These Regulations amend the Seeds (National Lists of Varieties) Regulations 2001 (S.I. 2001/3510) (“the 2001 Regulations”).

These Regulations give effect to Council Decision 2005/834/EC on the equivalence of checks on practices for the maintenance of varieties carried out in certain third countries and amending Decision 2003/17/EC (OJ No L 312, 29.11.2005, p 51) (regulation 2(2)).

They amend the 2001 Regulations to give effect to Commission Directive 2006/124/EC amending Council Directive 2002/55/EC on the marketing of vegetable seed (OJ L 339, 6.12.2006, p 12). Commission Directive 2006/124/EC replaces the list of species of vegetable the seed of which are subject to control in relation to marketing. Several new species of vegetable are added to the list of species which may be accepted onto a national list, and the names and common names of several species in the 2001 Regulations are amended to reflect changes made by Commission Directive 2006/124/EC (regulation 2(4) to (6)).

They also give effect to Commission Decision 2007/321/EC (OJ L 119, 9.5.2007, p 48), which releases the United Kingdom from its obligation to apply some of the provisions of Directive 2002/55/EC relating to the restriction on marketing of seed of four species and one sub-species of vegetable (regulation 2(7)).

A full regulatory impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no impact on the private or voluntary sectors is foreseen.