Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, being a Minister designated for the purposes of section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972 in relation to the common agricultural policy of the European Community, in exercise of the powers conferred on her by that section, makes the following Regulations: SI 2003 No 812 These Regulations may be cited as the Products of Animal Origin (Third Country Imports) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2003. These apply to England and came into force on 11 April 2003. These Regulations amend the Products of Animal Origin (Third Country Imports) (England) Regulations 2002 (SI 2002/1227, as amended by SI 2002/3206 (“the principal Regulations”) which implement Council Directive 97/78/EC laying down the principles governing the organisation of veterinary checks on products entering the Community from third countries (OJ No L24, 30.1.98, p 9). Regulation 5 inserts a new regulation 12A into the principal Regulations which provides that the Secretary of State, the Commissioners of Customs and Excise (“the Commissioners”), any local authority and the Food Standards Agency may exchange information amongst themselves and share information with the enforcement authorities in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Regulation 6 makes a minor drafting change to regulation 13 of the principal Regulations. Regulation 7 substitutes a new regulation for regulation 16 of the principal Regulations. The new regulation 16 provides that the prohibition on the introduction into England of products of animal origin (except at border inspection posts) is enforced at points of entry by the Commissioners instead of the local authority. Regulation 8 amends regulation 28 of the principal Regulations to provide that the Commissioners may charge the costs of redispatching or destroying a product or consignment to the person on whom a notification of seizure has been served. A regulatory impact assessment has been prepared and placed in the Library of each House of Parliament. Copies may be obtained from the International Animal Health Division of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, 1 a Page Street, London SW1P 4PQ.