Response to the Consultation on Proposed Changes to Regulation 51 of the Electronic Communications Networks and Services Regulations (S.L. 399.28 of the Laws of Malta

In an increasingly joined-up, high speed digital environment where take-up of Cloud-based services, among others, is ramping up steeply, reliance on always-on, electronic communications networks can no longer be dependent on best-effort provision. Thus, networks increasingly require a reasonable level of ongoing redundancy. It is therefore necessary to place additional emphasis on the provision of adequate fail-safe back-up when connectivity problems arise. Within the context outlined above, on the 5th December 2019 the MCA published a consultation document (MCA/C/19-3716) on a proposed amendment to Regulation 51 of the Electronic Communications Networks and Services Regulations (ECNSR) (S.L 399.28 of the Laws of Malta). The response to the consultation document was published on Government’s Online Consultation Portal on the 8 June 2020. The document provides the salient points of the feedback provided by the respondents to the views and proposals raised in the consultation document and comments on the feedback provided. The amendments to the ECNSR were published by Government on the 15 May 2020 via Legal Notice 197 of 2020.