1977L0099 — EN — 22.12.1989 — 011.001 — 1
This document is meant purely as a documentation tool and the institutions do not assume any liability for its contents
►B COUNCILDIRECTIVE
of21December 1976
onhealthproblemsaffectingintra-Communitytradeinmeatproducts
(77/99/EEC)
(OJ L 26, 31.1.1977, p. 85)
Amended by:
Official Journal
No page date
►M1Council Directive 80/214/EEC of 22 January 1980 L 47 3 21.2.1980
►M2Council Directive 81/476/EEC of 24 June 1981 L 186 20 8.7.1981
►M3Council Directive 85/327/EEC of 12 June 1985 L 168 49 28.6.1985
►M4Council Directive 85/328/EEC of 20 June 1985 L 168 50 28.6.1985
►M5Council Directive 85/586/EEC of 20 December 1985 L 372 44 31.12.1985
►M6Council Regulation (EEC) No 3768/85 of 20 December 1985 L 362 8 31.12.1985
►M7Council Regulation (EEC) No 3805/87 of 15 December 1987 L 357 1 19.12.1987
►M8Council Directive 88/658/EEC of 14 December 1988 L 382 15 31.12.1988
►M9Council Directive 89/227/EEC of 21 March 1989 L 93 25 6.4.1989
►M10Council Directive 89/662/EEC of 11 December 1989 L 395 13 30.12.1989
Amended by:
►A1Act of Accession of Greece L 291 17 19.11.1979
Corrected by:
►C1Corrigendum, OJ L 68, 15.3.1977, p. 35 (77/99/EEC)
►C2Corrigendum, OJ L 76, 24.3.1977, p. 26 (77/99/EEC)
►C3Corrigendum, OJ L 44, 20.2.1990, p. 34 (88/658/EEC)
▼B
COUNCILDIRECTIVE
of21December 1976
on health problems affecting intra-Community trade in meat
products
(77/99/EEC)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic
Community, and in particular Articles 43 and 100 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (
1),
Whereas, since the establishment of the common organization of the
markets, meat products may move freely within the Community;
whereas, however, intra-Community trade in these products is curbed
by the existence of different health requirements in this sector in thevarious Member States; whereas, in order to remove such disparities,it is necessary to substitute common provisions for these nationalrequirements;
Whereas, in order to guarantee the quality of the products in question
from the health point of view, it is necessary to use, in their manufac-
ture, only that fresh meat obtained in accordance with the Communitystandards laid down in Council Directive 64/433/EEC of 26 June 1964on health problems affecting intra-Community trade in fresh meat (
2),
as last amended by Directive 75/379/EEC (3), Council Directive 71/
118/EEC of 15 February 1971 on health problems affecting trade in
fresh poultrymeat (4), as last amended by Directive 75/379/EEC, and
also Council Directive 72/462/EEC of 12 December 1972 on healthand veterinary inspection problems upon importation of bovine animalsand swine and fresh meat from third countries (
5), as last amended by
Directive 75/379/EEC; whereas meat products must be manufactured,
stored and trasnported in conditions offering every guarantee as regards
health; whereas the need for manufacturing and processing establish-ments to obtain approval is likely to facilitate supervision ofcompliance with these conditions; whereas provision should be madefor a procedure intended to settle any disputes which may arisebetween Member States as to the justification of the approval of a
manufacturing establishment;
Whereas, moreover, Community control arrangements should be intro-
duced to ensure that the standards laid down in this Directive areapplied uniformly in all Member States; whereas provision should bemade for the procedure for such controls to be determined accordingto a Community procedure within the Standing Veterinary Committee
set upby the Council Decision of 15 October 1968(
6);
Whereas provision should be made for the possibility of derogating
from certain provisions of this Directive in respect of certain meatproducts which contain other foodstuffs and which contain a minimalpercentage of meat; whereas these derogations should be madeaccording to a Community procedure within the Standing VeterinaryCommittee;
Whereas, as regards intra-Community trade, the issue of a health certi-
ficate drafted by the competent authority is considered to be the best
way of assuring the competent authorities of the country of destinationthat a consignment of meat products complies with this Directive;1977L0099 — EN — 22.12.1989 — 011.001 — 2
(1) OJ No C 114, 11. 11. 1971, p. 40.
(2) OJ No 121, 29. 7. 1964, p. 2012/64.
(3) OJ No L 172, 3. 7. 1975, p. 17.
