1 
 
 
 
    QORTI CIVILI PRIM`AWLA  
 
 
ONOR. IMHALLEF  
JOSEPH ZAMMIT McKEON  
 
 
Illum i l-Hamis 30 ta` Jannar 2020  
 
 
 
Kawza Nru. 4 
Rik. Nru. 403/19 JZM 
 
 
Johann Stelingwerf  
 
kontra  
 
Denise Caruana  
[K.I. : 448387M ] 
 
 
 
Il-Qorti :  
 
 
 Rat illi fir -rikors , li kien prezen tat fil-25 ta` April 2019 , ir-
rikorrent ippremetta  hekk : - 
 
 
1) Illi l-procedura odjerna giet introdotta ai termini tar -
Regolament tal -Kunsill (UE) Numru 44/2001 ;  
 
 
 2) Illi permezz ta` sentenza datata 13 ta` Marzu 2019 
moghtija mill -Qorti Distrettwali ta ` The Hague, l -intimata giet ordnata 
thallas is -somma ta` erbgha u ghoxrin elf euro flimkien ma` l -interessi 
 
 2 skont il -ligi b`effett mis -27 ta` Lulju 2018 sal -pagament effettiv 
(sentenza u traduzzjoni taghha annessi u mmarkata Dok A) ;  
 
 
 3) Illi permezz ta ` l-istess sentenza l -intimata giet ordnata 
thallas ukoll is -somma ta` hames mija u sitta u ghoxrin euro u sebgha 
u hamsin euro centezmu (€562.57) spejjez gudizzjarji ;  
 
 
 4) Illi hija giet ukoll ordnata thallas is -somma ta` erba` mija 
u tmien euro (€480) dritt ta` l-avukat u dan bla pregudizzju ghat -talba 
tal-hlas ta` VAT u interessi relattivi ;  
  
 
 5) Illi finalment hija giet ordnata thallas is -somma ta` mija u 
ghoxrin euro (€120) spejjez ulterjuri u l -interessi fuq tali somma 
dekorribbli minn hmistax -il gurnat a minn meta issir it -talba ghall -hlas ;  
 
 
 6) Illi l-intimata naqset li tottempera ruhha mal -istess obbligi 
ndikati fil -paragrafi precedenti ;  
 
 
 7) Illi qeghdin jigu annessi ic -certifikat rikjest mil -ligi flimkien 
mat-traduzzjoni tieghu (Certifikat u tra duzzjoni mmarkati bhala Dok C)  
 
 
 8) Illi ai termini tal -artiklu 41 tar -Regolament fuq riferit l -
istess sentenza estera ghandha tigi dikjarata ezegwibbli 
mmedjatament mat -twettieq tal -formalijiet elenkati fl -artiklu 53 ;  
 
 
 9) Illi r-rikorrent ghandu intere ss jezegwixxi u jenforza s -
sentenza in dizamina f`Malta stante li jirrizulta li l -intimata ghandha 
assi materjali f`Malta li jistghu wkoll jissodisfaw il -kreditu tar -
rikorrent.  
 
 
 Rat illi r -rikorrent talab sabiex : - 
 
 
1. Is-sentenza tal -Qorti Distrettwali  ta` The Hague datata 13 
ta` Marzu 2019 tigi rikonoxxjuta f`Malta.  
 
  
2. li s-sentenza tigi wkoll ezegwita f`Malta.  
 
 3  
3. bl-ispejjez kontra l -intimata.  
 
 
 u dan taht dawk il -kondizzjonijiet kollha li din l -Onorabbli Qorti 
joghgobha timponi.  
 
 
 Rat id -dokume nti li kienu prezentati mar -rikors.  
 
 
 Rat id -digriet taghha tad -9 ta` Mejju 2019.  
 
 
 Rat ir -risposta li pprezentat l -intimata fit -8 ta` Lulju 2019  li 
taqra hekk : - 
 
 
1 Fl-ewwel lok, id -domanda odjerna, in kwantu msejsa fuq 
ir-regolament 44/2001 hija nulla  ghaliex imsejsa fuq regolament illum 
mibdul bir -Regolament (UE) 1215/2012.  
  
