Explanatory Note
(This note is not part of the Regulations.)
These Regulations implement Directive 1999/4/EC of the European Parliament and the Council relating to coffee extracts and chicory extracts (O.J. No. L66, 13.3.1999, p. 26). They revoke and replace the Coffee and Coffee Products Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1979, as amended.
These Regulations—
(a)prescribe definitions and reserved descriptions for coffee extracts and chicory extracts (regulation 2 and the Schedule);
(b)provide for the Regulations to apply to coffee extracts and chicory extracts ready for delivery to the ultimate consumer or to a catering establishment, except for the product known as café torrefacto soluble (regulation 3);
(c)restrict the sale of foods labelled with a reserved description (regulation 4);
(d)require reserved descriptions and specified declarations to be applied to designated products, and prescribe the manner of marking or labelling to be employed; certain provisions of the Food Labelling Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996, which govern the labelling of coffee extracts and chicory extracts except so far as specifically provided for in these Regulations, are applied to these specific requirements (regulations 5 and 6);
(e)provide for penalties and enforcement, include a transitional provision, and a defence in relation to exports (in accordance with Articles 2 and 3 of Council Directive 89/397/EEC (O.J. No. L186, 30.6.89, p. 23) on the official control of foodstuffs), apply various provisions of the Food Safety (Northern Ireland) Order 1991 and make amendments and revocations (regulations 7 to 11).