Explanatory note

These Regulations, further amend the Cereal Seeds Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994 as amended (“the cereal seeds Regulations”) and the Fodder Plant Seeds Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994 as amended (“the fodder plant seeds Regulations”).

The Regulations exempt certain types of seed marketed in bulk from the labelling and packaging requirements in “the cereal seeds Regulations” and “the fodder plant seeds Regulations” (regulations 2(2) to (4) and 3(2) to (4)). These exemptions are derogations respectively from Council Directive 66/402/EEC (O.J. No. L125, 11.7. 66, p. 2309) and Council Directive 66/401/EEC (O.J. No. L125, 11.7.66, p.2298/66) as last amended by Council Directive 2001/64/EC (O.J. No. L234, 1.9.01, p. 60). The derogations are permitted by Council Directive 2001/64/EC.

The Regulations specify the conditions for the exemption, in implementation of Council Directive 2001/64/EC and Commission Decision 94/650/EC (O.J. No. L252, 28.9.1994, p. 15) as relevantly amended by Commission Decision 1998/174/EC (O.J. No. L63, 4.3.98, p. 31) and by Commission Decision 2000/441/EC (O.J. No. L176, 15.7.00, p. 50) (regulations 2(2), (5) and (6) and 3(2), (5) and (6)).