MDIA is the primary Authority responsible for promoting governmental policies that promote Malta as the centre for excellence for technological innovation, while setting and enforcing standards that ensure compliance with any other international obligations. The Authority seeks to protect and support users and also encourages all types of innovations, by allowing for flexibility when it comes to the certification of Innovative Technology Arrangements.
The Authority shall endeavour to achieve the following main objectives and policies.
- Promote governmental policies that favour the deployment, within the public administration, of innovative technology arrangements, by the Government where necessary or appropriate.
- Foster, promote and facilitate the advancement and utilisation of innovative technology arrangements and their design and uses.
- Promote education on ethical standards and legitimate exploitation of innovative technology arrangements.
- Safeguard, maintain and protect the reputation of Malta in the use of innovative technology arrangements.
- Protect users of innovative technology arrangements, including consumers and the general public and to ensure standards are set that meet their legitimate expectations and protect them against misuse.
- Harmonise practices and to facilitate the adoption of standards, on innovative technology arrangements in Malta, to be in line with international norms, standards, rules and/or laws particularly those of the European Union.
- Assist the competent Data Protection Authorities in safeguarding the data protection rights of data subjects and assist other competent authorities in the protection of vulnerable persons and the promotion of fair competition and consumer choice.
- Promote, and if required enforce, ethical and legitimate criteria in the design and use of innovative technology arrangements and any application, software or derivative product from it or intrinsically part of or connected to it as well as to ensure quality of services and security therein.
- Support the prevention of money laundering, terrorist financing and the commission of any other crime in or through the use of innovative technology arrangements, through collaborations with other regulatory bodies and competent authorities with the same responsibility of preventing money laundering and the financing of terrorism and crime in general.
- Promote transparency and auditability in the use of innovative technology arrangements, and any application, software, or derivative product from it or intrinsically part of or connected to it.
- Promote ease of accessibility to the facilities provided by publicly available innovative technology arrangements and the recognition and implementation of the right of exit, withdrawal or termination of participation from any arrangement in the use of innovative technology arrangements.
- Promote legal certainty in the application of laws, in a national and cross-border context, and the development of appropriate legal principles for the effective application of law to innovative technology arrangements.
- Promote the development of innovative technology in as wide a manner and for as many uses as possible, so as to achieve its benefits in as many economic and social sectors as possible, including, but not limited to, in financial services, health and education, voluntary organisations, public administration and transport.
- Encourage the development of regulatory processes in relation to innovative technology arrangements to support all national competent authorities regulating different sectors to better administer the laws entrusted to their administration for the public benefit.
