S.I. No. 414/1981 - European Communities (Marketing of Fertilisers) Regulations, 1981.

I, ALAN M. DUKES, Minister for Agriculture, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 3 of the European Communities Act, 1972 (No. 27 of 1972), for the purpose of giving effect to Council Directive No. 80/876/EEC of 15 July, 1980, hereby make the following regulations:

1. (1) These Regulations may be cited as the European Communities (Marketing of Fertilisers) Regulations, 1981.

(2) The European Communities (Marketing of Fertilisers) Regulations, 1978 ( S.I. No. 13 of 1978 ), the European Communities (Marketing of Fertilisers) Regulations, 1979 ( S.I. No. 411 of 1979 ), and these Regulations may be cited together as the European Communities (Marketing of Fertilisers) Regulations, 1978 to 1981.

(3) The European Communities (Marketing of Fertilisers) Regulations, 1978 to 1981, shall be construed together as one.

(4) These Regulations shall come into operation on the 1st day of January, 1984.

2. In these Regulations “the directive of 1980” means Council Directive No. 80/876/EEC of 15 July, 1980¹

3. These Regulations apply to any fertiliser which is a fertiliser described in Article 1(1) of the directive of 1980.

4. Without prejudice to the Explosives (Ammonium Nitrate and Sodium Chlorate) Order, 1972 ( S.I. No. 191 of 1972 ), a person shall not place on the market under the description “EEC fertiliser” any fertiliser to which these Regulations apply unless the fertiliser both conforms to the characteristics and limits laid down in Annex I to the directive of 1980 and complies with the provisions specified in Article 6 of the said directive.

5. A person who contravenes Regulation 4 of these Regulations or the first paragraph of Article 3 of the directive of 1980 shall be guilty of an offence and shall on summary conviction be liable to a fine not exceeding £500.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

(This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation.)

The Regulations implement the provisions of Council Directive 80/876/EEC on the approximation of the laws relating to straight ammonium nitrate fertilisers of high nitrogen content.

¹ O.J. No. L250/7. 23.9.80.