Fodder Plant Seeds (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations.)

These Regulations amend the Fodder Plant Seeds Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994, S.R. 1994 No. 252, as amended by S.R. 1996 No. 311, S.R. 1997 No. 240 and S.R. 2000 No. 54 (the 1994 Regulations).

The amendments to the 1994 Regulations give effect to Council Directive 98/95/EC (O.J. No. L25, 1.2.1999, p. 1) in respect of the consolidation of the internal market, genetically modified plant resources and plant genetic resources and Council Directive 98/96/EC (O.J. No. L25, 1.2.1999, p. 27) amending, as regards unofficial field inspections, directives in respect of the marketing of seeds and the common catalogue of varieties of agricultural plant species. The directives in respect of the marketing of seeds amended by Council Directive 98/95/EC and Council Directive 98/96/EC include Council Directive 66/401/EEC (O.J. No. L125, 11.7.66, p. 2298) on the marketing of fodder plant seed (last amended by Council Directive 98/96/EC).

These amending Regulations—

(a) amend definitions in the 1994 Regulations, including the definitions of “marketing” and “official examination”, and remove the definition of “small packages”;

(b) include provisions in regulation 5 in relation to marketing and marketing authorisations, tests and trials, seed as grown, selection work and other scientific purposes; and make consequential amendments to regulation 4;

(c) include in regulation 5 provision in relation to the marketing of genetically modified fodder plant seeds;

(d) amend regulations 8 and 9 to remove provisions in respect of small packages and amend regulation 9 to make provision in relation to clear indications for genetically modified varieties; and

(e) amend Schedule 6 to make provision for the supply of information about imported seeds and remove provisions in respect of small packages.