The Department of Health1 makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred on it by Articles 15(1)(a) and (e), 16(1), 25(1) and (3), 26(3), 32(1) and 47(2) of the Food Safety (Northern Ireland) Order 19912 and paragraph 1A of Schedule 2 to the European Communities Act 19723.

These Regulations make provision for a purpose mentioned in section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972 and it appears to the Department of Health, that it is expedient for references to the European instruments and the Annex to the European instrument specified in regulation 2(4) to be construed as a reference to that instrument as amended from time to time.

In accordance with Article 47(3A) of that Order, it has had regard to relevant advice given by the Food Standards Agency.

As required by Article 9 of Regulation (EC) No. 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety4as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 652/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down provisions for the management of expenditure relating to the food chain, animal health and animal welfare, and relating to plant health and plant reproductive material5, there has been open and transparent public consultation during the preparation and evaluation of these Regulations.