 
2 Fl-tieni lok, minghajr pregudizzu ghall -premess, il -
Qorti Distrettwali ta`The Hague ma kellha ebda gurisdizzjoni li 
tisma`u eventwalment li tiddeciedi l -vertenza in kwistjoni u dan ai 
termini tal -artikolu 28 tar -Regolament (UE) 1215 /2012.  
 
 
3 Fit-tielet lok, minghajr pregudizzju ghall -premess, is -
sentenza li taghha r -rikorrenti qieghed jitlob ir -rikonoxximent u l -
esekuzzjoni gewwa Malta nghatat in dispett tal -artikolu 28 (3) t ar- 
Regolament (UE) 1215/2012 u allura tal -artikolu 19 tar -
Regolament (UE) 1393/2007; dan ghaliex, inter alio, ghad li r -
rikorrenti kien ben konsapevoli tal -lok fejn setghet tig’ notifikata l -
istanti, huwa ghamel li jiddikjara l -kuntrarju.  
 
 
4 Fir-raba` lo k, b`zieda mal -premess, l -esponenti 
tirrileva illi jezistu r -ragunijiet kontemplati fl -artikolu 45 tar -
Regolament (UE) 1215/2012 sabiex din l -Onorabbli Qorti tichad ir -
rikonoxximent u l -esekuzzjoni tas -sentenza mertu tal -proceduri 
odjerni.  
 
 
 
 4 5 Fil-hames lo k, l-artikolu 41(2) tar -Regolament (UE) 
1215/2012 moqri fl -imkien mal -artikolu 827 tal -Kapitolu 12 tal -
Ligijiet ta`Malta ghandu per necessita` jwassal ghac -cahda tat -
talbiet rikorrenti in kwantu s -sentenza li taghha qed tintalab ir -
rikonoxximent u l -ezekuz zjoni giet ottjenuta bil -qerq tal -istanti, 
u/jew fin -nuqqas tan -notifika tal -esponenti u/jew b`nuqqas ta` 
gurisdizzjoni tal -Qorti li pronunzjat l -istess sentenza.  
 
 
6 Salvi eccezzjonijiet ohra, talvolta permessi mil -Ligi u 
jew mid -dritt Komunitarju.  
 
 
 Rat illi fl-udjenza tal -31 ta` Ottubru 2019, il -partijiet inghataw 
direzzjoni sabiex jittrattaw l -ewwel eccezzjoni.  
 
 
 Semghet is -sottomissjonijiet tad -difensuri.  
 
 
 Rat illi l -kawza thalliet ghas -sentenza ghal -lum dwar l -ewwel 
eccezzjoni.  
 
 
Ikkunsidrat   : 
 
 
 Jirrizulta illi b`sentenza moghtija fit-13 ta` Marzu 2019 moghtija 
mill-Qorti Distrettwali ta` The Hague, l-Olanda, ir -rikorrent kien 
kanonizzat kreditur tal -intimata hekk kif jirrizulta mis -sentenza u mill -
premessi tar -rikors.  
 
 
Jirrizulta li r -rikorrent  ghandu interess li jezegwixxi dik is-
sentenza f`dawn il -Gzejjer ghaliex isostni li l -intimata ghandha assi 
sitwati f`dawn il -Gzejjer fuqhiex is -sentenza tkun tista` tigi ezegwita.  
 
 
Ikkunsidrat :  
 
 
L-intimata eccepiet in-nullita` tal -azzjoni  ghaliex 
tikko ntendi li r-Regolament tal -UE applikabbli ghall -kaz 
mhuwiex ir-Regolament 44/2001 izda ir -Regolament 
1215/2012 , dan tal -ahhar maghruf ahjar bhala l -“Brussels 
Recast” . 
 
 5  
Qabel  ma tghaddi ghall -analizi taz -zewg Regolamenti tal -UE in 
kwistjoni fil-kuntest tal-eccezzjoni kif dedotta, il -Qorti sejra tqis kif il -
qrati taghna llum i qisu eccezzjoni ta` nullita` b`mod  generali.  
 
 
Ibda biex, i n linea ta` principju , in-nullita` ta` l -att promotur ta` 
azzjoni hija sanzjoni estrema li m`ghandhiex tintlaqa` facilment.  
 
 
L-Art 789(1) tal -Kap 12  jitkellem car dwar meta att 
gudizzjarju jista` jigi dikjarat null.   
 
