ABSTRACT
Utility regulation in Malta has, as a result of the membership of Malta in the European Union (EU), been moulded by the requirements imposed by the various EU directives relating to the different utility sectors. Significantly a glaring shortcoming when compared to larger countries is that Malta has no consumer bodies that can claim expertise in utility regulation. The interests of consumers should at least in theory be at the core of utility regulation. In the context of utility regulation in Malta the measures taken to date with regard to the protection of consumer rights, vary from relatively mild to practically non-existent, depending on the sector under consideration. The logical starting point in dealing with the protection of consumer interests in utility regulation is to consider how such interests feature in the objectives and/or functions of the competent regulator. The importance of safeguarding the consumer interest is a principle that is generally accepted as an essential prerequisite in utility regulation.
