Plant Health (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 1996

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order.)

This Order further amends the Plant Health Order (Northern Ireland) 1993 to provide for the granting of licences by the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland in accordance with the requirements of Commission Directive 95/44/EC establishing the conditions under which certain harmful organisms, plants, plant products and other objects listed in Annexes I to V to Council Directive 77/93/EEC may be introduced into or moved within the Community or certain protected zones thereof, for trial or scientific purposes and for work on varietal selections (O.J. No. L.184, 3.8.95, p. 34).

The Order also implements as respects Northern Ireland—

(i)Commission Directive 95/65/EC amending Directive 92/76/EEC recognising protected zones exposed to particular plant health risks in the Community (O.J. No. L.308, 21.12.95, p. 75);

(ii)Commission Directive 95/66/EC amending certain Annexes to Council Directive 77/93/EEC on protective measures against the introduction into the Community of organisms harmful to plants or plant products and against their spread within the Community (O.J. No. L.308, 21.12.95, p. 77).

This Order—

(a)provides for the granting of licences authorising and controlling the bringing into Northern Ireland, movement and keeping of pests, plants, plant products or other objects for trial or scientific purposes or for work on varietal selections (Article 4); and

(b)extends the range of citrus fruits that may, subject to certain conditions, circulate in the Community with leaves and peduncles (Articles 5 to 9).