Protection of human health: food of animal origin, specific hygiene rules

The Commission accepted many of the changes made by Parliament. It comments as follows: - the majority of the amendments made by Parliament were technical or editorial and the Commission has largely taken these up; - a number of amendments aim to bring the proposal into line with Regulation 178/2002 and these have been largely adopted; - one amendment aims to better define the scope by transferring elements of the Annexes to the articles, and this is accepted since it would give more legal certainty to food business operators; - amendments relating to flexibility designed to profit small businesses are generally endorsed; - the procedure for amending the annexes was generally accepted since it recognises the Commission's right of initiative; - the Commission improves on the section on game meat, whilst taking into account the objectives pursued by Parliament. These include exclusion from the scope the private use of game meat as well as direct supplies of small quantities to the final consumer or the local retail trade. Game meat to be placed on the market must be examined by the competent authority. The amendments also seek to ensure that there is enough flexibility in order to take account of hunting traditions that may be different between Member States. - The Regulation will apply one year after entry into force as opposed to 1.1.2004. - The amendments to Annex II generally aim to make technical improvements, but some of them risk creating unnecessary burdens for small businesses or constitute an overlap with proposal COD/2000/0178, and the Commission did not accept these.