Cap. 419 ст. 2Interpretation.

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires -

"Authority" means the Malta Standards Authority;

"Chairman" means the Chairman of the Authority; "Chief Executive" means the Chief Executive appointed under article 3; "conformity mark" means a mark, issued in accordance with regulations made under article 21, showing compliance with an applicable standard;

"draft standard" means a document containing the text of the technical specifications concerning a given subject, which is being considered for adoption and as circulated for public comment or scrutiny; "Directorates" means such directorates as may be established under article 3; "employee" means a person employed with the Authority; "European standardization body" means any of the following bodies: - CEN - European Committee for Standardization; - CENELEC - European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization; - ETSI - European Telecommunications Standards Institute; "financial year" means any period of twelve months ending on the 31st December: Provided that the financial year which commenced on the 1st October, 2007 shall be for a period of fifteen months and shall terminate on the 31st December, 2008;

"Malta" has the same meaning as is assigned to it by article 124 of the Constitution of Malta;

"Minister" means the Minister responsible for the Malta Standards Authority;

"permit" means a permit granted by the Authority under article 124 of the Constitution but does not include a judge of the Superior Courts or a Magistrate of the Inferior Courts; "service" means a result generated by activities at the interface between the supplier and the customer and by supplier internal activities to meet the customer needs; "standard" means a technical specification approved by a recognised standardization body for repeated or continuous application, with which compliance is not compulsory, whether or not including other requirements, and which is one of the following: - International Standard: a standard adopted by an international standardization organisation, other than a European standardization body, and made available to the public; - European Standard: a standard adopted by a European standardization body and made available to the public; - National Standard: a standard adopted by the Authority and made available to the public;

"standards programme" means a work programme listing the subjects on which standardization work is being carried out;

"technical specification" means a specification contained in a document which lays down the characteristics required of a product and, or, service such as levels of quality, performance, safety or dimensions, including the requirements applicable to the product and, or, service as regards the name under which the product and, or, service is sold, terminology, symbols, testing and test methods, packaging, marking or labelling used and the conformity assessment procedures. This term also covers production methods and processes used in respect of agricultural products, products intended for human and animal consumption, and medicinal products, as well as production methods and processes relating to other products, where these have an effect on their characteristics. For the purposes of this definition, "conformity assessment procedures" mean any procedures used, directly and indirectly, to determine that relevant requirements in technical regulations or standards are fulfilled, including, inter alia, procedures for sampling, testing and inspection; evaluation, verification and assurance of conformity, registration, accreditation and approval as well as their combinations.