S.L. 433.30 Art. 12Packaging of seeds.

(1) Packages or containers containing basic and certified seed of cereals, fodder plants, potatoes and vegetables, and commercial seed of fodder plants, except small packages of basic and certified vegetable seeds and, in the case of fodder plants small EC B packages of certified and commercial seed, shall be sealed officially or under official supervision in such a manner that they cannot be opened without damaging the sealing system or leaving evidence of tampering on either the official label or on the package. In order to ensure closure, the sealing system shall comprise at least either the official label or the affixing of an official seal. This measure will not be necessary if a non-reusable sealing system is used. The Directorate may establish exceptions to this sub-regulation as it may deem fit in the case of small packages sealed in Malta of cereal and potato seeds and EC B packages of fodder plant seeds. In the case of vegetable seeds, there may be determined exceptions to this sub-regulation and sub-regulation (2) for small packages of basic vegetable seed.

(2) Packages containing seeds of agricultural plants and vegetables, except small EC B packages of fodder plant seeds, shall not be resealed on one or more occasions unless this is carried out officially or under official supervision. If packages are resealed, the fact of resealing and the most recent date of re-sealing and the authority responsible for resealing, shall be stated on the label required under regulation 13.

(3) Packages of standard vegetable seed, small packages of certified vegetable seed and small EC B packages of fodder plant seeds, shall be sealed (not necessarily officially or under official supervision) in such a manner that they cannot be opened without damaging the sealing system or without leaving evidence of tampering on the label or the package. Packages of standard vegetable seed shall also bear a lead or an equivalent sealing device attached by the person responsible for attaching labels.

(4) In the case of small packages of certified seed of fodder plants and vegetables, packages shall not be sealed on one or more occasions under official supervision. All necessary measures shall be taken to ensure that in the case of small packages of certified vegetable seed and small packages of fodder plant seeds, the identity of the seed can be verified in particular at the time when seed lots are divided. At this stage, it may be required that small packages divided or produced in Malta, be sealed officially or under official supervision.