Commission Directive 2002/4/EC
of 30 January 2002
on the registration of establishments keeping laying hens, covered by Council Directive 1999/74/EC
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Directive 1999/74/EC of 19 July 1999 laying down minimum standards for the protection of laying hens(1), and in particular Article 7 thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Directive 1999/74/EC lays down specific requirements for the protection of laying hens in various systems of farming and allow the Member States to choose the most appropriate system or systems.
(2) Article 7 of Directive 1999/74/EC requires that every establishment covered by the scope of that Directive shall be registered by the competent authority of the Member State and given a distinguishing number, which will be the medium for tracing eggs placed on the market for human consumption.
(3) Council Regulation (EEC) No 1907/90 of 26 June 1990 on certain marketing standards for eggs(2), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 5/2001(3), makes it compulsory to stamp eggs with a code designating the producer's distinguishing number and permitting the farming method to be identified.
(4) The farming methods are defined by Commission Regulation (EEC) No 1274/91 of 15 May 1991 introducing detailed rules for implementing Regulation (EEC) No 1907/90 on certain marketing standards for eggs(4), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1651/2001(5), and also by Council Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91 of 24 June 1991 on organic production of agricultural products and indications referring thereto on agricultural products and foodstuffs(6), as last amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 2491/2001(7), as far as organic production is concerned.
(5) A registration of the establishments under distinguishing numbers is a condition for tracing eggs placed on the market for human consumption.
(6) The measures provided for in this Directive are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Veterinary Committee,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:
Article 1
1. Member States shall:
(a) establish a system for registering every production site (hereafter: establishment) covered by the scope of Directive 1999/74/EC, allocating a distinguishing number to it, in conformity with the Annex to this Directive;
(b) ensure that for each such establishment at least the information set out in point 1 of the Annex is supplied to the competent authority of the Member State, by a date determined by the Member State; this date shall be such as to allow sufficient time for registration of those establishments in accordance with point (c);
(c) ensure that each establishment for which the required information is supplied by the date determined pursuant to point (b) is registered and allocated a distinguishing number by 31 May 2003.
2. Member States shall provide that, from 1 June 2003
(a) no establishment for which the information required pursuant to paragraph 1(b) has not been supplied by the date determined there may continue to be used; and
(b) no new establishment is brought into use prior to completion of registration and receipt of the distinguishing number.
3. Member States shall ensure that the register of establishments established pursuant to paragraph 1 is accessible to the competent authority of the Member State for the purpose of tracing eggs put on the market for human consumption.
4. Member States shall ensure that changes concerning registered data are notified to the competent authority without delay and that the register is updated immediately when such information is received.
Article 2
Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions to comply with this Directive by 31 March 2003. They shall forthwith communicate to the Commission the text of those provisions.
When Member States adopt those provisions, they shall contain a reference to this Directive or be accompanied by such a reference on the occasion of their official publication. Member States shall determine how such reference is to be made.
Article 3
This Directive shall enter into force on the 20th day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities.
Article 4
This Directive is addressed to the Member States.
Done at Brussels, 30 January 2002.