Title, commencement and application

1.—(1) These Regulations are called the Vegetable Seeds (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2001 and shall come into force on 29th November 2001.

(2) These Regulations apply to Wales only.

Amendment of the Vegetable Seeds Regulations 1993

2.—(1) The Vegetable Seeds Regulations 1993(3), in so far as they apply to Wales, are amended in accordance with the following provisions of these Regulations.

(2) Any reference in these Regulations to a numbered regulation or Schedule shall be construed as a reference to the regulation or Schedule bearing that number in the Vegetable Seeds Regulations 1993.

Regulation 3 (Interpretation)

3.—(1) In regulation 3(1) —

(a)in the appropriate place, insert the following definitions —

• ““genetically modified” has the same meaning as for the purposes of Council Directive 90/220/EEC(4) on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms;”;

““the National Assembly” means the National Assembly for Wales;”; and

““third country” means a country listed in the Annex to Council Decision 95/514/EC(5);”.

(b)omit the definition of “marketing” and the reference to the construction of the related expressions “market” and “marketed”; and

(c)for the definition of “official examination” substitute —

• ““official examination” means —

  (a)

  in relation to seed produced in the United Kingdom, an examination or a test carried out by or on behalf of the National Assembly, the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Secretary of State, the Scottish Ministers or the (Northern Ireland) Department of Agriculture and Rural Development; or

  (b)

  in relation to seed produced elsewhere, an examination or a test approved by the National Assembly;”.

(2) After paragraph (3) of regulation 3 insert —

“(3A) For the purposes of these Regulations, seeds —

(a)produced and packaged in a Member State other than the United Kingdom;

(b)accompanied by a document issued by a competent authority concerned with the certification of vegetable seeds in that Member State containing information specified at paragraph C(b) of Part I of Schedule 6; and

(c)in respect of which an application has been made for a breeder’s confirmation under these Regulations,

shall be deemed to be seeds produced from seeds issued with a breeder’s confirmation.

(3B) For the purposes of these Regulations, seeds —

(a)produced and packaged in a Member State other than the United Kingdom;

(b)accompanied by a document issued by a competent authority concerned with the certification of vegetable seeds in that Member State containing information specified (in respect of packages of seed not finally certified) at paragraph C(b) of Part I of Schedule 6; and

(c)in respect of which an application has been made for an official certificate under these Regulations,

shall be deemed to be seeds produced from seeds issued with such a breeder’s confirmation or an official certificate.

(3C) For the purposes of these Regulations, seeds —

(a)produced and packaged in a Member State other than the United Kingdom;

(b)labelled in accordance with the requirements of regulation 9; and

(c)in the case of a small package of seeds, sealed in accordance with the requirements of regulation 8(3), or, in the case of seeds other than a small package of seeds, sealed by a competent authority concerned with the certification of vegetable seeds in that Member State,

shall be deemed to fall within the meaning of the appropriate category of seeds set out in paragraph (3) above”.

(3) After paragraph (4) of regulation 3, add —

“(5) In these Regulations “marketing” means —

(a)selling, holding with a view to sale and offering for sale; and

(b)any disposal, supply or transfer for the purpose of commercial exploitation of seed to third parties,

whether or not for consideration; and “market” and “marketed” shall be construed accordingly.

(6) Trade in seed not aimed at commercial exploitation of the variety, such as the following operations —

(a)the supply of seed to official testing and inspection bodies; or

(b)the supply of seed to any person for the purpose of processing or packaging the seed provided he does not acquire title to the seed supplied,

shall not be treated as marketing of seed of that variety.”.

Regulation 4 (Seeds to which the Vegetable Seeds Regulations 1993 apply)

4.  In regulation 4 —

(a)in paragraph (1), for “Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) below” substitute “Subject to paragraph (2) below”;

(b)in paragraph (2), omit sub-paragraphs (b), (c) and (d); and

(c)omit paragraph (3).

Regulation 5 (Marketing of Seeds)

5.  In regulation 5 —

(a)in paragraph (1)(b), after “regulation 9(1),” , insert “(1B),”;

(b)after paragraph (1)(c), add —

• “, or

  (d)

  in the case of genetically modified seeds, clearly indicated, in the sales catalogue of the person marketing the seeds and in any other marketing information or marketing representations provided by that person, as having been genetically modified.”;

(c)after paragraph (1) insert —

“(1A) Paragraph (1) above shall not prevent the marketing of seed as grown, marketed for processing, provided that the identity of the seed is ensured.”;

(d)after paragraph (2) insert —

“(2A) Where there is an arrangement under which —

(a)seed, other than seed which contains any genetically modified material, under the control of one person (“the first person”) is used by another person (“the second person”) for the purpose of —

(i)increasing the first person’s stock of the seed for sowing; or

(ii)carrying out tests or trials on the seed; and

(b)everything produced from the seed, whether directly or indirectly, and any unused seed, become or remain the property of the first person,

the prohibitions in paragraph (1) above shall not apply to the marketing of the seed by the first person to the second person as part of that arrangement or to the marketing by the second person to the first person of any seed produced (whether directly or indirectly) from that seed.

(2B) The prohibitions in paragraph (1) above shall not apply to the marketing by producers of small quantities of seed, other than seed which contains any genetically modified material, for scientific purposes or selection work.

