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STATUTORY RULES OF NORTHERN IRELAND


2006 No. 2

AGRICULTURE

FOOD

The Official Feed and Food Controls Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006

  Made 10th January 2006 
  Coming into operation 11th January 2006 


ARRANGEMENT OF REGULATIONS


PART 1

PRELIMINARY
1. Citation, commencement and application.
2. Interpretation.

PART 2

MAIN PROVISIONS
3. Competent authorities.
4. Exchanging and providing information.
5. Obtaining information.
6. Power to issue codes of recommended practice.
7. Monitoring of enforcement action.
8. Power to request information relating to enforcement action.
9. Power of entry for persons monitoring enforcement action.
10. Meaning of "enforcement authority" and related expressions.
11. Offences relating to regulations 8 and 9.
12. Right of appeal.
13. Appeal to County Court against dismissal of appeal under regulation 12(1).
14. Staff of competent authority of another member State.
15. Commission experts.
16. Prohibition on disclosure of trade secrets.
17. Execution and enforcement.
18. Powers of entry.
19. Obstruction etc. of officers.
20. Penalties.
21. Time limit for prosecutions.

PART 3

OFFICIAL CONTROLS ON FEED AND FOOD OF NON-ANIMAL ORIGIN FROM THIRD COUNTRIES
22. Interpretation of this Part of these Regulations.
23. Feed enforcement responsibilities.
24. Food enforcement responsibilities.
25. Functions of the Commissioners.
26. Deferred execution and enforcement.
27. Prohibition on introduction of certain feed and food.
28. Checks on products.
29. Detention, destruction, special treatment, re-dispatch and other appropriate measures and costs.
30. Notices pursuant to Article 19 of Regulation 882/2004 (imports of feed and food from third countries).
31. Right of appeal in respect of notices served under regulation 30.
32. Appeal to County Court against dismissal of appeal under regulation 31
33. Serious risk to animal or public health.
34. Liability for charges.
35. Procurement by authorised officers of samples with regard to food.
36. Analysis etc. of samples.
37. Powers of entry of authorised officers of a district council.
38. Obstruction etc. of officers (imports).
39. Offences and penalties.
40. Time limit for prosecutions (imports).

PART 4

ENFORCEMENT AND SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISIONS
41. Offences due to fault of another person.
42. Defence of due diligence.
43. Offences by bodies corporate.
44. Protection of officers acting in good faith.
45. Revocation.

SCHEDULES

  Schedule 1 — Definitions of community legislation.

  Schedule 2 — Definition of relevant feed law.

  Schedule 3 — Definition of relevant food law.

  Schedule 4 — Competent authorities for the purposes of certain provisions of regulation 882/2004 in so far as they apply in relation to relevant feed law.

  Schedule 5 — Competent authorities for the purposes of certain provisions of regulation 882/2004 in so far as they apply in relation to relevant food law.

The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety[
1] makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred on it by section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972[2].

     The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, has been designated for the purposes of section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972 in relation to measures relating to food (including drink) including the primary production of food and measures relating to feed produced for or fed to food-producing animals[3], the common agricultural policy of the European Community[4] and measures in the veterinary and phytosanitary fields for the protection of public health[5].

     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 safety[6] as last amended by Regulation (EC) No. 1642/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No. 178/2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety[7] there has been open and transparent public consultation during the preparation of the following Regulations.



PART 1

PRELIMINARY

Citation and commencement
     1. These Regulations may be cited as the Official Feed and Food Controls Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 and shall come into operation on 11th January 2006.

Interpretation
    
2. —(1) In these Regulations—

    (2) Subject to paragraph (3), any expression other than one defined in paragraph (1) that is used both in these Regulations and in the Order has the meaning it bears in the Order.

    (3) Unless the contrary intention appears, any expression used both in these Regulations and in Regulation 178/2002 or Regulation 882/2004 has the meaning it bears in Regulation 178/2002 or Regulation 882/2004, as the case may be.

    (4) The Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954[10] shall apply to these Regulations as it applies to an Act of the Northern Ireland Assembly.



PART 2

MAIN PROVISIONS

Competent authorities
     3. —(1) Subject to paragraph (4), any body specified in Column 1 of Schedule 4 is designated as a competent authority for the purposes of the provisions of Regulation 882/2004 indicated in the corresponding entry in Column 2 of that Schedule in so far as those provisions apply in relation to relevant feed law.

    (2) Subject to paragraphs (3) to (5), any body specified in Column 1 of Schedule 5 is designated as a competent authority for the purposes of the provisions of Regulation 882/2004 indicated in the corresponding entry in Column 2 of that Schedule in so far as those provisions apply in relation to relevant food law.

    (3) Where the district council is designated as a competent authority pursuant to paragraph (2) the designation shall extend to its district only.

    (4) Where the Agency is designated as a competent authority pursuant to paragraph (1) or (2) for the purposes of Article 31(1) of Regulation 882/2004, the designation shall extend only to the operations in respect of which the Agency executes and enforces the Food Hygiene Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006[
11] by virtue of regulation 5(1)(a) of those Regulations.

