(This note is not part of the Regulations.)

These Regulations, which amend for the third time the Plastic Materials and Articles in Contact with Food Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1998 (“the principal Regulations”), implement Commission Directive 2002/17/EC amending Directive 90/128/EEC relating to plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with foodstuffs (O.J. No. L58, 28.2.2002, p. 19), except paragraph 1(a) of the Annex and paragraph 2(a)(ii) of the Annex in so far as it relates to the additives benzaldehyde and camphor, which were implemented by the Plastic Materials and Articles in Contact with Food (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002 (S.R. 2002 No. 316).

The Regulations amend the principal Regulations by–

(a)

adding a transitional provision in respect of proceedings for an offence under them (regulation 3);

(b)

adding new substances to the list of monomers which may be used in the manufacture of plastic materials or articles and amending the conditions of use of certain monomers used in such manufacture (regulation 4);

(c)

adding new substances to the non-exhaustive list of additives used in the manufacture of plastic materials or articles and amending the conditions of use of certain additives used in such manufacture (regulation 5); and

(d)

adding certain substances to the list of substances whose specifications are set out in Schedule 2B to the principal Regulations (regulation 6).