Explanatory note

These Regulations implement as respects Northern Ireland Commission Directive 97/35/EC (O.J. No. L169, 27.6.97, p. 72) adapting to technical progress for the second time Council Directive 90/220/EEC on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms, by amending the Genetically Modified Organisms (Deliberate Release) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994 (S.R. 1994 No. 144) (the 1994 Regulations).

Regulation 2(3) substitutes the Schedule for Schedule 2 to the 1994 Regulations.

In addition these Regulations amend the 1994 Regulations to take account of Regulation (EC) No. 258/97 (O.J. No. L43, 14.2.97, p. 1) concerning novel foods and novel food ingredients (the Novel Foods Regulation), with regard to the cases and circumstances in which a marketing consent is required under the 1994 Regulations.

These Regulations also amend the Genetically Modified Organisms (Risk Assessment) (Records and Exemptions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996 (S.R. 1996 No. 442) to take account of the Novel Foods Regulation with regard to exemptions from the requirement to carry out risk assessments.

Copies of the Directive and Regulation and extracts from the Official Journal of the European Communities may be obtained from The Stationery Office, 16 Arthur Street, Belfast BT1 4GD.