21.—(1) The prohibition in regulation 15(1) shall not apply to the marketing of seed that is authorised by a general licence made by the Secretary of State under this regulation but in all other respects the provisions of these Regulations shall continue to apply in relation to the marketing of the seed.
(2) Subject to paragraph (3), the Secretary of State may, by a general licence, exempt any person or class of persons, or persons generally, from compliance with any provision of these Regulations.
(3) The Secretary of State shall not exercise the power to issue a general licence under paragraph (2) except—
(a)to the extent that the provisions of the general licence are permitted in accordance with a temporary experiment organised under Article 13a of the Fodder Plant Seed Directive;
(b)to give effect to the provisions of a Council Decision made under Article 16 of the Fodder Plant Seed Directive and amendments made to such a Decision; or
(c)to the extent that the provisions of the general licence are permitted in accordance with measures taken pursuant to Article 17 of the Fodder Plant Seed Directive.
(4) A general licence issued under paragraph (2)—
(a)shall have effect during the period specified in it unless the Secretary of State revokes it earlier, and
(b)may impose such conditions as the Secretary of State may think necessary or desirable having regard to the marketing permitted by the general licence and the nature of the seed to which it relates, including a condition relating to the keeping of records in respect of the marketing of the seed.