(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Plant Health (Import Inspection Fees) (Scotland) Regulations 2005 (“the principal Regulations”). The principal Regulations implement Article 13d of Council Directive 2000/29/EC on protective measures against the introduction into the Community of organisms harmful to plants or plant products and against their spread within the Community (O.J. No. L 169, 10.7.00, p.1), which requires member States to charge fees to cover the costs occasioned by the documentary checks, identity checks and plant health checks of certain imports of plants, plant products and other objects from third countries.

These Regulations delete a definition in the principal Regulations (regulation 3), and substitute a new Schedule 2 to the principal Regulations (regulation 4), to give effect to the latest agreed reduced rates for inspections of certain material. (Schedule 2 to the principal Regulations includes provision for reduced rates for certain plants and plant products agreed under the procedure provided for in Articles 13d(2) and 18(2) of Directive 2000/29/EC.) The changes to the fees made by these Regulations, which are set at a proportion of the standard fee (described in Schedule 1 to the principal Regulations) corresponding to the rate of inspection, are based on the agreed inspection rates set out below:

Column 1

Column 2

Column 3

Column 4

Column 5

Column 6

Genus

Country of origin

Previous rate of inspection

Initial fee(1)

Newrate of inspection

Initial fee, specified in Schedule 2

Cut Flowers

Dianthus

Kenya

100%(2)

–

10%

£1.32

Rosa

Ethiopia

5%

£0.66

10%

£1.32

Rosa

Kenya

5%

£0.66

10%

£1.32

Rosa

Uganda

10%

£1.32

50%

£6.62

Rosa

Zambia

10%

£1.32

25%

£3.31

Rosa

Zimbabwe

50%

£6.62

100%(2)

–

Fruit

Malus

Argentina

15%

£1.98

10%

£1.32

Malus

Brazil

25%

£3.31

15%

£1.98

Malus

China

35%

£4.63

25%

£3.31

Mangifera

Peru

50%

£6.62

100%(2)

–

Passiflora

Colombia

15%

£1.98

10%

£1.32

Prunus

Chile

15%

£1.98

10%

£1.32

Citrus

Honduras

100%(2)

–

75%

£9.93

Citrus

Turkey

5%

£0.66

5%

£0.66

Citrus

USA

10%

£1.32

10%

£1.32

Momordica

Suriname

50%

£6.62

100%(2)

–

Vegetables

Solanum melongena

Turkey

75%

£9.93

25%

£3.31

(1)

Initial fee per consignment for cut flowers (up to 20,000 in number) and fruit and vegetables (up to 25,000 kg in weight). Corresponding fees are set in the principal Regulations for additional quantities, maximum price per consignment and non-daytime working hours.

(2)

Consignments subject to an inspection rate of 100% are excluded from the reduced rate inspection scheme and are subject to the import inspection fees specified in Schedule 1 to the principal Regulations.

No Regulatory Impact Assessment has been prepared for this instrument as it has no impact on the cost of business