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Qrati tal -Gustizzja  
 
MALTA  
 
QORTI TA' L -APPELL  
 
 
S.T.O. PRIM IMHALLEF  
SILVIO CAMILLERI  
 
ONOR. IMHALLEF  
ALBERT J. MAGRI  
 
ONOR. IMHALLEF  
TONIO MALLIA  
 
 
 
Seduta tat -3 ta' Dicembru, 2010  
 
 
Appell Civili Numru. 76/2008/1  
 
 
 
 
L-Avukat Stephen Muscat bhala mandatarju specjali  
tal-assenti Christa Plaza  
 
v. 
 
Express Tours & Packages Limited (C 24243)  
 
 
Il-Qorti:  
 
Rat ir -rikors ipprezentat fil -21 ta’ Jannar, 2008 minn Dr. 
Stephen Muscat nomine li jaqra hekk:  
“1.   Illi permezz ta’ sentenza moghtija fil -11 ta’ 
Dicembru, 2006 (kopja tag hha hawn annessa flimkien ma’ 
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Qrati tal -Gustizzja  traduzzjoni ufficjali fil -lingwa ingliza – (Dok. A) il -Higher 
Regional Court ta’ Dresden, iddekretat `ir -rigett tal -appell 
intavolat  mis -socjeta` ntimata kontra sentenza ta’ qorti 
lokali ta’ Leipzig (kopja taghha wkoll hawn a nnessa, 
flimkien ma’ traduzzjoni ufficjali fil -lingwa ingliza – (Dok. B) 
li a tenur taghha l -istess qorti lokali ta’ Leipzig ikkonfermat 
sentenza ohra taghha stess tas -16 ta’ Frar, 2004 (kopja 
taghha wkoll hawn annessa, flimkien ma’ traduzzjoni 
ufficjali f il-lingwa ingliza –  (Dok. C), li permezz taghha s -
socjeta` ntimata giet ikkundannata thallas favur ir -
rikorrenti s -somma ta’ hames mija u sebghin ewro 
(EUR570.00), kif ukoll l -imghax bir -rata ta’ hamsa fil -mija 
(5%) fuq il -basic interest rate , pagabbli mi t-12 ta’ Jannar, 
2004.  
 
“2.   Illi f’materja civili u kummercjali ai termini ta’ l -Artiklu 
1 tar -Regolament 44/2001 dwar il -Gurisdizzjoni u r -
Rikonoxximent u l -Infurzar ta’ Sentenzi f’materji Civili u 
Kummercjali, huma d -dispozizzjonijiet ta’ dan ir -
Regola ment li jirregolaw l -infurzar ta’ sentenzi moghtija 
minn qrati ta’ Stati Membri ta’ l -Unjoni Ewropea.  Fi kliem 
l-Artiklu 1 tar -Regolament 44/2001:  
 
“‘This Regulation shall apply in civil and commercial 
matters whatever the nature of the court or tribunal’ . 
 
“3.   Illi dan il -principju li r -Regolamenti Ewropej 
ghandhom effett dirett fl -Istati Membri ta’ l -Unjoni Ewropea 
u jikkostitwixxu parti mill -legislazzjoni ta’ l -istess Membri 
huwa principju baziku tal -ligi ta’ l -Unjoni Ewropea.  L -
Artiklu 249 tat -Trattat ta’ l -Unjoni Ewropea tghid hekk:  
 
“‘… A regulation shall have general application.  It shall be 
binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member 
States…’  
 
Rat ir -risposta tas -socjeta` Express Tours & Package Ltd. 
li in forza taghha eccepiet  illi: 
“1.   Illi preliminarjament, is -socjeta` intimata tecepixxi n -
nullita` tar -rikors promotur datat 21 ta’ Jannar 2008 li gie 
minnha ricevuta fil -11 ta’ Marzu 2008 stante li r -rikors 
mhux guramentat kif tesigi l -Kodici ta’ l -Organizzazzjoni u 
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Qrati tal -Gustizzja  Procedura  Civili (Kapitlu 12) tal -Ligijiet ta’ Malta, meta 
effittivament il -procedura ghall -intavolar ta’ kawzi permezz 
tac-citazzjoni giet sostitwita b’rikors li ghandu jkun ukoll 
guramentat;  
 