    (5) Where the Agency is designated as a competent authority pursuant to paragraph (2) for the purposes of Article 31(2) of Regulation 882/2004, the designation shall extend, as regards Article 31(2)(a) to (e), only to those operations in respect of which the Agency executes and enforces the Food Hygiene Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 by virtue of regulation 5(2) of those Regulations.

Exchanging and providing information
     4. —(1) For the purposes of enabling competent authorities, other OFFC authorities and member States to fulfil the obligations placed upon them by Regulation 882/2004 competent authorities may exchange among themselves or provide to other OFFC authorities any information received by them in the execution and enforcement of relevant feed law or relevant food law.

    (2) For the purpose of executing or enforcing relevant feed law or relevant food law, competent authorities may exchange among themselves any information received by them in the execution and enforcement of relevant feed law or relevant food law.

    (3) Competent authorities may share information received by them in the execution and enforcement of relevant feed law or relevant food law with the bodies which execute and enforce relevant feed law or relevant food law in England, Wales and Scotland for the purposes of facilitating the execution and enforcement of relevant feed law or relevant food law in those countries.

    (4) Paragraphs (1), (2) and (3) are without prejudice to any other power of competent authorities to disclose information by or under Community legislation.

    (5) For the purposes of this regulation, "other OFFC authorities" means authorities designated in the United Kingdom as competent authorities for the purposes of Regulation 882/2004 other than the competent authorities designated under these Regulations.

Obtaining information
    
5. —(1) For the purpose of enabling competent authorities and member States to fulfil the obligations placed on them by Regulation 882/2004 and for the purpose of executing and enforcing relevant feed law or relevant food law, a competent authority may require a control body—

    (2) The competent authority may copy any records made available to it under paragraph (1)(b).

    (3) A person who—

is guilty of an offence.

    (4) For the purposes of paragraph (1), the term "control body" includes any member, officer or employee of a control body.

Power to issue codes of recommended practice
    
6. —(1) For the guidance of district councils, the Department may issue codes of recommended practice as regards—

and any such code shall be laid before the Assembly after being issued.

    (2) The Agency may, after consulting the Department, give a district council a direction requiring it to take any specified steps in order to comply with a code issued under this regulation.

    (3) In exercise of the functions conferred on them as competent authorities by or under Regulation 882/2004 and in their execution and enforcement of the Import Provisions, each district council—

    (4) Any direction under paragraph (2) shall, on the application of the Agency, be enforceable by mandatory order.

    (5) The Agency shall consult the Department before making an application under paragraph (4).

    (6) Before issuing any code under this regulation, the Department shall have regard to any relevant advice given by the Agency.

Monitoring of enforcement action
    
7. —(1) The Agency has the function of monitoring the performance of enforcement authorities in enforcing relevant audit legislation.

    (2) That function includes, in particular, setting standards of performance (whether for enforcement authorities generally or for particular authorities) in relation to the enforcement of any relevant audit legislation.

    (3) Each annual report of the Agency shall contain a report on its activities during the year in enforcing any relevant audit legislation for which it is the enforcement authority and its performance in respect of—

    (4) The Agency may make a report to any other enforcement authority on their performance in enforcing any relevant audit legislation and such a report may include guidance as to action which the Agency considers would improve that performance.

    (5) The Agency may direct an authority to which such a report has been made—

    (6) Section 19 of the Food Standards Act 1999 shall apply in relation to information obtained through monitoring under this regulation as if it were information obtained through monitoring under section 12 of that Act.

Power to request information relating to enforcement action
     8. —(1) For the purpose of carrying out its function under regulation 7 in relation to any enforcement authority the Agency may require a person mentioned in paragraph (2)—

    (2) A requirement under paragraph (1) may be imposed on—

    (3) The Agency may copy any records made available to it in pursuance of a requirement under paragraph (1)(b).

Power of entry for persons monitoring enforcement action
    
9. —(1) The Agency may authorise any individual (whether a member of its staff or otherwise) to exercise the powers specified in paragraph (4) for the purpose of carrying out its function under regulation 7 in relation to any enforcement authority.

    (2) No authorisation under this regulation shall be issued except in pursuance of a decision taken by the Agency itself or by a committee, sub-committee or member of the Agency acting on behalf of the Agency.

    (3) An authorisation under this regulation shall be in writing and may be given subject to any limitations or conditions specified in the authorisation (including conditions relating to hygienic precautions to be taken while exercising powers in pursuance of the authorisation).

    (4) An authorised person may—

    (5) The premises which may be entered by an authorised person are—

    (6) The power to enter premises conferred on an authorised person includes power to take with him any other person he may consider appropriate.

    (7) An authorised person shall on request—

    (8) If a person who enters any premises by virtue of this section discloses to any person any information obtained on the premises with regard to any trade secret he is, unless the disclosure is made in the performance of his duty, guilty of an offence.

    (9) Where the Agency is the enforcement authority in relation to relevant audit legislation this regulation applies in relation to the Agency in respect of its performance in enforcing those provisions, with the omission of paragraph (5)(a).

