17. Not withstanding the revocations made in regulation 24, in relation to any plastic material or article —
(a)manufactured before the 1st July 1998, the defence in regulation 3(3) of the 1998 Regulations;
(b)manufactured or imported into the European Community before 1st January 2003, the defence in regulation 10(15) of the 1998 Regulations;
(c)put into free circulation in the European Community before 30th November 2002, the defence in regulation 10(16) of the 1998 Regulations;
(d)manufactured or imported into the European Community before 1st March 2004, the defence in regulation 10(21)(a) of the 1998 Regulations;
(e)manufactured or imported into the European Community before 1st March 2003, the defence in regulation 10(21)(b) of the 1998 Regulations;
(f)containing azodicarbonamide and brought into contact with food before 2nd August 2005, the defence in regulation 10(23) of the 1998 Regulations; or
(g)manufactured or imported into the European Community before 1st March 2006, the defence in regulation 10(25) of the 1998 Regulations,
shall apply in relation to offences under these Regulations in like manner as it applied to offences under the equivalent provisions in those Regulations.