OBJECTIVE: to strengthen monitoring and controls with regard to the use of illegal substances in
meat.
COMMUNITY MEASURE: Council Directive 96/23/EC on measures to monitor certain substances
and residues thereof in live animals and animal products and repealing Directives 85/358/EEC and
86/469/EEC and Decisions 89/187/EEC and 91/664/EEC.
SUBSTANCE: the Directive clarifies and improves existing procedures for the detection of residues
in live animals and animal products. It requires controls be based essentially on targeted and
unannounced inspections. Member States must draw up annual plans, in agreement with the
Commission, for the detection of residues; those plans must cover a minimum level of sampling,
while remaining sufficiently flexible to take account of specific local circumstances. The Directive
prescribes the procedures to be used in the investigation and confirmation of suspected cases of
fraud, which may include the destruction of the batch of animals concerned where half the samples
taken from a representative sample have produced positive results indicating the presence of residues
of illegal substances.
ENTRY INTO FORCE: 23/05/1996.
DEADLINE FOR TRANSPOSITION: 01/07/1997.
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