    (10) In this regulation "authorised person" means a person authorised under this regulation.

Meaning of "enforcement authority" and related expressions
    
10. —(1) In regulations 7 to 9 "relevant audit legislation" means relevant feed law and relevant food law in respect of which the Agency is designated as a competent authority pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2) respectively of regulation 3 but does not include "relevant legislation" as defined in section 15 of the Food Standards Act 1999.

    (2) In regulations 7 to 9 "enforcement authority" means the authority by whom relevant audit legislation is to be enforced and includes the Agency itself if by virtue of that legislation it is the enforcement authority in relation to it but does not include the European Commission; and "enforcement" in relation to relevant audit legislation includes the execution of any provisions of that legislation.

    (3) Any reference in regulations 7 to 9 (however expressed) to the performance of an enforcement authority in enforcing any relevant audit legislation includes a reference to the capacity of that authority to enforce it.

Offences relating to regulations 8 and 9
    
11. A person who—

is guilty of an offence.

Right of appeal
    
12. —(1) Any person who is aggrieved by a decision of the competent authority taken in respect of an establishment subject to approval under Article 4(2) of Regulation 853/2004 pursuant to—

may appeal to a court of summary jurisdiction.

    (2) The procedure on an appeal to a court of summary jurisdiction under paragraph (1) shall be by way of notice under Part VII of the Magistrates Courts (Northern Ireland) Order 1981[
13].

    (3) The period within which an appeal under paragraph (1) may be brought shall be one month from and including the date on which notice of the decision was served on the person desiring to appeal and the making of a complaint for an order shall be deemed for the purposes of this paragraph to be the bringing of the appeal.

    (4) Where on an appeal under paragraph (1) a court of summary jurisdiction determines that the decision of the competent authority is incorrect, the authority shall give effect to the determination of the court.

    (5) Where an approval is refused or withdrawn, the food business operator who, immediately before such refusal or withdrawal, had been using the establishment concerned may continue to use it, subject to any conditions imposed by the competent authority for the protection of public health, unless—

    (6) Nothing in paragraph (5) shall permit an establishment to be used for a food business if—

    (7) In this regulation each of the terms "hygiene prohibition order", "hygiene emergency prohibition notice", "hygiene emergency prohibition order" and "remedial action notice" has the same meaning that it bears in the Food Hygiene Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006.

Appeal to County Court against dismissal of appeal under regulation 12(1)
     13. A person who is aggrieved by the dismissal by a court of summary jurisdiction of an appeal to it under regulation 12(1) may appeal to the County Court.

Staff of competent authority of another member State
    
14. An authorised officer of a competent authority may take with him a member of staff of the competent authority of another member State for the purpose of conducting an administrative enquiry under Article 36 of Regulation 882/2004.

Commission experts
    
15. —(1) When an enforcing officer enters premises for the purposes of executing and enforcing official controls he may take with him a Commission expert to enable that expert to carry out functions under Article 45 of Regulation 882/2004.

    (2) In paragraph (1) and in paragraph (5)(b) of regulation 17 "enforcing officer" means an authorised officer of any authority which is responsible for executing and enforcing official controls for the verification of compliance with relevant feed law or relevant food law.

Prohibition on disclosure of trade secrets
    
16. If a person enters any premises by virtue of regulation 14 or 15 and discloses to any person any information obtained on the premises with regard to any trade secret he is, unless the disclosure is made in the performance of his duty, guilty of an offence.

Execution and enforcement
    
17. —(1) The authority responsible for executing and enforcing paragraph (3) of regulation 5 shall be the competent authority who imposed the requirement on the control body concerned under paragraph (1) of that regulation.

    (2) The authority responsible for executing and enforcing paragraph (8) of regulation 9 and regulation 11 shall be the Agency.

    (3) The authority responsible for executing and enforcing regulation 16 shall be the authority whose officer took the person who made the disclosure on to the premises concerned.

    (4) The authority responsible for executing and enforcing paragraph (8) of regulation 18 shall be the authority who authorised the person who entered the premises and disclosed the information.

    (5) The authority responsible for executing and enforcing regulation 19 shall—

Powers of entry
    
18. —(1) An authorised officer of a district council shall, on producing, if so required, some duly authenticated document showing his authority, have a right at all reasonable hours—

but admission to any premises used only as a private dwelling-house shall not be demanded as of right unless 24 hours' notice of the intended entry has been given to the occupier.

    (2) An authorised officer of the feed authority shall, on producing, if so required, some duly authenticated document showing his authority, have a right at all reasonable hours to enter any premises for the purpose of ascertaining whether there is or has been on the premises a contravention of any provision of this Part of these Regulations for which that authority has enforcement responsibility pursuant to regulation 17; but admission to any premises used only as a private dwelling-house shall not be demanded as of right unless 24 hours' notice of the intended entry has been given to the occupier.