“2.   Illi minghajr pregudizzju ghas -suespost, ukoll fuq 
linea procedur ali, l -irritwalita` tan -notifika tar -rikors 
promotur li gie ricevut mis -socjeta` ntimata meta 
effettivament gie servut fl -indirizz P.O. Box tal -istess 
socjeta` ntimata u mhux fl -indirizz fejn hija registrata l -
istess socjeta` ntimata permezz ta’ notifikazz joni skond il -
Kodici ta’’ l -Organizzazzjoni u Procedura Civili (Kapitlu 12) 
tal-Ligijiet ta’ Malta;  
 
“3.   Illi wkoll minghajr pregudizzju  ghas -suespost l -
inkorrettezza anzi n -nuqqas tan -notifika tar -rikors 
promotur bil -lingwa ngliza meta mid -dokumenti an nessi 
huwa evidenti li min jiggestixxi s -socjeta` ntimata huwa ta’ 
nazzjonalita` barranija u dunque  ma jifhimx dokumenti bil -
lingwa Maltija;  
 
“4.   Illi r-rikorrenti noe bhala mandatarju specjali naqas 
milli jipprezenta l -mandat lilu moghti minn Christa Pl aza 
ghal verifikazzjoni tal -istess;  
 
“5.   Illi di piu’ , dejjem minghajr pregudizzju ghas -
suespost, jirrizulta li s -sentenza odjerna moghtija mill -
Qorti Germaniza ta’ Leipzig fis -16 ta’ Frar, 2004 ma taqax 
taht ir -Regolament 44/2001 dwar il -Gurisdizzjoni u  r-
Rikonoxximent u l -Infurzar tas -Sentenzi f’Materji Civili u 
Kummercjali li jirregola l -infurzar ta’ sentenzi moghtija mill -
Qrati ta’ Stati Membri ta’ l -Unjoni Ewropea, u dan ghas -
semplici fatt li fid -data tas -sentenza, Malta ma kienitx 
ghadha saret Stat Membru ta’ l -Unjoni Ewropea, u dunque  
r-Regolament 44/2001 mhux applikabbli fil -kaz in 
dezamina, u dunque , s-socjeta` ntimata titlob li tkun 
liberata mill -Osservanza tal -Gudizzju;  
 
“6. Eccezzjonijiet ulterjuri.”  
 
Rat is -sentenza moghtija mill -Prim Awla tal -Qorti Civili fit -
30 ta’ Gunju, 2008, li biha laqghet it -talba tar -rikorrenti u 
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Qrati tal -Gustizzja  ordnat li d -decizjoni tal -Higher Regional Court ta’ Dresden 
tigi infurzata kontra s -socjeta` intimata ai termini tar -
Regolament 44/2001;  
 
Dik il -Qorti tat is -sentenza taghha wa ra li ghamlet is -
segwenti konsiderazzjonijiet:  
“Fil-kaz in ezami dina l -Qorti rat l -artikoli 38(1), 39(1), 
40(1) u 41 tar -Regolamenti 44/2001. L -artikolu 41 
jiddisponi li:  
 
“The judgment shall be declared enforceable immediately 
on completion of the formal ities in Article 53 without any 
review under articles 34 and 35. The party against whom 
enforcement is sought shall not at this stage of the 
proceedings be entitled to make any submissions on the 
application.  
 
“Ghalhekk fil -kaz in ezami s -sottomissjonijiet  ta’ l-intimati 
rigwardanti l -procedura li ntuzat ghan -notifika taghhom 
b’dawn il -proceduri huma rrilevant1 ghax fil -fatt lanqas 
kien hemm bzonn ta’ tali notifika billi l -kompitu ta’ dina l -
Qorti f’kazijiet bhal dawn huwa biss li tara jekk jezistux ir -
rekw iziti ndikati fir -regolamenti biex issir it -talba ghal 
infurzar tas -sentenza skond l -artikolu 53.  
 