(4) OJ No L 55, 8. 3. 1971, p. 23.
(5) OJ No L 302, 31. 12. 1972, p. 28.
(6) OJ No L 255, 18. 10. 1968, p. 23.
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whereas this certificate must accompany the consignment of these
products to the place of destination;
Whereas Member States must have the right to prohibit the introduc-
tion into their territory of meat products from another Member State
which prove unfit for human consumption or do not comply withCommunity health provisions;
Whereas, in such cases, the consignor should, at his own request or
upon request of his representative, be allowed to have the meatproducts returned to him unless there are health reasons to the contrary;
Whereas, in case of prohibition or restriction, the reasons therefor
should be made known to the consignor or his representative and also,in certain cases, to the competent authorities of the exporting country;
Whereas, in the event of a dispute between himself and the authorities
of the Member State of destination as to the justification for prohibitionor restriction, the consignor should be enabled to obtain the opinion of
an expert;
Whereas, in order to facilitate the implementation of the proposed
measures, a procedure should be provided for close cooperation betwenthe Member States and the Commission in the Standing VeterinaryCommittee,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:
Article 1
This Directive lays down health requirements for meat products
intended for intra-Community trade.
Without prejudice to prohibitory measures to be taken pursuant to
Directive 80/215/EEC (1), this Directive shall not apply to meat
products:
(a) forming part of travellers' personal luggage, on condition that they
are not subsequently used for commercial purposes;
(b) sent as small packages to private persons, in so far as no commer-
cial operation is involved;
(c) intended for consumption by the crew and passengers on board
means of transport operating commercially between MemberStates.
Article 2
For the purposes of this Directive the following definitions shall apply:(a) Meat products: products prepared from or with meat which has
undergone treatment such that the cut surface shows that the
product no longer has the characteristics of fresh meat.
However, the following shall not be regarded as a meat product:
(i) meat which has undergone only cold treatment; such meat
shall remain subject to the rules in Directive 64/433/EEC;
(ii) products not covered by the definition in the first subpara-
graph; such products shall be subject to Council Directive 88/657/EEC of 14 December 1988 laying down the requirementsfor the production of, and trade in, minced meat, meat in
pieces of less than 100 grams and meat preparations and
amending Directives 64/433/EEC, 71/118/EEC and 72/462/EEC (
2).1977L0099 — EN — 22.12.1989 — 011.001 — 3
(1) OJ No L 47, 21. 2. 1980, p. 4.
(2) See page 3 of this Official Journal.▼M8
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In addition, the following are not covered by this Directive:
(i) meat extracts, meat consommé and stock, meat sauces and
similar products not containing fragments of meat;
(ii) whole, broken or crushed bones, meat peptones, animal
gelatin, meat powder, pork-rind powder, blood plasma, dried
blood, dried blood plasma, cellular proteins, bone extracts
and similar products;
(iii) fats melted down from animal tissues;
(iv) stomachs, bladders and intestines, cleaned and bleached,
salted or dried,
(b) (i) meat: meat as defined in:
— Article 1 of Directive 64/433/EEC,
— Article 1 of Directive 71/118/EEC,
— Article 1 of Directive 72/461/EEC,— Article 2 of Directive 72/462/EEC,
— Article 2 of Directive 88/657/EEC;
(ii) fresh meat: fresh meat as defined in Article 1 of Directives 64/
433/EEC, 71/118/EEC and 72/461/EEC and in Article 2 ofDirective 72/462/EEC and also meat satisfying the require-
ments set out in Article 3 of Directive 88/657/EEC;
(c) meat preparations: preparations satisfying the requirements set out
in Article 3 of Directive 88/657/EEC;
(d) treatment: the treatment of fresh meat, whether or not combined
with other foodstuffs, by heating, salting, curing or drying, or a
combination of these processes;
(e) heating: use of dry or dampheat;(f) salting: use of salt;(g) curing: distribution of curing salts throughout the product;
(h) maturing: complete treatment of salted meat, applied under
climatic conditions which, in the course of a slow and gradualreduction of humidity, are capable of generating natural fermenta-tion or enzymatic processes, involving changes over a period oftime which give the product typical organoleptic characteristics
and ensure its preservation and wholesomeness at normal ambient
temperature;
(i) drying: natural or artifical reduction of the water content;(j) prepared meals: wrapped meat products corresponding to culinary
preparations, cooked or pre-cooked, with no preservatives added
for the purposes of preservation;
(k) exporting country: the Member State from which meat products
are sent to another Member State;
(l) country of destination: the Member State to which meat products
are sent from another Member State;
(m) consignment: a quantity of a meat product which is covered by the
same health certificate;
(n) wrapping: the protection of meat products by the use of an initial
wrapping or initial container in direct contact with the product
concerned as well as the initial wrapper or initial container itself;
(o) packaging: the placing of one or more wrapped or unwrapped
meat products in a container, as well as the container itself;
(p) hermetically-sealed container: container intended to protect the
contents against the entry of micro-organisms during and after
heat processing and which is impermeable to air.
