These Regulations amend the Plastic Materials and Articles in Contact with Food Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009 (S.R. 2009 No. 56 as previously amended by S.R. 2010 No. 321) (“the principal Regulations”) in order to provide for the implementation of transitional arrangements contained in Commission Directive 2011/8/EU amending Directive 2002/72/EC as regards the restriction of use of Bisphenol A in plastic infant feeding bottles (OJ No. L26,29.1.2011,p.11) (“the new Commission Directive”).

The new Commission Directive contains a prohibition on the manufacture, sale and import of plastic feeding bottles for infants that are manufactured using Bisphenol A, together with transitional provisions for phasing in this prohibition. The principal Regulations contain (at regulation 2(6)) an ambulatory reference which has the effect of implementing the prohibition.

These Regulations amend the principal Regulations to provide for the implementation of the transitional arrangements in the new Commission Directive (regulation 2(2)).