“Fil-kaz in ezami d -dokumenti necessarji skond l -artikolu 
53 u l -formalitajiet rikjesti gew sodisfatti, ghalhekk it -talba 
se tintlaqa’.”  
 
Rat ir -rikors tal -appell tas -socjeta` intimata li in forza 
tieghu, ghar -ragunijiet minnha premessi, talbet li din il -
Qorti joghgobha tilqa’ dan l -umli appell u thassar, tirrevoka 
u tikkancella s -sentenza moghtija mill -Onorabbli Prim’ 
Awla tal -Qorti Civili fit -tletin (30) ta’  Gunju 2008 fl -ismijiet 
Avukat Stephen Muscat nomine v. Express Tours & 
Packages Limited  (Rik. Nru. 76/2008 GV) u dan billi 
tichad it -talba tar -rikorrenti nomine u tilqa’ l -eccezzjonijiet 
taghha, bl -ispejjez taz -zewg istanzi kontra ir -rikorrenti 
nomine.  
                                                 
1 Ghalkemm fil -verbal tal -9 ta’ April 2008 ir -rikorrent wiegeb ukoll ghar -risposta ta’ l -
intimati. Inoltre l -artikolu 33 jiddisponi  li:” A judgment given in a Member state sh all be 
recognized in the other Member States without any special procedure being required ”. 
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Qrati tal -Gustizzja   
Rat ir-risposta tar -rikorrent nomine li in forza taghha, ghar -
ragunijiet minnha premessi, talab li din il -Qorti joghgobha 
tichad l -appell odjern, tikkonferma s -sentenza tal -ewwel 
Qorti, bl -ispejjez kontra s -socjeta` appellanti;  
 
Semghet lid -difensuri tal -partijiet;  
 
Rat l-atti kollha tal -kawza u d -dokumenti esebiti;  
 
Ikkunsidrat;  
 
Illi b’dawn il -proceduri, ir -rikorrent nomine talab li jinforza 
f’Malta sentenza li l -mandanti tieghu akkwistat fil -
Germanja kontra s -socjeta` intimata; it -talba saret fit -
termini tar-Regolament 44/2001 tal -Unjoni Ewropea.  L -
ewwel Qorti, wara li rat li gew ipprezentati d -dokumenti 
relattivi, laqghet it -talba u ordnat li ai termini tal -imsemmi 
regolament, is -sentenza estera titqies enforzabbli hawn 
Malta.  
 
Kif osservat l -ewwel Qorti , meta tintalab l -esekuzzjoni ta’ 
sentenza moghtija f’pajjiz iehor tal -Unjoni Ewropea, l -
ewwel Qorti aditta ghandha tezamina biss jekk gewx 
ipprezentati d -dokumenti mehtiega biex tkun tista’ tordna 
l-enforzar taghha, u l -parti intimata “shall not at this s tage 
of proceedings be entitled to make any submissions on 
the application” .  Sottomissjonijiet, imbaghad, ikunu 
jistghu isiru f’kaz li l -intimat ressaq appell mis -sentenza 
tal-esekuzzjoni.  
 
Dak hu, fil -fatt, li gara f’dan il -kaz, bl -ewwel sottomissjoni 
tas-socjeta` appellanti tkun li r -Regolament 44/2001 ma 
japplikax ghall -kaz in ezami u dan peress li l -kawza li 
waslet ghas -sentenza li taghha qed jintalab l -enforzar 
bdiet qabel ma Malta dahlet fl -Unjoni Ewropea, u kwindi 
qabel ma r -Regolament dahal fis -sehh ghall -Malta.  
 