    (3) An authorised officer of the Agency shall, on producing if so required some duly authenticated document showing his authority, have a right at all reasonable hours to enter any premises for the purpose of—

but admission to any premises used only as a private dwelling-house shall not be demanded as of right unless 24 hours' notice of the intended entry has been given to the occupier.

    (4) If a lay magistrate, on sworn information in writing, is satisfied that there is reasonable ground for entry onto any premises for any such purpose as is mentioned in paragraph (1), (2) or (3) and either—

the lay magistrate may by warrant signed by him authorise the authorised officer to enter the premises, if need be by reasonable force.

    (5) Every warrant granted under this regulation shall continue in force for a period of one month.

    (6) An authorised officer entering any premises by virtue of this regulation, or of a warrant issued under it, may take with him such other persons as he considers necessary, and on leaving any unoccupied premises which he has entered by virtue of such a warrant shall leave them as effectively secured against unauthorised entry as he found them.

    (7) An authorised officer entering premises by virtue of this regulation, or of a warrant issued under it, may inspect any records (in whatever form they are held) and, where any such records are stored in any electronic form—

    (8) Any officer exercising any power conferred by paragraph (7) may—

    (9) If any person who enters any premises by virtue of this regulation, or of a warrant issued under it, discloses to any person any information obtained by him on the premises with regard to any trade secret, he shall, unless the disclosure was made in the performance of his duty, be guilty of an offence.

    (10) Nothing in this regulation authorises any person, except with the permission of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development under the Diseases of Animals (Northern Ireland) Order 1981[
14], to enter any premises—

Obstruction etc. of officers
     19. —(1) Any person who—

shall be guilty of an offence.

    (2) Any person who, in purported compliance with any such requirement as is mentioned in paragraph (1)(b)—

shall be guilty of an offence.

    (3) Nothing in paragraph (1)(b) shall be construed as requiring any person to answer any question or give any information if to do so might incriminate him.

Penalties
    
20. —(1) A person guilty of an offence under paragraph (8) of regulation 18 shall be liable—

    (2) A person guilty of an offence under paragraph (3) of regulation 5, paragraph (8) of regulation 9, regulation 11 or 16 shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.

    (3) A person guilty of an offence under regulation 19 shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months or to both.

Time limit for prosecutions
    
21. No prosecution for an offence under paragraph (8) of regulation 18 shall be begun after the expiry of—

whichever is the earlier.



PART 3

OFFICIAL CONTROLS ON FEED AND FOOD OF NON-ANIMAL ORIGIN FROM THIRD COUNTRIES

Interpretation of this Part of the Regulations
    
22. In this Part of the Regulations—

Feed enforcement responsibilities
     23. It shall be the responsibility of the feed authority to execute and enforce the Import Provisions in relation to feed.

Food enforcement responsibilities
    
24. It shall be the responsibility of each district council to execute and enforce the Import Provisions in its district in relation to food.

Functions of the Commissioners
    
25. The Commissioners shall carry out the functions given to customs services under Article 24 of Regulation 882/2004 in relation to feed and food.

Deferred enforcement and execution
    
26. —(1) Where—

the enforcement authority for the place in which the destination is located, if in Northern Ireland, shall become responsible for enforcing and executing the Import Provisions with respect to that product once it arrives there.

    (2) The undertaking shall—

    (3) Where an authorised officer of an enforcement authority issues an authorisation pursuant to paragraph (1)(c), he shall—

    (4) Where a product has been sent to a destination in Northern Ireland from another part of the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man and examination of that product has been deferred under legislation with respect to imported products in force there, the enforcement authority for the place of destination shall become responsible for enforcing and executing the Import Provisions with respect to that product once it arrives in Northern Ireland.

    (5) No person shall breach an undertaking given under paragraph 1(d).

Prohibition on introduction of certain feed and food
    
27. —(1) No person shall—

    (2) No person shall—

    (3) In this regulation—

Checks on products
    
28. —(1) The person responsible for introducing any product into Northern Ireland shall permit an authorised officer of an enforcement authority to carry out checks in relation to the product pursuant to Article 16 of Regulation 882/2004.

    (2) When an authorised officer is carrying out checks in relation to the product pursuant to Article 16 of Regulation 882/2004, the person introducing the product shall provide the facilities and assistance which the authorised officer reasonably requires to carry them out.

    (3) When an authorised officer of an enforcement authority is carrying out an identity check or a physical check on a product in accordance with Article 16 of Regulation 882/2004 he shall be entitled to require that the check takes place at a specified place.

Detention, destruction, special treatment, re-dispatch and other appropriate measures and costs
    
29. —(1) An enforcement authority shall have the power to do anything that a competent authority may do under Articles 18 to 21 and 24(3) of Regulation 882/2004 if the conditions set out in those Articles are fulfilled.

    (2) The enforcement authority shall be the competent authority for the purposes of Article 22 of Regulation 882/2004.

Notices pursuant to Article 19 of Regulation 882/2004 (imports of feed and food from third countries)
    
30. —(1) If an authorised officer of an enforcement authority wishes to take any of the measures referred to in Article 19(1)(a) and (b) of Regulation 882/2004 in respect of feed or food he shall serve a notice to that effect on the feed or food business operator, as the case may be, responsible for it after he has heard that feed or food business operator as provided in Article 19.

