Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order amends the Plant Health (Great Britain) Order 1993 (“the 1993 Order”) in its application to Wales. It adjusts the requirements which apply to certain plants originating and moving within a protected zone, within the scope permitted by Commission Directive 93/51/EEC zone (O.J. L205, 17.8.93, p.24). This Directive establishes rules for movements of certain plants, plant products or other objects through a protected zone, and for movements of such plants, plant products or other objects originating in and moving within such a protected zone.

The principal changes introduced by this Order, which comes into force on 1st August 2001, are as follows—

(a)certain plants originating and moving within specified protected zones are required to be accompanied by a plant passport (article 2(2));

(b)the exemption applicable to certain plants specified in Part B of Schedule 4 from relevant special requirements is ended (article 2(2));

(c)the authority to issue plant passports may be conferred on a business, individual or other organisation on the basis of a satisfactory survey (article 2(3)).

The requirement for a plant passport imposed by this Order is consistent with the Community passporting regime which was implemented in the principal Order pursuant to Council Directive 77/93/EEC (as amended and supplemented by the instruments listed in Schedule 16 of the principal Order) (O.J. L26, 31.1.77, p.20).