Three new Bills have been published in the Government Gazette and are now on the House agenda for their second reading.

The Civil Code (Amendment) Bill seeks to update the filiation provisions and says that the declaration of a mother to the effect that her husband is not the father of the child shall be given consideration in an action regarding the exclusion of the paternity of the husband.

There are also new articles to the code.

The filiation of a child born in wedlock may also be impeached by any interested person if that person proves that, during the time from the 300th day to the 180th day before the birth of the child, the husband was in the physical impossibility of cohabiting with his wife on account of his being away from her or some other reason; or if that person proves that during the said time the wife had committed adultery. Furthermore, that person may produce evidence of any other fact, which may also be genetic, and scientific tests and data that tend to exclude the husband as the natural father of the child.

Any person claiming to be the natural father of a child born in wedlock, or heirs, may proceed by sworn application before the court against the wife, husband and child, or their respective heirs, in order to be declared as the natural father of the child. However, he or his heirs must produce evidence that during the time from the 300th day to the 180th day before the birth of the child the wife had committed adultery with him, and furthermore produce evidence of any other fact which may also be genetic and scientific tests and data that tend to exclude the husband as the natural father of the child.

A judicial demand for a declaration may also be exercised by the wife.

The action for the declaration of paternity must be filed within six months from the birth of the child.

The Protection of Children (Hague Convention) Act provides for the ratification of the Convention on the Jurisdiction, Applicable Law, recognition, enforcement and cooperation in respect of parental responsibility and measures for the protection of children concluded on October 19, 1996, within the Hague Conference on Private International Law.

The Participation and Guarantees under the European Financial Stability Facility Act, the first reading of which was moved by Finance Minister Tonio Fenech, authorises the participation within the European Financial Stability Facility and the issue of guarantees for the payment of the financial instruments or agreement issued or entered into by the same entity.

The European Financial Stability Facility is a corporate structure in the form of a public limited liability company incorporated in Luxembourg to make loans to members who are in financial difficulties and finance such loans backed up by guarantees issued by the other member states.

The Bill seeks House approval for the government to participate in the facility as a shareholder and as a director on its board of directors.

Any financial instrument or arrangement issued or entered into by the European Financial Stability Facility shall be guaranteed by the government, provided that the guarantee shall not exceed the aggregate amount of €398.44 million.