    (2) If an authorised officer of an enforcement authority wishes to exercise any of the powers referred to in Article 19(2) of Regulation 882/2004 in respect of feed or food he shall serve a notice to that effect on the feed or food business operator, as the case may be, responsible for it.

Right of appeal in respect of notices served under regulation 30
    
31. —(1) Any person who is aggrieved by a decision of an authorised officer of an enforcement authority to serve a notice under regulation 30 may appeal to a court of summary jurisdiction.

    (2) The procedure on an appeal to a court of summary jurisdiction under paragraph (1) shall be by way of notice under Part VII of the Magistrates Courts (Northern Ireland) Order 1981[
17].

    (3) The period within which an appeal under paragraph (1) may be brought shall be one month from and including the date on which notice was served on the person desiring to appeal and the making of a complaint for an order shall be deemed for the purposes of this paragraph to be the bringing of the appeal.

    (4) Where on an appeal under paragraph (1) a court of summary jurisdiction determines that the decision of the authorised officer of the enforcement authority is incorrect, the authority shall give effect to the determination of the court.

Appeal to County Court against dismissal of appeal under regulation 31
     32. A person who is aggrieved by the dismissal by a court of summary jurisdiction of an appeal to it under regulation 31(1) may appeal to the County Court.

Serious risk to animal or public health
    
33. —(1) Where the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development or the Agency learns, or has reasonable grounds to suspect that food or feed that has been or may be introduced into Northern Ireland from a third country is likely to constitute a serious risk to animal or public health, it may by written declaration suspend, or impose conditions on, the introduction into Northern Ireland of any product from the whole or any part of that third country.

    (2) Such a declaration shall be published in such manner as the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development or the Agency, as the case may be, thinks fit and shall specify the product and the third country or part thereof concerned.

    (3) A declaration which imposes conditions on the introduction of any product from a third country or part thereof shall specify those conditions.

    (4) Where a declaration is in force suspending the introduction of any product, no person shall introduce that product into Northern Ireland if it originates in the third country or part thereof specified in the declaration.

    (5) Where a declaration is in force imposing conditions on the introduction of any product, no person shall introduce that product into Northern Ireland if it originates in the third country or part thereof specified in the declaration unless the product complies with conditions specified in the declaration.

    (6) A declaration may be modified, suspended or revoked by a further written declaration published, so far as is practicable, in the same manner and to the same extent as the original declaration.

Liability for charges
    
34. —(1) The enforcement authority shall notify the person responsible for a consignment of the charge falling to be paid for the controls carried out on it by the authority.

    (2) Any charge notified to a person by the enforcement authority under paragraph (1) shall be payable by that person to the enforcement authority on demand.

    (3) The charge referred to in paragraph (1) is the aggregate of the costs incurred in relation to the consignment by the enforcement authority acting as the competent authority for the purposes of Article 22 of Regulation 882/2004 by virtue of regulation 29(2).

Procurement by authorised officers of samples with regard to food
    
35. An authorised officer of a district council may, for the purposes of the execution and enforcement by that authority of the Import Provisions—

Analysis etc. of samples
    
36. —(1) An authorised officer of a district council who has procured a sample under regulation 35 shall—

    (2) A person, other than such an officer, who has purchased any food, or any substance capable of being used in the preparation of food, may submit a sample of it—

    (3) If, in any case where a sample is proposed to be submitted for analysis under this regulation, the office of public analyst for the district in question is vacant, the sample shall be submitted to the public analyst for some other district.

    (4) If, in any case where a sample is proposed to be or is submitted for analysis or examination under this regulation, the food analyst or examiner determines that he is for any reason unable to perform the analysis or examination, the sample shall be submitted or, as the case may be, sent by him to such other food analyst or examiner as he may determine.

    (5) A food analyst or examiner shall analyse or examine as soon as practicable any sample submitted or sent to him under this regulation, but may, except where—

demand in advance the payment of such reasonable fee as he may require.

    (6) Any food analyst or examiner who has analysed or examined a sample shall give to the person by whom it was submitted a certificate specifying the result of the analysis or examination.

    (7) Any certificate given by a food analyst or examiner under paragraph (6) shall be signed by him, but the analysis or examination may be made by any person acting under his direction.

    (8) In any proceedings under the Import Provisions, the production by one of the parties—

shall be sufficient evidence of the facts stated in it unless, in a case falling within sub-paragraph (a), the other party requires that the food analyst or examiner shall be called as a witness.

    (9) Any reference in this regulation to a public analyst for a given district shall, where two or more public analysts have been appointed for that district, be construed as a reference to either or any of them.

    (10) The Food Safety (Sampling and Qualifications) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1991[
18] shall apply to a sample procured by an authorised officer of a district council under regulation 35 as if it were a sample procured by an authorised officer under Article 29 of the Order.

