These Regulations are made by the Scottish Ministers in exercise of the powers conferred by section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972 (c.68).
They correct an error in the Agriculture Market Measures (EU Exit) (Scotland) (Amendment) Regulations 2019 (S.S.I. 2019/73) (“the 2019 Regulations”).
Regulation 5(3)(a) and (b) of the 2019 Regulations amends regulation 4 of the Beef and Veal Labelling (Scotland) Regulations 2010 (S.S.I. 2010/402) (“the 2010 Regulations”).
Regulation 4 of the 2010 Regulations provides for it to be an offence to fail to comply with any provision in an EU instrument that is specified in that regulation, including provisions in EU Regulation (EC) No 1760/2000 establishing a system for the identification and registration of bovine animals and regarding the labelling of beef and beef products (OJ No 204, 11.8.2000, p.1) (“Regulation 1760/2000”).
Regulation 1760/2000 was amended from 17 July 2014 so that Articles 16 and 17 were repealed, and a new Article 15a inserted.
The 2019 Regulations revoke the following provisions of the 2010 Regulations:
- a
regulation 4(1)(a)(vii), as regards Article 16(4) of Regulation 1760/2000, and
- b
regulation 4(1)(a)(viii), as regards Article 17(1) of that Regulation.
However, regulation 41(3) of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Miscellaneous Amendments and Revocations) (Scotland) Regulations 2018 (S.S.I 2018/391) (“the 2018 Regulations”) had already amended the 2010 Regulations with effect from 28 February 2019 by:
- a
revoking regulation 4(1)(a)(vii) and (viii), and
- b
substituting a new regulation 4(1)(a)(vii), which made it an offence to breach Article 15a of Regulation 1760/2000.
Regulation 5(3)(a) of the 2019 Regulations will unless repealed before 28 March 2019 revoke the new provision inserted by the 2018 Regulations, with the effect that it will no longer be an offence to breach Article 15a of Regulation 1760/2000.
Regulation 5(3)(b) of the 2019 Regulations will have no effect as the provision it purports to revoke has already been repealed by the 2018 Regulations.
These Regulations correct the error by revoking regulation 5(3)(a) and (b) of the 2019 Regulations. They come into force on 27 March 2019, which is the day before the date the error in the 2019 Regulations would otherwise have had effect.