, if in his opinion, such appointed member is unfit to continue in office or has become incapable of duly performing his functions.

(6) It shall be the duty of the Committee in general to consider and advise the Government, the CIP Department and the designated competent authorities on all matters related to the resilience of critial entities and infrastructure, and in particular:

(a) to advise with regard to the development, maintenance and promotion of an efficient and effective system of resilience at critical entities and infrastructure to ensure the proper implementation of this order;

(b) to advise with regard to the development and determination of the necessary strategies and policies to reach such objectives; and

(c) the Committee shall issue decisions and give its advice to the CIP Department in relation to the imposition of administrative penalties in accordance with article 24.

(7) The Committee shall meet as often as necessary and shall regulate its own procedures.

(8) The Committee shall decide on the composition and terms of reference of sub-committees or expert groups to which it may delegate special tasks.

(9) With the aim of enhancing the resilience of critical entities identified by the designated competent authorities, and in order to reduce the administrative burden on those critical entities, the Committee shall ensure that this order is applied in a consistent manner. Any designated competent authorities may request the Committee to study the possibility of ensuring a convergent approach regarding interlinked critical entities that use critical infrastructure within Malta, which is physically connected with other Member States, or that belong to the same groups or corporate structures, or that have been identified in Malta and that provide essential services to, or in other Member States.