Explanatory Note
(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations, which apply to Great Britain, supersede the Eggs (Marketing Standards) Regulations 1985 and make provision for the enforcement and execution of specified regulations of the European Communities which relate to marketing standards for shell eggs and to the production and marketing of eggs for hatching and of farmyard poultry chicks.
The principal changes made by these Regulations to the 1985 Regulations are the introduction of more detailed labelling requirements following the further amendment of Council Regulation EEC No. 1907/90 and Commission Regulation EC No. 1274/91. (The amending instruments are specified in the Schedule, items 1 and 2). The Regulations also imelement the public health conditions in relation to the sale of shell eggs and to the use of eggs in catering kitchens laid down by Council Decision 94/371/EC. These Regulations are made under and incorporate provisions of the Food Safety Act 1990.
The Regulations—
(a)implement the public health conditions laid down by Council Decision 94/371/EC (regulation 3);
(b)designate the authorities who are to enforce the Community provisions (regulation 4);
(c)give authorised officers of the Minister specified powers (regulation 5);
(d)give the Minister power to require specified persons to keep records and supply information (regulation 7);
(e)prescribe the form of the official mark which may be used under the Community provisions (regulation 7);
(f)create an offence and prescribe a penalty (regulation 8);
(g)provide that descriptions and marks applied in pursuance of a Community provision shall not be trade descriptions under the Trade Descriptions Act 1968 (regulation 9).
A compliance cost assessment of the effect that these Regulations would have on the cost of business is available from:
Pigs, Eggs and poultry Dviision
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
Room 201
Whitehall Place (East Block)
London
SW1A 2HH.