Mhux kontestat li l -kawza, fil -fatt, bdiet fl -2003 u giet 
deciza fl -2006; cioe`, bdiet qabel ma Malta saret membru 
tal-Unjoni, izda giet deciza wara li Malta ffirmat it -trattat 
tal-Unjoni Ewropea.  
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Qrati tal -Gustizzja   
Bhala principju, l -Artikolu 66(1) tal -imse mmi Regolament 
jghid li l -istess japplika ghal dawk il -proceduri legali 
“instituted”  wara  d-dhul fis -sehh tar -Regolament, li ghal 
pajjizna, kien l -1 ta’ Mejju, 2004.  La darba dawn il -
proceduri bdew fl -2003, allura r -Regolament, sa hawn, 
jitqies mhux appli kabbli.  
 
Is-subartikolu (2) tal -istess Artikolu 66 jghid, pero`,  
“However, if the proceedings in the Member State of 
origin were instituted before the entry into force of this 
Regulation, judgments given after that date shall be 
recognised and enforced in  accordance with Chapter III.  
 
“(a) if the proceedings in the Member State of origin 
were instituted after the entry into force of the Brussels or 
the Lugano Convention both in the Member State or origin 
and in the Member State addressed;  
 
“(b) in all othe r cases, if jurisdiction was founded upon 
rules which accorded with those provided for either in 
Chapter II or in a convention concluded between the 
Member State of origin and the Member State addressed 
which was in force when the proceedings were institut ed.” 
 
Huwa a bazi ta’ dan is -subartikolu li r -rikorrent nomine qed 
jibbaza l -applikabbilita` tar -Regolament ghall -kaz in 
ezami.  Is -socjeta` intimata, min -naha l -ohra, tghid li dan 
is-subartikolu ma japplikax ghax ma gewx sodisfatti l -
kondizzjonijiet (a) j ew (b) elenkatai fl -istess subartikolu 
(2).  Ghal kaz in ezami, biex ikun applikabbli dak is -
subartikolu, irid jigi muri li l -gurisdizzjoni tal -Qorti 
Germaniza kienet bazata fuq dak li jipprovdi l -istess 
Regolament, peress li ma jirrizultax li kien hemm xi  trattat 
bejn Malta u l -Germanja li jirregola din il -materja.  Is -
socjeta` intimata mhux qed tghid li l -Qorti Germaniza ma 
kellhiex gurisdizzjoni taht il -ligi Germaniza li tisma’ u 
tiddeciedi l -kaz, izda qed tghid li biex dik is -sentenza tkun 
enforzabbli h awn Malta ai termini tar -Regolament 
44/2001, jehtieg li dik il -Qorti Germaniza kellha 
gurisdizzjoni skont l -istess Regolament . 
 
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Qrati tal -Gustizzja  Issa hu fatt li s -socjeta` intimata hija kumpanija registrata 
Malta u hawn ghandha s -sede taghha.  La darba din is -
socjeta` mhix  domiciljata fil -Germanja, l -Artikoli 2 sa 7 tar -
Regolament jaghti gurisdizzjoni lill -Qorti Germaniza f’certi 
cirkostanzi biss, li, pero`, ma japplikawx ghall -materja tal -
kawza in kwistjoni.  Il -“place of performance of the 
obbligation”  ma kienx il -Germanj a, izda cruise turistiku fil -
bahar Mediterran, bid -diversi ports of call  fl-istess bahar.  
It-talba li kienet il -meritu tal -kawza deciza fil -Germanja 
kienet wahda ghad -danni minhabba l -kancellament tal -
cruise, u s -socjeta` intimata giet notifikata hawn Mal ta 
skont il -procedura Germaniza, izda din baqghet 
kontumacja u ma ssottomettietx ghall -gurisdizzjoni tal -
Qrati ta’ dak il -pajjiz (ghalkemm ippruvat tappella mis -
sentenza).  
 
