The committee adopted the report by Horst SCHNELLHARDT (EPP-ED, D) amending the Council's common position under the 2nd reading of the codecision procedure. It reinstated a few amendments adopted by Parliament at 1st reading, dealing with sanctions and controls on aquaculture products.
To avoid excessive regulation, MEPs also inserted new provisions stipulating that the legislation would not apply to the primary production of foodstuffs for private domestic use, the domestic preparation of foodstuffs for private consumption or the direct supply by the producer of small quantities of primary products to the final consumer or to local shops and restaurants, which would be subject to national rules. They introduced a new definition, "artisanal small business", meaning a registered business which produces exclusively for a limited local market.
The committee also pointed out that official controls of fresh meat should in principle be carried out by official staff and therefore deleted the provision allowing slaughterhouse staff to assist with controls of meat production from fattening pigs and fattening veal calves. Lastly, it stipulated that the regulation also applies to emergency slaughter. Consequently, meat from animals having undergone emergency slaughter should be subjected to the same examination as meat from animals slaughtered normally and should not require separate marking.