    (11) The certificate given by a food analyst or examiner under paragraph (6) shall be in the form set out in Schedule 3 to the Food Safety (Sampling and Qualifications) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1991.

Powers of entry of authorised officers of a district council
     37. —(1) An authorised officer of a district council shall, on producing, if so required, some duly authenticated document showing his authority, have a right at all reasonable hours—

but admission to any premises used only as a private dwelling-house shall not be demanded as of right unless 24 hours' notice of the intended entry has been given to the occupier.

    (2) If a lay magistrate, on sworn information in writing, is satisfied that there is reasonable ground for entry onto any premises for any such purpose as is mentioned in paragraph (1) and either—

the lay magistrate may by warrant signed by him authorise the authorised officer to enter the premises, if need be by reasonable force.

    (3) Every warrant granted under this regulation shall continue in force for a period of one month.

    (4) An authorised officer entering any premises by virtue of this regulation, or of a warrant issued under it, may take with him such other persons as he considers necessary, and on leaving any unoccupied premises which he has entered by virtue of such a warrant shall leave them as effectively secured against unauthorised entry as he found them.

    (5) An authorised officer entering premises by virtue of this regulation, or of a warrant issued under it, may inspect any records (in whatever form they are held) relating to a food business and, where any such records are stored in any electronic form—

    (6) Any officer exercising any power conferred by paragraph (5) may—

    (7) If any person who enters any premises by virtue of this regulation, or of a warrant issued under it, discloses to any person any information obtained by him on the premises with regard to any trade secret, he shall, unless the disclosure was made in the performance of his duty, be guilty of an offence.

    (8) Nothing in this regulation authorises any person, except with the permission of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development under the Diseases of Animals (Northern Ireland) Order 1981[
19], to enter any premises—

Obstruction etc. of officers (imports)
     38. —(1) Any person who—

shall be guilty of an offence.

    (2) Any person who, in purported compliance with any such requirement as is mentioned in paragraph (1)(b)—

shall be guilty of an offence.

    (3) Nothing in paragraph (1)(b) shall be construed as requiring any person to answer any question or give any information if to do so might incriminate him.

Offences and penalties
    
39. —(1) Any person who—

shall be guilty of an offence.

    (2) Subject to paragraph (3), a person guilty of an offence under this Part of these Regulations shall be liable—

    (3) A person guilty of an offence under regulation 38 shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months or to both.

Time limit for prosecutions (imports)
    
40. No prosecution for an offence under this Part of these Regulations which is punishable under regulation 39(2) shall be begun after the expiry of—

whichever is the earlier.



PART 4

ENFORCEMENT AND SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISIONS

Offences due to fault of another person
    
41. Where the commission by any person of an offence under these Regulations is due to the act or default of some other person, that other person shall be guilty of the offence; and a person may be convicted of the offence by virtue of this regulation whether or not proceedings are taken against the first-mentioned person.

Defence of due diligence
    
42. —(1) In any proceedings for an offence under these Regulations, it shall, subject to paragraph (2), be a defence for the accused to prove that he took all reasonable precautions and exercised all due diligence to avoid the commission of the offence by himself or by a person under his control.

    (2) If in any case the defence provided by paragraph (1) involves the allegation that the commission of the offence was due to an act or default of another person, or to reliance on information supplied by another person, the accused shall not, without leave of the court, be entitled to rely on that defence unless—

he has served on the prosecutor a notice in writing giving such information identifying or assisting in the identification of that other person as was then in his possession.

Offences by bodies corporate
    
43. —(1) Where an offence under these Regulations which has been committed by a body corporate is proved to have been committed with the consent or connivance of, or to be attributable to any neglect on the part of—

he as well as the body corporate shall be deemed to be guilty of that offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly.

    (2) In paragraph (1)(a) "director", in relation to any body corporate established by or under any enactment for the purpose of carrying on under national ownership any industry or part of an industry or undertaking, being a body corporate whose affairs are managed by its members, means a member of that body corporate.

Protection of officers acting in good faith
    
44. —(1) An officer of a relevant body is not personally liable in respect of any act done by him—

if he did that act in the honest belief that his duty under the Official Controls Regulations required or entitled him to do it.

    (2) Nothing in paragraph (1) shall be construed as relieving any relevant body of any liability in respect of the acts of their officers.

    (3) Where an action has been brought against an officer of a relevant body in respect of an act done by him—

the body may indemnify him against the whole or a part of any damages which he has been ordered to pay or any costs which he may have incurred if they are satisfied that he honestly believed that the act complained of was within the scope of his employment.

    (4) In so far as a district council is a relevant body for the purposes of this regulation, a public analyst appointed by a district council shall be treated for the purposes of section 48 of the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 1972[
20] as being an officer of the council, whether or not his appointment is a whole-time one.

    (5) In this regulation "relevant body" means a body acting as—

Revocation
     45. The Official Feed and Food Controls Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005[21] are hereby revoked.



Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety on


10th January 2006.

L.S.


