PURPOSE : to present a proposal for a Council Regulation laying down the animal-health rules governing the production, placing on the market and importation of animal origin intended for human consumption.
CONTENT : the proposed legislation lays down the animal-health rules governing the placing on the market of and imports from third countries of products of animal origin.
The marketing of products of animal origin must not result in the spreading of diseases transferable to animals. To that effect, the following rules shall be complied with:
1) products of animal origin shall be obtained from animals which fulfil the animal health conditions laid down by the relevant Community legislation;
2) products of animal origin shall be obtained from animals:
a) which come from a holding, territory or part of a territory or, in the case of aquaculture products, from a farm, zone or part of a zone, not subject to animal health restrictions applicable to the animals and products concerned, and in particular restrictions under the rules referred to in Annex I or other disease control measures imposed by Community legislation;
b) which were not slaughtered in an establishment in which animals infected, or suspected of being infected with one of the diseases covered by the rules referred to above, or carcases of such animals, were present at the time of slaugther;
3) notwithstanding part 2 and subject to compliance with the disease control measures referred to in Annex I:
a) the marketing of products of animal origin coming from a territory or part of a territory subject to animal health restrictions but which are not coming from a holding which is infected or suspected of being infected shall be permitted provided, as the case may be, that:
- the products, before being submitted to the treatment referred to hereunder, are obtained, handled, transported and stored separately from or at different times than products fulfilling all animal-health conditions;
- the products have undergone a treatment sufficient to eliminate the animal-health problem concerned;
- the treatment is applied at an establishment approved for that purpose by the Member State where the animal-health problem occurred;
- the products which must be submitted to a treatment are properly identified.
Furthermore, official controls shall be carried out by the competent authorities of the Member States to ensure compliance with this Regulation, its implementing rules and any safeguard measures applied to products of animal origin, pusuant hereto.
With regard to Community audits and inspections, experts from the Commission may, in cooperation with the competent authorities of the Member States, make audits and/or inspections at all stages in the production and marketing of products of animal origin as well as on the organisation and functioning of the competent authorities in the Member States, in order to ensure the uniform application of this Regulation, its implementing rules and any safeguard measures pursuanthereto.
If during a Commission audit or inspection a serious risk to animal health is identified, the Member State concerned shall immediately take all measures necessary to safeguard animal health.
As far as imports from third countries are concerned, the provisions applicable to the importation of products of animal origin from third countries shall comply with or be equivalent to those applicable to the production and marketing of Community products.