Title and commencement

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Seeds (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008 and shall come into operation on 30th April 2008.

Amendment of the Beet Seeds Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994

2.–(1) The Beet Seeds Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994(3) are amended in accordance with paragraph (2).

(2) In regulation 3(1) (interpretation)–

(a) after the definition of "the Department" insert–

""EEA State" means–

(b) for the definition of "member State" substitute–

""member State" means, in addition to a State which is a member of the European Communities, any other EEA State and Switzerland;";

(c) for the definition of "official examination" substitute–

""official examination" means–

(d) for the definition of "official label" substitute–

""official label" means a label issued or authorised by or on behalf of the Department, the Scottish Ministers, the Secretary of State or the Welsh Ministers;".

Amendment of the Cereal Seeds Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994

3.–(1) The Cereal Seeds Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994(4) are amended in accordance with paragraphs (2) and (3).

(2) In regulation 3(1) (interpretation)–

(a) after the definition of "the Department" insert–

""EEA State" means–

(b) for the definition of "member State" substitute–

""member State" means, in addition to a State which is a member of the European Communities, any other EEA State and Switzerland;";

(c) for the definition of "official examination" substitute–

""official examination" means–

(d) for the definition of "official label" substitute–

""official label" means a label issued or authorised by or on behalf of the Department, the Scottish Ministers, the Secretary of State or the Welsh Ministers;".

(3) In Schedule 5, in Part II (maximum weight of a seed lot and minimum weight of a submitted sample), for the number "25" each time it occurs substitute "30".

Amendment of the Fodder Plant Seeds Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994

4.–(1) The Fodder Plant Seeds Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994(5) are amended in accordance with paragraphs (2) and (3).

(2) In regulation 3(1) (interpretation)–

(a) after the definition of "the Department" insert–

""EEA State" means–

(b) for the definition to "member State" substitute–

""member State" means, in addition to a State which is a member of the European Communities, any other EEA State and Switzerland;";

(c) for the definition of "official examination" substitute–

""official examination" means–

(d) for the definition of "official label" substitute–

""official label" means a label issued or authorised by or on behalf of the Department, the Scottish Ministers, the Secretary of State or the Welsh Ministers;".

(3) For sub-paragraph (c) of Part II of Schedule 5 (maximum weight of a seed lot and minimum weight of a submitted sample) substitute–

"(c) The maximum weight of a seed lot of a mixture of seeds shall be 10 tonnes, except that, where more than 50% of the mixture consists of kinds of seeds for which the maximum weight of the seed lot prescribed in seeds Regulations is more than 10 tonnes, the maximum weight shall be as prescribed for the kinds of that type that appear in the larger or largest proportion.".

Amendment of the Oil and Fibre Plant Seeds Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994

5.–(1) The Oil and Fibre Plant Seeds Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994(6) are amended in accordance with paragraph (2).

(2) In regulation 3(1) (interpretation)–

(a) after the definition of "the Department" insert–

""EEA State" means–

(b) for the definition of "member State" substitute–

""member State" means, in addition to a State which is a member of the European Communities, any other EEA State and Switzerland;";

(c) for the definition of "official examination" substitute–

""official examination" means–

(d) for the definition of "official label" substitute–

""official label" means a label issued or authorised by or on behalf of the Department, the Scottish Ministers, the Secretary of State or the Welsh Ministers;".

Amendment of the Vegetable Seeds Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994

6.–(1) The Vegetable Seeds Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994(7) are amended in accordance with paragraphs (2) to (5).

(2) In regulation 3(1) (interpretation)–

(a) after the definition of "the Department" insert–

""EEA State" means–

(b) for the definition to "member State" substitute–

""member State" means, in addition to a State which is a member of the European Communities, any other EEA State and Switzerland;";

(c) for the definition of "official examination" substitute–

""official examination" means–

(d) for the definition of "official label" substitute the following definition–

""official label" means a label issued or authorised by or on behalf of the Department, the Scottish Ministers, the Secretary of State or the Welsh Ministers;";

(3) For Schedule 1 (kinds of seeds to which the Regulations apply) substitute Schedule 1 as set out in the Schedule.

(4) In Schedule 4, in Part II, in the table in paragraph 2(a) (minimum standards for seeds), at the appropriate place in alphabetical order insert the following row–

(5) In Schedule 5–

(a) in Part I (sampling of seed lots), for the table in paragraph 11(a) (dynamic spear sampler) substitute the following table–

and

(b) in Part II (maximum weight of a seed lot and minimum weight of a submitted sample)–

(i) in the table in sub-paragraph (a), at the appropriate place in alphabetical order insert the following row–

(ii) -in the table in sub-paragraph (b), at the appropriate place in alphabetical order insert the following row–

Regulation 6(3)

SCHEDULE SCHEDULE TO BE SUBSTITUTED FOR SCHEDULE 1 TO THE VEGETABLE SEEDS REGULATIONS (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1994

Regulation 4(1)

"SCHEDULE 1 KINDS OF SEED TO WHICH THE REGULATIONS APPLY

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the following Regulations:

(a) the Beet Seeds Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994;

(b) the Cereal Seeds Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994;

(c) the Fodder Plant Seeds Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994;

(d) the Oil and Fibre Plant Seeds Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994;

(e) the Vegetable Seeds Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994.

These Regulations implement as respects Northern Ireland–

(a) Council Directive 2004/117/EC (O.J. No. L14, 18.1.2005 p. 18) amending Council Directives 66/401/EEC, 66/402/EEC, 2002/54/EC, 2002/55/EC and 2002/57/EC on the marketing of fodder plant seed, cereal seed, beet seed, vegetable seed and oil and fibre plant seed. They update the definitions on examinations carried out under official supervision (regulations 2(2)(c), 3(2)(c), 4(2)(c), 5(2)(c) and 6(2)(c));

(b) Commission Directive 2006/55/EC (O.J. No. L159, 13.6.2006 p. 11) amending Annex III to Council Directive 66/402/EEC as regards the maximum weight of seed lots. They amend the Cereal Seeds Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994 to increase the maximum weight of a seed lot of species of cereal seed, except for maize, from 25 to 30 tonnes (regulation 3(3)). They also make a consequential amendment to the Fodder Plant Seeds Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994 to take account of this where more than 50% of a fodder plant seeds mixture consists of cereal seeds (regulation 4(3));

(c) Commission Directive 2006/124/EC (O.J. No. L339, 6.12.2006 p. 12) amending Council Directive 2002/55/EC on the marketing of vegetable seeds and Commission Decision 2007/321/EC (O.J. No. L119, 9.5.2007, p. 48) releasing the United Kingdom from the requirement to apply the marketing provisions of Council Directive 2002/55/EC in relation to certain vegetable seed species. They amend the Vegetable Seeds Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994 to update the list of genera and species of plant to which the Regulations apply, the main change being the addition of sweet corn or popcorn to the list (regulation 6(3) and Schedule) and make other consequential amendments (regulation 6(4) and (5)).

The Regulations also update the definitions of "official label" to take account of a change in operating procedures and the definitions of "member State" (regulation 2(2)(a), (b) and (d), 3(2)(a), (b) and (d), 4(2)(a), (b) and (d), 5(2)(a), (b) and (d) and 6(2)(a), (b) and (d)).