 
Sa qabel l -emendi li dahlu fis -sehh bl -Att XXIV tal -1995, id -
disposizzjoni kienet taqra hekk : - 
 
L-eccezzjoni ta` nullita` ta` l -atti gudizzjarji tista` tinghata : 
   
(a)  jekk in -nullita` hija d ikjarata mil -ligi espressament ;  
 
(b)  jekk l -att jinhareg minn qorti mhux kompetenti  ;   
 
(c)  jekk fl -att ikun hemm vjolazzjoni tal -forma mehtiega mil -
ligi, ukoll jekk mhux taht piena ta` nullita`, kemm -il darba dik il -
vjolazzjoni tkun giebet, lill -parti li titolb in -nullita`, pregudizzju illi ma 
jistax jissewwa xort` ohra hlief billi l -att jigi annullat  ;   
 
(d)  jekk l -att ikun nieqes minn xi partikolarita` essenzjali 
espressament mehtiega mil -ligi.   
 
 
 Wara d -dhul fis -sehh tal -emendi ta` l-Att XXIV tal -1995 zdied 
dan il -proviso :  
 
Izda dik l -eccezzjoni ta` nullita` kif mahsuba fil -paragrafi (a), (c) 
u (d) ta` dan is -subartikolu ma tkunx tista` tinghata jekk dak in -
nuqqas jew vjolazzjoni jkunu jistghu jissewwew taht kull  dispozizzjoni 
ohra tal -ligi.   
 
 
Fis-sentenza li tat fl -4 ta` Novembru 1991 fil -kawza “ Guido J. 
Vella  A & CE vs Dr. Emanuel Cefai ” il-Qorti ta` l -Appell qalet : -  
 
 
 
 6 …  huwa dejjem opportun li l -Qorti kemm jista` jkun, ghall -
pratticita u biex tigi evitata multiplikazzjoni ta` kawzi u 
spejjez zejda , ghandha tkun pjuttost iebsa fl -akkoljiment 
tal-eccezzjoni tan -nullita`  u kemm jista` jkun issalva atti 
gudizzjarji, u att ta` citazzjoni ghandu jigi mwaqqa` u 
annullat biss ghal ragunijiet gravi .  In-nullita` ta`  l-att 
gudizzjarj u hija sanzjoni estrema li l -ligi trid li tigi imposta 
biss meta n -nuqqas , formali jew sostanzjali , fl-att ma jistax 
assolutament jigi tollerat minghajr hsara ghal xi principju 
ta` gustizzja procedurali.   
 
 
Din il-Qorti hija konxja tal -linja traccjata fil -gurisprudenza 
taghna fejn ir -rigorozita ` formali kienet  temperata matul is-snin sabiex 
“issir gustizzja sostanzjali fil -mertu tal -kaz”. (ara : “Michael Attard 
nomine vs Raymond Galea – Qorti tal -Appell - 12 ta` Mejju 1998) . 
 
 
Kien ritenut  ukoll mill-qrati taghna li “ r-rigorozita procedurali u l -
formalizmu esagerat rarament huma ambaxxaturi tal -gustizzja  
sostanzjali u ghalhekk ma ghandhomx normalment janimaw l -
andament tal -kawza .” (ara : “Aquilina vs Cassar ” : 
Vol.LXXVI.iv.666).  
 
 
Dan prem ess, nghaddu issa ghall -eccezzjoni de qua.  
 
 
Fir-Regolament 1215/2012 , maghruf ahjar bhala l -“Brussels 
Recast” , jirrizulta nkluz dan il -preambolu : –  
 
THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE 
EUROPEAN UNION,  
 
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functi oning of the European 
Union, and in particular Article 67(4) and points (a), (c) and (e) of 
Article 81(2) thereof,  
 
Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,  
 
After transmission of the draft legislative act to the national 
parliaments,  
 
 7 Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and 
Social Committee,  
 
Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure,  
 
Whereas  : 
 
 (1) On the 21 April 2009, the Commission adopted a report on 
the application of Council Regulation (EC) No  44/2001 of 22 
December 2000 on jurisdiction and the recognition and 
enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters. 
The report concluded that, in general, the operation of that 
Regulation is satisfactory, but that it is desirable to improve  
the appl ication of certain of its provisions, to further facilitate 
the free circulation of judgments and to further enhance 
access to justice. Since a number of amendments are to be 
made to that Regulation it should, in the interests of clarity, 
be recast.”   (enfasi u sottolinear ta` din il -qorti)  
  
  
Jirrizulta li r -Regolament 44/2001 kien sostwit bil -Brussels 
Recast.  
 
