The Marketing of Fresh Horticultural Produce Regulations 2009

Designations, provision of information, and appointment of authorised officers

3.—(1) The Secretary of State is designated as the coordinating authority for the United Kingdom under Article 8(1)(a) of Commission Regulation 1580/2007.

(2) In the capacity of coordinating authority for the United Kingdom, and for the purposes of fulfilling the obligations on coordinating authorities contained in the Community marketing rules, the Secretary of State may, without prejudice to disclosure pursuant to an order of a court or pursuant to a rule of law,—

(a) provide information to—

(i) the coordinating authorities of other member States designated under Article 8(1)(a) of Commission Regulation 1580/2007;

(ii) the inspection bodies in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales designated under Article 8(1)(b) of Commission Regulation 1580/2007;

(iii) the inspection bodies of other member States designated under Article 8(1)(b) of Commission Regulation 1580/2007;

(iv) the official authorities and inspection bodies of third countries;

(v) the European Commission;

(b) require the inspection bodies designated under Article 8(1)(b) of Commission Regulation 1580/2007 in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales—

(i) to provide any information which the Secretary of State has reasonable cause to believe those bodies are able to give including, but not limited to, information relating to the trader database required pursuant to Article 9 of Commission Regulation 1580/2007, information relating to the inspection and risk analysis systems referred to in Chapter II of Title II of that Regulation and information relating to the results of inspections made by the relevant inspection body;

(ii) to provide any requested information which is in computerised form in a legible form.

(3) The Secretary of State is designated as the inspection body for England under Article 8(1)(b) of Commission Regulation 1580/2007.

(4) In the capacity of inspection body for England and for the purposes of fulfilling the obligations on inspection bodies contained in the Community marketing rules and for the enforcement of these Regulations, the Secretary of State may provide information to those mentioned in paragraph (2)(a)(i) to (v).

(5) In the capacity of inspection body for England, the Secretary of State may appoint officers for the purposes of the enforcement of these Regulations, in these Regulations referred to as authorised officers.