(2C) If the conditions specified in paragraph (2D) below are satisfied, the prohibitions in paragraph (1) above shall not apply to—

(a)the marketing, as part of any arrangement referred to in paragraph (2A) above by the first person referred to in that paragraph to the second person referred to in that paragraph, of seed which contains any genetically modified material;

(b)the marketing, as part of any arrangement referred to in paragraph (2A) above, by the second person referred to in that paragraph to the first person referred to in that paragraph of seed produced (whether directly or indirectly) from the seed marketed to the second person as part of any such arrangement which contains any genetically modified material; or

(c)the marketing by producers, for scientific purposes or selection work, of small quantities of seed which contains any genetically modified material.

(2D) The conditions referred to in paragraph (2C) above are —

(a)the deliberate release of the genetically modified material has been authorised under a Part B consent, or the genetically modified material has been accepted for marketing in accordance with a Part C consent, issued for the purposes of Council Directive 90/220/EEC on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms;

(b)the seeds are accompanied during marketing by a copy of the consent;

(c)all appropriate measures, in accordance with an environmental risk assessment in respect of the material carried out in accordance with article 7(4) of Council Directive 70/458/EEC(6), have been taken by the producer of the seed to avoid adverse effects on human health and the environment; and

(d)in the case of genetically modified material accepted for marketing in accordance with a Part C consent, an authorisation has been granted by the National Assembly in accordance with paragraph (2E) below to the person marketing the seed.

(2E) An authorisation may be granted by the National Assembly for the purpose of paragraph (2D)(d) above if —

(a)the person intending to market the seed has applied to the National Assembly no later than 15 working days before the seed is marketed —

(i)giving the National Assembly notice of that person’s intention to market the seed and a description of the proposed marketing in respect of which the authorisation is sought; and

(ii)giving the National Assembly such information relating to the acceptance for marketing of the variety of the seed concerned under Council Directive 90/220/EEC, and the proposed marketing in respect of which the authorisation is sought, as the National Assembly may require for the purposes of determining whether or not to grant the authorisation; and

(b)the National Assembly is satisfied that an authorisation should be granted.”;

(e)after paragraph (9) insert —

“(9A) Vegetable seeds produced and packaged in a Member State other than the United Kingdom intended for official certification in the United Kingdom shall not be marketed unless they are —

(a)sealed and labelled as required by regulations 8 and 9; and

(b)accompanied by an official document containing all the information in respect of the seeds specified at paragraph C of Part I of Schedule 6.

(9B) A person who imports a package containing a net weight of more than 2 kilograms of vegetable seeds produced in a country other than another Member State shall make available to the National Assembly, in such manner and at such time as the National Assembly may require, the information in respect of the seeds specified in Part IV of Schedule 6.”; and

(f)in paragraph (13), omit “may be imported but”.

Regulation 9 (Labelling of Packages)

6.  In regulation 9 —

(a)after paragraph (1A), insert —

“(1B) If a variety has been genetically modified, any label or document, whether official or otherwise, affixed to or accompanying a seed lot or any part of a seed lot in accordance with the provisions of this regulation, shall clearly indicate that the variety has been genetically modified.”; and

(b)in paragraph (11)(b) for “Part IV” substitute “Part V”.

Schedule 6 (Labelling Requirements)

7.  In Schedule 6 —

(a)renumber “Part IV” (Particulars to be marked or displayed on the sale of unpacketed seeds) as “Part V”; and

(b)after Part III, insert —

“Part IVInformation in respect of seeds imported from third countries in packages more than 2 kilograms in Net weight

1.  Species.

2.  Variety.

3.  Category.

4.  Country of production and official inspection authority.

5.  Country of despatch.

6.  Importer.

7.  Quantity of seed.”.

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations 2001amend the Vegetable Seeds Regulations 1993, S.I. 1993/2008, (as amended by S.I.s 1996/1452, 1997/616 and 1999/1863), (“the 1993 Regulations”). They come into force on 29th November 2001, and apply to Wales only.

The amendments to the 1993 Regulations give effect in Wales to Council Directive 98/95/EC (OJ No. L25, 1.2.1999, p.1) in respect of the consolidation of the internal market, genetically modified plant resources and plant genetic resources. This directive amended Council Directive 70/458/EEC (OJ No. L225, 12.10.1970, p.7) on the marketing of vegetable seed.

These Regulations —

(a)amend definitions in regulation 3 (of the 1993 Regulations), including the definitions of “marketing” and “official examination” (regulation 3);

(b)amend regulation 5 in relation to marketing (including the marketing of genetically modified vegetable seeds) and marketing authorisations, tests and trials, seed as grown, selection work and other scientific purposes; and make consequential amendments to regulation 4 (regulations 4 and 5);

(c)amend regulation 9 to make provision in relation to clear indications for genetically modified varieties (regulation 6); and

(d)amend Schedule 6 to make provision for the supply of information about imported seeds (regulation 7).

Similar Regulations have been made to amend the 1993 Regulations in so far as they apply to England and to Scotland by respectively S.I. 2000/1790 and S.S.I 2000/250.

Similar Regulations are being made in relation to Wales in respect of:

• beet seeds

• fodder plant seeds

• cereal seeds

• seed potatoes

• oil and fibre plant seeds.

For further information on those Regulations contact the Countryside Division, National Assembly for Wales, Cathays Park, Cardiff.