Explanatory note

These Regulations provide for the enforcement of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs (OJ No L 343, 14.12.2012, p.1) and three supplementary Commission Regulations, as read with a provision 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 welfare rules (OJ No L 165, 30.4.2004, p.1).

Regulations 3 to 9 cover the authorities responsible and their officers.

Regulations 10 to 20 set out enforcement-related provisions. In particular, regulation 12 enables a compliance notice to be served requiring compliance with specific provisions of the relevant EU Regulations. Should a person fail to comply with a compliance notice, regulation 13 empowers the enforcement authority to issue a non-compliance penalty notice. Alongside the non-compliance penalty notice, regulation 14 empowers an enforcement authority to issue an enforcement costs recovery notice and regulations 15 to 18 cover appeals against those notices.

Regulation 21 provides a right to appeal against a decision by the Secretary of State to accept or refuse an application for the registration of a protected designation of origin, a protected geographical indication or a traditional speciality guaranteed under the application process laid down in Article 49 of Regulation 1151/2012 and regulation 22 covers transitional issues relating to applications.

Consequential amendments are covered in regulations 24 to 28.

An impact assessment for this instrument has not been produced as no impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen.