Cattle Identification (Enforcement) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1998

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations.)

These Regulations create offences for breach of—

• Article 4.3 (imports of cattle from third countries)

• Article 4.5 (removal of ear tags)

• Article 7.1 First Indent (keeping a register)

• Article 7.1 Second Indent (Notification of movements, births and deaths)

• Article 7.3 (provision of information)

• Article 7.4 (production and retention of the register)

of Council Regulation 820/97/EC (establishing a system for the identification and registration of bovine animals and regarding the labelling of beef and beef products (O.J. No. L117, 7.5.97, p. 1). They provide that the competent authority for the purposes of Articles 4.1, 4.5, 4.6, 7.3 and 7.4 of that Regulation is the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland. They specify the form of a register and when it shall be filled in (regulation 3 and the Schedule).

The Regulations also give powers to inspectors and officers of the Department (regulations 4 and 5), and create offences of obstruction (regulation 6).

Breach of the Regulations is an offence punishable—

• for obstruction and failure to give assistance and information, on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months or to both;

• for any other offence,

  (a)

  on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale or to imprisonment not exceeding three months or to both;

  (b)

  on conviction on indictment, to a fine or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to both (regulation 7).

The Regulations also revoke parts of the Animals (Records) Order and parts of the Tuberculosis Control Order (Northern Ireland) 1964. They amend the Suckler Cow Premium Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1993 and the Beef Special Premium (Protection of Payments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996 (regulation 8).