Commission Decision
of 8 June 2001
laying down rules for the regular checks on the general hygiene carried out by the operators in establishments according to Directive 64/433/EEC on health conditions for the production and marketing of fresh meat and Directive 71/118/EEC on health problems affecting the production and placing on the market of fresh poultry meat
(notified under document number C(2001) 1561)
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2001/471/EC)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Directive 64/433/EEC of 26 July 1964 on health conditions for the production and marketing of fresh meat(1), as last amended by Directive 95/23/EC(2), and in particular Article 10(2) thereof,
Having regard to Council Directive 71/118/EEC on health problems affecting the production and placing on the market of fresh poultry meat(3), as last amended by Directive 97/79/EC(4), and in particular Article 6(2) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Operators of meat establishments must conduct regular checks on the general hygiene conditions of production in their establishment.
(2) These checks must cover utensils, fittings and machinery at all stages of production and, if necessary, products. This includes microbiological controls.
(3) For a uniform application the nature of the checks, their frequency, as well as the sampling methods and the methods for bacteriological examination shall be established.
(4) It is appropriate to establish these methods on the basis of the most recent HACCP methodology principles.
(5) The operator of the establishment, the owner or his agent must be in a position, on request from the official service, to inform the official veterinarian of the nature, frequency and results of the checks conducted to this end.
(6) The official veterinarian must regularly analyse the results of the checks conducted by the operator of the establishment on the general hygiene conditions of production in his establishment.
(7) Small meat establishments may have more difficulties in implementing the proposed checks due to financial and human resource constraints, lack of expertise, inadequate infrastructure or other relevant factors. The situation in this respect may objectively differ in the Member States.
(8) It is thus appropriate to provide for the possibility of a longer transitional period in respect of small establishments, subject to the requirement that the Member States making use of this derogation provide the Commission with the information necessary to ensure that implementation shall not create distortions of competition.
(9) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Veterinary Committee,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
1. The operator of a meat establishment shall conduct regular checks on the general hygiene conditions of production in his establishment, by implementing and maintaining a permanent procedure developed in accordance with the following HACCP principles:
(a) identify any hazards that must be prevented, eliminated or reduced to acceptable levels,
(b) identify the critical control points at the step or steps at which control is essential to prevent or eliminate a hazard or reduce it to acceptable levels,
(c) establish critical limits at critical control points which separate acceptability from unacceptability for the prevention, elimination or reduction of identified hazards,
(d) establish and implement effective monitoring procedures at critical control points,
(e) establish corrective actions when monitoring indicates that a critical control point is not under control,
(f) establish procedures to verify whether the measures outlined in subparagrahs a to e are working effectively; verification procedures shall be carried out regularly,
(g) establish documents and records commensurate to the nature and size of the business to demonstrate the effective application of the measures outlined in subparagraphs a to f, and to facilitate official controls.
2. As part of the system referred to in paragraph 1, operators of meat establishments may use guides to good practice that have been assessed by the competent authority.
Article 2
The micriobiological checks referred to in Article 10(2) of Directive 64/433/EEC shall be carried out by the operator in accordance with the procedure laid down in the Annex.
Samples should be taken from those sites where risk of microbiological contamination is most likely to occur.
Procedures other than the procedure described in the Annex, may be used when these have been demonstrated, to the satisfaction of the competent authorities, to be at least equivalent to the procedure laid down in the Annex.
Article 3
Member States shall ensure that meat establishments introduce the requirements of this Decision within 12 months from the date of its adoption. Member States may, however, decide to apply a period of up to 24 months for small meat establishments, provided they inform in advance the Commission of the conditions under which they intend to implement this derogation.
Article 4
This Decision is addressed to the Member States.
Done at Brussels, 8 June 2001.