Schedule 4: Producer responsibility obligations Part 1: Requirements Consultation etc requirements
Paragraph 8 requires the relevant national authority to consult the relevant stakeholders before making regulations under Part 1 of this Schedule. This consultation requirement may be met by a consultation before paragraph 8 comes into force.
	Paragraph 9(1) specifies conditions that the relevant national authority must be satisfied of before making regulations. The regulations must achieve one or more of the purposes in paragraph 1(2) and produce environmental or economic benefits. Those benefits should be significant compared to the likely costs and burdens. Any burdens imposed are imposed on persons most able to make a contribution to securing those benefits.
	Sub-paragraph (2) makes clear that the relevant national authority can impose obligations on any persons, to the exclusion of any others, even after having been satisfied by sub-paragraph (1)(e)(i). Sub-paragraph (3) specifies that if regulations are being made to implement an international agreement to which the UK is a party, then the relevant national authority does not need to be satisfied by the criteria in sub-paragraph (1).
	Paragraph 10 sets out that regulations made under this schedule must not restrict, distort, or prevent competition. If they do, then the effect must be the minimum possible to secure the environmental or economic benefits referred to in paragraph 9(1).