Don Hill
A senior officer of the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety


SCHEDULE 1
Regulation 2(1)


DEFINITIONS OF COMMUNITY LEGISLATION


"Directive 2004/41" means Directive 2004/41/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council repealing certain directives concerning food hygiene and health conditions for the production and placing on the market of certain products of animal origin intended for human consumption and amending Council Directives 89/662/EEC and 92/118/EEC and Council Decision 95/408/EC[
22];

"Regulation 178/2002" means 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 safety as last amended by Regulation (EC) No. 1642/2003;

"Regulation 1642/2003" means Regulation (EC) No. 1642/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No. 178/2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety;

"Regulation 852/2004" means Regulation (EC) No. 852/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the hygiene of food stuffs[23] as read with Regulation 2073/2005;

"Regulation 853/2004" means Regulation (EC) No. 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin[24] as amended by Regulation 2074/2005 and Regulation 2076/2005 and as read with Directive 2004/41, Regulation 1688/2005, Regulation 2074/2005 and Regulation 2076/2005;

"Regulation 882/2004" means Regulation (EC) No. 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council on official controls performed to ensure the verification of compliance with feed and food law, animal health and animal welfare rules[25] as read with Regulation 2074/2005 and Regulation 2076/2005;

"Regulation 1688/2005" means Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1688/2005 implementing Regulation (EC) No. 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards special guarantees concerning salmonella for consignments to Finland and Sweden of certain meat and eggs[26];

"Regulation 2073/2005" means Commission Regulation (EC) No. 2073/2005 on microbiological criteria for foodstuffs[27];

"Regulation 2074/2005" means Commission Regulation (EC) No. 2074/2005 laying down implementing measures for certain products under Regulation (EC) No. 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council and for the organisation of official controls under Regulation (EC) No. 854/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Regulation (EC) No. 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council, derogating from Regulation (EC) No. 852/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council and amending Regulations (EC) No. 853/2004 and (EC) No. 854/2004[28]; and

"Regulation 2076/2005" means Commission Regulation (EC) No. 2076/2005 laying down transitional arrangements for the implementation of Regulations (EC) No. 853/2004, (EC) No. 854/2004 and (EC) No. 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council and amending Regulations (EC) No. 853/2004 and (EC) No. 854/2004[29].



SCHEDULE 2
Regulation 2(1)


DEFINITION OF RELEVANT FEED LAW


"relevant feed law" means—



SCHEDULE 3
Regulation 2(1)


DEFINITION OF RELEVANT FOOD LAW


"relevant food law" means—



SCHEDULE 4
Regulation 3(1)


COMPETENT AUTHORITIES FOR THE PURPOSES OF CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF REGULATION 882/2004 IN SO FAR AS THEY APPLY IN RELATION TO RELEVANT FEED LAW


Column 1 Column 2
Competent authority Provisions of Regulation 882/2004
The Agency Articles 3(6), 4(2) to (6), 5(1) to (3), 6, 7, 8(1) and (3), 9, 10, 11(1) to (3) and (5) to (7), 12, 19(1), (2) and (3), 24, 31(1) and (2)(f), 34, 35(3) and (4), 36, 37(1), 38, 39, 40(2) and (4), 52(1) and 54
The feed authority Articles 3(6), 4(2) to (6), 5(1) to (3), 6, 7, 8(1) and (3), 9, 10, 11(1) to (3) and (5) to (7), 15(1) to (4), 16(1) and (2), 18, 19(1) and (2), 20, 21, 22, 24, 31, 34, 35(3), 36, 37(1), 38, 39, 40(2) and (4) and 54



SCHEDULE 5
Regulation 3(2)


COMPETENT AUTHORITIES FOR THE PURPOSES OF CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF REGULATION 882/2004 IN SO FAR AS THEY APPLY IN RELATION TO RELEVANT FOOD LAW


Column 1 Column 2
Competent authority Provisions of Regulation 882/2004
The Agency Articles 3(6), 4(2) to (6), 5(1) to (3), 6, 7, 8(1) and (3), 9, 10, 11(1) to (3) and (5) to (7), 12, 14, 19(1), (2) and (3), 24, 31(1) and (2), 34, 35(3) and (4), 36, 37(1), 38, 39, 40(2) and (4), 52(1) and 54
District councils Articles 3(6), 4(2) to (6), 5(1) to (3), 6, 7, 8(1) and (3), 9, 10, 11(1) to (3) and (5) to (7), 15(1) to (4), 16(1) and (2), 18, 19(1) and (2), 20, 21, 22, 24, 31, 34, 35(3), 36, 37(1), 38, 39, 40(2) and (4) and 54



EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)


     1. These Regulations revoke and re-enact with changes the Official Feed and Food Controls Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005 (S.R. 2005 No. 574). The principal changes are that—

     2. These Regulations provide for the execution and enforcement of Regulation (EC) No. 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council on official controls performed to ensure the verification of compliance with feed and food law, animal health and animal welfare rules (OJ No. L165, 30.4.2004, p. 1) in relation to "relevant feed law" and "relevant food law", which terms are defined in Schedules 2 and 3 respectively. The revised text of Regulation (EC) No. 882/2004 is now set out in a Corrigendum (OJ No. L191, 28.5.2004, p. 1).

