Act XIII of 2026 is a landmark Maltese statute that replaces the previous wardship regime with a supported decision-making model aligned with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). The Act establishes that every person, regardless of disability or cognitive impairment, retains full legal capacity, and that the role of the state and of appointed supporters is to assist rather than substitute an individual's decision-making.

The Act creates three new legal instruments: (1) a Personal Autonomy Plan, a voluntary document in which a person sets out the areas of life in which they wish support and the persons they trust to provide it; (2) a Supported Decision-Making Agreement, a formal registered arrangement with one or more supporters who assist without overriding the individual; and (3) a Representation Order, issued by the Civil Court (Family Section) in the narrow class of cases where, despite all support, a person is still wholly unable to make a specific decision — the order is strictly limited to that decision and for the shortest time necessary.

The old concept of legal incapacitation is abolished prospectively; existing wardship orders must be reviewed and converted within three years. A new Office of the Personal Autonomy Commissioner is established to oversee the system, receive complaints, and promote training of supporters, care homes, and public bodies. Financial institutions, healthcare providers, and public authorities must implement accessible communication and reasonable accommodations to give effect to a person's autonomy. Breach of the Act by a public body may be challenged before the Civil Court as a fundamental rights violation under Article 46 of the Constitution. The Act enters into force in stages over 24 months from publication.

Personal Autonomy and Supported Decision-Making Act (Act XIII of 2026)