New Irish SPC Regulations enacted

Last month a new set of SPC regulations was enacted in the Republic of Ireland, the European Communities (Supplementary Certificate) Regulations SI 307 of 2008. Notice of the making of these new regulations was published in the Iris Oifigiuil--the official journal-- on 8 August 2008. These regulations lay down the fees (95 euro in each case) and procedural requirements which apply to requests for SPCs, to requests for extensions of the duration of SPCS, to certificates granted and to extensions of the duration of certificates granted. They give full effect to Council Regulation 1768/92, Regulation 1610/96 and Regulation 1901/2006 with effect from 26 July 2008. There is no explicit provision for the electronic filing of requests for SPCs or extensions of certificates.

For the record, these regulations revoke the earlier Statutory Instrument No. 125 of 1993. They provide that a certificate issued under the 1993 Regulations and in force immediately before these regulations entered into force will continue to operate as if it were a certificate under these regulations.