Seeds (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the following Regulations:

(a) the Beet Seeds Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994;

(b) the Cereal Seeds Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994;

(c) the Fodder Plant Seeds Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994;

(d) the Oil and Fibre Plant Seeds Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994;

(e) the Vegetable Seeds Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994.

These Regulations implement as respects Northern Ireland—

(a) Council Directive 2004/117/EC (O.J. No. L14, 18.1.2005 p. 18) amending Council Directives 66/401/EEC, 66/402/EEC, 2002/54/EC, 2002/55/EC and 2002/57/EC on the marketing of fodder plant seed, cereal seed, beet seed, vegetable seed and oil and fibre plant seed. They update the definitions on examinations carried out under official supervision (regulations 2(2)(c), 3(2)(c), 4(2)(c), 5(2)(c) and 6(2)(c));

(b) Commission Directive 2006/55/EC (O.J. No. L159, 13.6.2006 p. 11) amending Annex III to Council Directive 66/402/EEC as regards the maximum weight of seed lots. They amend the Cereal Seeds Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994 to increase the maximum weight of a seed lot of species of cereal seed, except for maize, from 25 to 30 tonnes (regulation 3(3)). They also make a consequential amendment to the Fodder Plant Seeds Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994 to take account of this where more than 50% of a fodder plant seeds mixture consists of cereal seeds (regulation 4(3));

(c) Commission Directive 2006/124/EC (O.J. No. L339, 6.12.2006 p. 12) amending Council Directive 2002/55/EC on the marketing of vegetable seeds and Commission Decision 2007/321/EC (O.J. No. L119, 9.5.2007, p. 48) releasing the United Kingdom from the requirement to apply the marketing provisions of Council Directive 2002/55/EC in relation to certain vegetable seed species. They amend the Vegetable Seeds Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994 to update the list of genera and species of plant to which the Regulations apply, the main change being the addition of sweet corn or popcorn to the list (regulation 6(3) and Schedule) and make other consequential amendments (regulation 6(4) and (5)).

The Regulations also update the definitions of “official label” to take account of a change in operating procedures and the definitions of “member State” (regulation 2(2)(a), (b) and (d), 3(2)(a), (b) and (d), 4(2)(a), (b) and (d), 5(2)(a), (b) and (d) and 6(2)(a), (b) and (d)).