 
Fil-preambolu jkompli jinghad ukoll illi –  
 
 
(30) 
 A party challenging the enforcement of a judgment given in another 
Member State should, to  the extent possible and in accordance with 
the legal system of the Member State addressed, be able to invoke, in 
the same procedure, in addition to the grounds for refusal provided for 
in this Regulation, the grounds for refusal available under national l aw 
and within the time -limits laid down in that law.  
 
The recognition of a judgment should, however, be refused only if one 
or more of the grounds for refusal provided for in this Regulation are 
present.  
 
 
 8 … 
  
 
  
 
(34) Continuity between the 1968 Bru ssels Convention, Regulation 
(EC) No  44/2001 and this Regulation should be ensured, and 
transitional provisions should be laid down to that end. The same 
need for continuity applies as regards the interpretation by the 
Court of Justice of the European Unio n of the 1968 Brussels 
Convention and of the Regulations replacing it”  
 
 
Apparti dak li jinghad fil -preambolu, l -Art 80 tal -Brussels Recast 
ighid :- 
 
This Regulation shall repeal Regulation (EC) No  44/2001. 
References to the repealed Regulation shall be c onstrued as references 
to this Regulation and shall be read in accordance with the correlation 
table set out in Annex III.  
 
 
Ikkunsidrat  : 
 
 
Il-Qorti tqis illi ghalkemm is -sentenza de qua nghatat 
meta kien fis -sehh ir -Regolament 1215/2012, u ghalkemm ir-
rikorrent mexxa bl -azzjoni odjerna abbazi tar -Regolament 
44/2001, dak il -fatt ma jaghmilx l -azzjoni nulla.  
 
 
L-Art 80 tal -Brussels Recast fuq citat jahseb ghal sitwazzjoni ta` 
din ix -xorta u huwa mirat sabiex anke fil -proceduri gudizzjarji inter -
komunitarji tkun ricerkata l -gustizzja sostanzjali aktar minn dik 
formali.   
 
 
Di piu` il -hsieb tal -Brussels Recast ma kienx li jaqleb ta` 
taht fuq ir -regim regolatorju li kien hemm qabel , izda li jtejjeb , 
jiffacilita u jiddeburokratizza l-enforzabilita` fi Stati memb ri 
tal-UE ta` sentenzi moghtija fi Stat membri ohr a tal-UE. 
 
 
 
 9 Tajjeb li jkun determinat il-principju li meta tinghat a 
decizjoni moghtija minn qorti, tribunal jew organu gudizzjarju 
iehor ta` Stat membru tal -UE, li parti jkollha nteress li tenforza 
fi Stat m embru iehor,  l-esekuzzjoni ta` dik is -sentenza 
m`ghandhiex tkun respinta mill-Stat membru fejn tkun intalbet 
l-ezekuzzjoni fuq il -pretest ta` nullita` semplicement ghax il -
parti nteressata tkun iccitat Regolamenti tal -UE partikolari 
minflok ohrajn  in sostenn tat -talba taghha ghall -ezekuzzjoni , 
aktar u aktar fil -kaz odjern fejn irrizulta li r -Regolament 
1215/2012 kien intiz bhala titjib (u hekk hu) fuq ir -Regolament 
44/2001 . 
 
 
Decide  
 
 
Ghar -ragunijiet kollha premessi, il -Qorti qeghda tichad l -
ewwel eccezzjoni, spejjez ghall -intimata.   
 
 
Tordna l -prosegwiment tal -kawza.  
 
 
Ghalhekk thalli l -kawza ghall -kontinwazzjoni ghall -
udjenza ta` nhar it -Tnejn 24 ta` Frar 2020 fil -11.00 a.m.  
 
 
 
 
Onor. Joseph Zammit McKeon  
Imhallef  
 
 
 
Amanda Cassar  
Deputat Registr atur