Reference is made to the editorial Authorities without authority? (TMID, 16 January)

The Malta Communications Authority (MCA) would like to clarify that it operates within the confines of the laws that it administers, namely, the Malta Communications Authority Act, the Electronic Communications (Regulation) Act, the Radio Communications Act, the Postal Services Act and the Electronic Commerce Act. Therefore, the MCA can only intervene directly in instances where an undertaking infringes any of these laws in particular.

In the case cited in your editorial, the MCA has no remit on misleading advertising, yet thought it fit to still issue a statement expressing its opinion. It also informed the competent authority with the steps it was taking in this regard.

The MCA can also intervene should an undertaking contravene any of the decisions and directives that the Authority publishes and has, where these have been breached, imposed sanctions as necessary. A number of important instances when the authority has taken such actions have regularly been covered by the media.

Should a matter relate to a law that the MCA does not administer, the authority, naturally, cannot intervene directly, but liaises with and supports the competent authority with any investigation it deems fit.

Mandy Calleja

Communications Coordinator

Malta Communications Authority