     3. These Regulations also impose prohibitions on the introduction of certain feed and food into Northern Ireland in the light of Article 11 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 safety (OJ No. L31, 1.2.2002, p. 1), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No. 1642/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ No. L245, 29.9.2003, p. 4) and as read with Article 10 of Regulation (EC) No. 852/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the hygiene of foodstuffs (OJ No. L139, 30.4.2004, p. 1; the revised text of that Regulation is now set out in a Corrigendum, OJ No. L226, 25.6.2004, p. 3).

     4. These Regulations—


Notes:

[1] Formerly the Department of Health and Social Services: see S.I. 1999/283 (N.I. 1) Article 3(6)back

[2] 1972 c. 68back

[3] S.I. 2003/2901back

[4] S.I. 1972/1811, amended by S.I. 2002/794back

[5] S.I. 1999/2027back

[6] O.J. No. L31, 1.2.2002, p. 1. That Regulation was last amended by Regulation (EC) No. 1642/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council (O.J. No. L245, 29.9.2003, p. 4)back

[7] O.J. No. L245, 29.9.2003, p. 4back

[8] 1970 c. 40back

[9] S.I. 1991/762 (N.I.7) as amended by S.I.1996 /1633 (N.I. 12) and paragraphs 26 to 42 of Schedule 5 and Schedule 6 to the Food Standards Act 1999 c. 28, paragraph 2 of Article 2 (regarding the definition of "food") was substitued by S.R. 2004 No. 482back

[10] 1954 c. 33 (N.I.)back

[11] S.R. 2006 No. 3back

[12] 1999 c. 28back

[13] 1981 N.I. 26back

[14] 1981 No. 1115 (N.I. 22)back

[15] O.J. No. L268, 18.10.2003, p. 29back

[16] O.J. No. L121, 8.5.2002, p. 6back

[17] 1981 N.I. 26back

[18] S.R. 1991 No. 198, to which there are amendments not relevant to these Regulationsback

[19] 1981 No. 1115 (N.I. 22)back

[20] 1972 c. 9 (N.I.)back

[21] S.R. 2005 No. 574back

[22] O.J. No. L157, 30.4.2004, p. 33. The revised text of Directive 2004/41/EC is now set out in a Corrigendum (O.J. No. L195, 2.6.2004, p. 12)back

[23] O.J. No. L139, 30.4.2004, p. 1. The revised text of Regulation (EC) No. 852/2004 is now set out in a Corrigendum (O.J. No. L226, 25.6.2004, p. 3)back

[24] O.J. No. L139, 30.4.2004, p. 55. The revised text of Regulation (EC) No. 853/2004 is now set out in a Corrigendum (O.J. No. L226, 25.6.2004, p. 22)back

[25] O.J. No. L165, 30.4.2004, p. 1. The revised text of Regulation (EC) No. 882/2004 is now set out in a Corrigendum (O.J. No. L191, 28.5.2004, p. 1)back

[26] O.J. No. L271, 15.10.2005, p. 17back

[27] O.J. No. L338, 22.12.2005, p. 1back

[28] O.J. No. L338, 22.12.2005, p. 27back

[29] O.J. No. L338, 22.12.2005, p. 83back

[30] 1970 c. 40back

[31] S.R. 1999 No. 296 as amended by S.R. 2001 No. 209, S.R. 2002 No. 263, S.R. 2003 No. 287, S.R. 2004 Nos. 345 and 443back

[32] S.R. 2001 No. 47 as amended by S.R. 2001 Nos. 209 and 428, S.R. 2002 No. 263, S.R. 2003 Nos. 219, 287, 306 and 475 and S.R. 2004 No. 215back

[33] S.R. 2004 No. 386 amended by S.R. 2005 No. 233back

[34] S.R. 2006 No. 3back

[35] S.R. 2005 No. 233back

[36] S.R. 2005 No. 545back

[37] S.R. 2005 No. 546back

[38] S.R. 1998 No.237back

[39] S.R. 2002 No. 20 as last amended by S.R. 2005 No. 401back

[40] O.J. No. L208, 24.7.92, p. 1back

[41] O.J. No. L236, 23.9.2003, p. 33back

[42] O.J. No. L:208, 24.7.92, p. 9back

[43] S.I. 2003/2821back

[44] S.I. 2004/1604back

[45] S.R. 2001 No. 271back

[46] S.R. 1998 No. 45, amended by S.R. 1999 No. 193, S.R. 2000 No. 78, S.R. 2000 No. 191, S.R. 2000 No. 287, S.R. 2001 No. 226, S.R. 2001 No. 242, S.R. 2001 No. 429, S.R. 2004 No. 7 and S.R. 2004 No. 464back

[47] S.R. 2004 No. 464back

[48] S.I. 1988/1647back



ISBN 0 337 96311 8


 © Crown copyright 2006

Prepared 18 January 2006


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