(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations, which apply to Wales, implement Council Directive 2001/110/EC concerning honey (OJNo. L10, 12.1.2002, p.48). They revoke and replace the Honey Regulations 1976, as amended, in relation to Wales.

The Regulations —

a

prescribe definitions and reserved descriptions for certain specified honey products (regulation 2 and Schedules 1 and 2);

b

restrict the use of reserved descriptions to the specified honey products to which they relate (regulation 3);

c

prescribe labelling requirements for such products (regulation 4, 5 and 6);

d

specify a penalty, enforcement authorities and, in accordance with Articles 2 and 3 of Council Directive 89/397/EEC on the official control of foodstuffs (OJNo. L186, 30.6.89, p.23) a defence in relation to exports (regulations 7 and 8);

e

apply various provisions of the Food Safety Act 1990 (regulation 9);

f

revoke the previous Regulations and make consequential amendments and transitional provisions (regulations 10 and 11).

A regulatory appraisal, has been prepared pursuant to section 65 of the Government of Wales Act 1998 and placed in the Library of the National Assembly for Wales, together with a Transposition Note setting out how the main elements of the European legislation referred to above are transposed in these Regulations. Copies may be obtained from the Food Standards Agency, 11th Floor, Southgate House, Cardiff CF10 1EW.