Min-naha l -ohra, din il -Qorti tqis li dak il -kuntratt huwa “a 
consumer contract”   fit-termini tas -sezzjoni 4 tal -istess 
Kapitolu II tar -Regolament, u dan peress li l -kuntratt sar 
minn persuna “for a purpose which can be regarded as 
being outside his trade or profession” , ma’ kumpanija 
registrata hawn Malta izda li “by any means, directs such 
activities to that member state or to several states 
including that member state ”.  Fi kliem iehor, kuntratt 
maghmul minn persuna barra mill -attivita` normali jew 
professjonali taghha (per ezempju ghall -vaganza kif inhu 
dan il -kaz), ma’ kumpanija regi strata f’pajjiz izda li s -
servizzi taghha huma accessibbli minn stat iehor membri 
tal-Unjoni Ewropea (bhal ma hi l -Germanja) “by any 
means”  (inkluz l -internett), jitqies “a consumer contract” , u 
skont l -Artikolu 16(1) ta’ Regolament,  
“A consumer may bring proceedings against the other 
party to a contract either  in the courts of the Member 
State in which that party is domiciled or in Courts for the 
place where the consumer is domiciled.”  
 
La darba l -mandanti tar -rikorrenti kienet residenti l -
Germanja, hi set ghet tagixxi l -Qrati Germanizi ghar -
ridress, u dawk il -Qrati kellhom gurisdizzjoni mhux biss a 
bazi tal -ligi Germaniza, izda aktar importanti, a bazi tal -
Kapitolu II tar -Regolament 44/2001.  Ghalhekk, japplika 
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Pagna 8 minn 9 
Qrati tal -Gustizzja  ghall -kaz l -Artikolu 66(2) u din il -Qorti tqis  ir-Regolament 
44/2001 applikabbli ghall -materja.  
 
Fit-tieni lok, is -socjeta` intimata ssostni li, f’kull kaz, is -
sentenza estera ma kellhiex tigi enforzata hawn Malta 
peress li ma gewx esebiti d -dokumenti kollha necessarji 
skond l -Artikolu 53 tal -istess R egolament.  L -Artikolu 55(1) 
tal-istess Regolament, pero`, jawtorizza lill -Qorti 
tiddispensa ruhha minn certi dokumenti “if it considers that 
it has sufficient information before it” .  F’dan il -kaz l-ewwel 
Qorti hekk ghamlet: osservat li d -dokumenti necess arji 
gew sodisfatti u accettat it -talba tar -rikorrenti.  L -ewwel 
Qorti, fi kliem iehor, qalet li ma kellhiex bzonn dokumenti 
ohra, u b’hekk, almenu implicitament, ddispensat lir -
rikorrent milli jressaq dokumenti ohra.  Il -fatt li ma 
insistietx ghal dokumen ti ohra jfisser li bid -dokumenti li 
kellha, hasset li kellha bizzejjed informazzjoni biex tilqa’ t -
talba tar -rikorrenti.  
 
Fit-tielet aggravju taghha, is -socjeta` intimata tilmenta li r -
rikorrent ma ghandux interess guridiku biex jintavola dawn 
il-proceduri , peress li ma weriex li hu mandatarju tal -
persuna estera, Christa Plaza.  
 
Apparti l -fatt li skont il -gurisprudenza taghna, avukat mhux 
mehtieg jaghti prova tal -mandat tieghu, f’dan il -kaz, l -
istess Christa Plaza, fil -mori tal -proceduri quddiem l -
ewwel Qor ti, ikkonfermat il -mandat li nghata lir -rikorrent 
(ara fol. 60 tal -process).  Din il -konferma ta’ dak li kien 
gia` jezisti verbalment (u li kwindi ma setghax jigi “esebit” 
mar-rikors) hu bizzejjed biex iwaqqa’ l -aggravju relattiv.  
 
Ghaldaqstant, ghar -ragun ijiet premessi, tiddisponi mill -
appell interpost mis -socjeta` intimata Express Tours & 
Packages Limited billi tichad l -istess u tikkonferma s -
sentenza tal -ewwel Qorti, bl -ispejjez taz -zewg istanzi 
jithallsu mill -istess socjeta` appellanti.  
 
 
 
 
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