Search

The Phytosanitary Conditions (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2022 amend Annex 7 part A entry 57 of retained Commission Implementing Regulation 2019/2072, to enhance import requirements to prevent the introduction of the plant pest Thaumetopoea pityocampa (pine processionary moth) in Great Britain. (...)
Enhanced import requirements are being introduced following interceptions of Thaumetopoea pityocampa on Pinus trees imported in 2022 from places of production that had been officially designated as free of the pest. (...). Additionally, the remaining special requirements are being extended to include all 'plants', due to evidence that other plants and cut foliage are a pathway for entry.
In light of the developments described above, and further evidence that the immediate vicinity of a number of nurseries which have been exporting to Great Britain are infested with the pest, it is considered that the existing import requirements are not adequate to mitigate the risk of introduction of this pest and meet our appropriate level of protection. Additionally, the range of Thaumetopoea pityocampa has been spreading north in mainland Europe and is of increasing concern to Great Britain. Given the recent interception on imports into Great Britain, the spread of the pest, and the highly mobile nature of Thaumetopoea pityocampa with its flying season due to commence imminently, we have determined these measures are required to reduce the risk of pest import.

Notice of introduction of the UK's public register of authorised GM food and feed ("GMO authorisation list") and authorisation for nine GMO uses.
The United Kingdom is signposting Members to the below GMO 's authorisation list where authorised GMOs will be recorded.

GMO 's authorisation list
In addition, the United Kingdom also is notifying Members of the authorisation of nine GMOs (five new applications, four renewals) for use in the GB market which will be added to the GMO authorisation list:
• RP476 – MIR604 maize (renewal)
• RP526 – MZIR098 maize (new application)
• RP535 – MON 87427 × MON 89034 × MIR162 × NK603 maize and its sub-combinations (new application)
• RP606 – MON 87427 × MON 89034 × MIR162 × MON 87411 maize and its sub-combinations (new application)
• RP607 – MON 87751 × MON 87701 × MON 87708 × MON 89788 soybean (new application)
• RP620 – Bt11 maize (renewal)
• RP714 – MON 87427 × MON 87460 × MON 89034 × MIR162 × NK603 and its sub-combinations (new application)
• RP715 – MON 88017 maize (renewal)
• RP716 – MON 89034 maize (renewal)

The GMOs are being authorised for food and feed uses, excluding cultivation.

The decision document concludes that the approval of the active substance alpha-cypermethrin is withdrawn in accordance with retained Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009. Authorisations for plant protection products containing alpha-cypermethrin as an active substance will be withdrawn in Great Britain. This decision only concerns the placing on the market of this substance and plant protection products containing it.

The Great Britain Pesticides Approvals Register: For the purposes of transparency, the United Kingdom is signposting Members to the public register, which provides the list of approved active substances to be included in plant protection products in Great Britain, together with details on the specific conditions of approval.

The introduction of The Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Wales) Bill will make it an offence for a person to supply or offer to supply (including for free), the following commonly littered and unnecessary disposable single-use plastic (SUP) products to a consumer in Wales:
· plates
· cutlery
· drinks stirrers
· drinking straws (including attached straws)
· cups made of polystyrene
· takeaway food containers made of polystyrene
· cup and takeaway food container lids made of polystyrene
· plastic-stemmed cotton buds
· sticks for balloons
· oxo-degradable products
· plastic single-use carrier bags (SUCBs)
Initially proposed in 2020, the scope of the proposals have been expanded to tackle the negative impacts of plastic pollution on our environment, and engagement is on-going to develop the legislation.

Draft legislation making amendments to domestic legislation governing the type-approval of road vehicles, motorcycles, agricultural vehicles, and engines for non-road mobile machinery. (...) Primarily it establishes a permanent type-approval scheme for passenger and goods vehicles and their trailers in Great Britain replacing the provisional scheme in place since 1st January 2021 and due to end on 31st December 2022. (...) The legislation also extends existing provisional schemes for motorcycles and agricultural vehicles that are due to expire on 31st December 2022 and must be extended beyond that date to enable the continued supply of these products and enforcement action to address non-compliance. (...)

Draft statutory instrument on the Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment (Amendment) Regulations 2022: These measures will amend the Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2012 ("the RoHS Regulations") as they apply in England and Wales and Scotland. Regulation 2 will grant new specific and temporary exemptions which will be added as entries 97 to 99 of Table 1 in Schedule A2 of the RoHS Regulations. The exemptions apply to:
(1) Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) in ion-selective electrodes applied in point of care analysis of ionic substances present in human body fluids and/or in dialysate fluids. This exemption will expire on 21 July 2028.
(2) Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) in plastic components in MRI detector coils. This exemption will expire on 1 January 2024.
(3) Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP) in spare parts recovered from and used for the epair or refurbishment of medical devices, including in vitro diagnostic medical devices, and their accessories, provided that the reuse takes place in auditable closed-loop business-to-business return systems and that each reuse of parts is notified to the customer. This exemption will expire on 21 July 2028. (...)

1. Import and export prohibition and restrictions of mercury and mercury products

2. Import and export prohibition and restriction of substances that deplete the ozone layer. Regulation 1005/2009 as amended by the Ozone Depleting Substances and Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019; and the Ozone-Depleting Substances and Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020

3. Import and export restriction of fluorinated greenhouse gases (F-gases). Retained EU Regulation (EU) No 517/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 on fluorinated greenhouse gases and repealing Regulation (EC) No 842/2006 as amended by the Ozone-Depleting Substances and Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases (Amendment etc) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019; and the Ozone-Depleting Substances and Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020