Reference is being made to an article published today by Times of Malta (ToM) and scoping the most recent warrant of prohibitory injunction against the Engineering Profession Board, targeted to block the process of the amendments to the Engineering Profession Act (Cap. 321).

The Chamber of Engineers (CoE) is compelled to clarify multiple inaccuracies being mentioned. The CoE had organized a consultation emergency general meeting for all engineers on the 3rd December 2019. The position of the CoE on this matter was previously stated through a press conference. The CoE proceeded with negotiations with the Engineering Profession Board, as agreed with its members and communicated frequently with the engineering community about the headway made with respect to the amendments to the Act. The points of contention previously identified in November 2019 were addressed per the agreement with members during the said meeting.

In August 2020, the CoE was able to announce that its proposals were adopted in the amendments to the Act and such proposals addressed the same issues re-surfacing in today’s article.  The proposals which were assimilated in the draft amendments are summarized here:

• The title of the principal Act shall be substituted by the following: “Inġiniera Act”
• The definition “Engineer” shall be substituted by the following:  “”Inġinier” means any person who has obtained a warrant in terms  of article 4 of the Act;” and the words “engineer” shall be substituted by the words “Inġinier”,  wherever they occur in these provisions;
• “Engineering Services” means “activities of design, specification, development, installation, commissioning, operation, maintenance and decommissioning of any mechanical, electrical, chemical process, information and related systems and such activities shall be carried out by or under the authorisation and guidance of an engineer who is a warrant holder, competent in the field as recognised by the Board”; as transposed from practice of engineering definition in LN354 of 2012.

The CoE is also informed that these amendments are now being reviewed at a European Commission level and it is now expecting the outcome and next steps from the Engineering Profession Board.

The CoE disagrees that the latest consolidated draft will “eliminate the very existence of the engineering profession” and “eradicate the professional engineer” as stated in today’s article. Furthermore, the issues of “deletion of the term ‘engineer’ and substituted with ‘engineering services’” were addressed positively for engineers through responsible negotiation. Therefore, the Chamber shall continue ensuring an exhaustive clarification of inaccuracies for the benefit of the engineering community.

The CoE  has been implied in ToM’s article as the organisation being consulted with as representative of engineers however the organisation cannot delve into the merits of the Board’s professional relationship with other organisations and the same Board’s prerogative in its autonomy.

The Chamber of Engineers reassures engineers in Malta that the organisation will continue to maximise its recognised role for the best interests of the engineering profession.