Article 3
1. Each Member State shall ensure that only meat products
complying with the following general conditions — without prejudice1977L0099 — EN — 22.12.1989 — 011.001 — 4
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to the conditions laid down in paragraph 3 — are sent from its territory
to the territory of another Member State:
(1) they shall have been prepared in an establishment approved and
inspected in accordance with Article 7;
(2) they shall have been prepared, stored and transported in accor-
dance with Annex A and if they are stored in a cold-storageplant separate from the establishment, this plant must be approved
and inspected in accordance with Article 8 of Directive 64/433/
EEC;
(3) they shall have been prepared from:
(a) fresh meat as defined in Article 2 (b) (ii). This fresh meat may
originate:
(i) in accordance with Directives 64/433/EEC and 71/118/
EEC, in the Member State in which the preparation iscarried out or in any other Member State. Pigmeat recog-nized as trichinous may not be used to manufacture meat
products;
(ii) in accordance with Article 5 a of Directive 72/461/EEC,
in the Member State in which the preparation is carried
out;
(iii) in accordance with Directive 72/462/EEC, in a third
country, being imported either directly or by way ofanother Member State;
(iv) in accordance with Article 15 of Directive 71/118/EEC,
in a third country in so far as:
— products obtained from this meat fulfil the require-
ments set out in this Directive,
— these products do not bear the health marking laid
down in Annex A, Chapter VI,
— intra-Community trade in these products remains
subject to the national provisions of each Member
State;
(b) meat referred to in Article 5 (a) of Directive 64/433/EEC;
(4) they shall have been prepared from fresh meat complying with the
conditions of Annex A, Chapter III;
(5) they shall, in accordance with Annex A, Chapter IV, have under-
gone an inspection carried out by the competent authority and, in
the case of hermetically-sealed containers, carried out in accor-
dance with rules to be drawn upunder the p rocedure laid downin Article 18 by not later than 31 March 1990;
(6) they shall meet the requirements laid down in Article 4;
(7) where wrapping and packaging takes place, they must be wrapped
and packaged in accordance with Annex A, Chapter V;
(8) they shall bear a health marking in accordance with Annex A,
Chapter VI;
(9) they shall, in accordance with Annex A, Chapter VII, be accom-
panied by a health certificate during transport to the country ofdestination. This obligation shall not apply to meat products in
hermetically sealed containers and having undergone a treatment
such as referred to in Annex B, Chapter II, point 1 (a), firstindent, if the health mark is indelibly marked on the container inaccordance with the provisions to be drawn up under the proce-dure laid down in Article 18;
(10) they shall be stored and transported to the country of destination
under satisfactory health conditions in accordance with Annex A,Chapter VIII.
2. Meat products may not have been subjected to ionizing radiation
unless this is justified on medical grounds and unless such procedure isclearly indicated on the product and on the health certificate.1977L0099 — EN — 22.12.1989 — 011.001 — 5
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3. Member States shall ensure that, in addition to the general
requirements laid down in paragraphs 1 and 2, meat products meet thefollowing conditions:
(a) they shall have been prepared by heating, curing or drying, which
process may be combined with smoking or maturing, possiblyunder specific microclimatic conditions, and associated, in parti-cular, with certain curing agents within the meaning of Article 13.They may also be associated with other foodstuffs and condiments;
(b) they may have been obtained from a meat product or from a meat
preparation.
Article 4
For inspection purposes, the producer shall ensure that the packaging of
meat products, which cannot be stored at ambient temperatures and
meat preparations, bear a clear and legible indication of the tempera-
ture at which the products must be transported and stored, and theminimum durability date.
Article 5
Articles 3 and 4 shall not apply to meat products which are imported
with the authorization of the country of destination for uses other than
human consumption; in this case, the country of destination shall
ensure that these products are used only for the purposes for whichthey were dispatched to that country.
Article 6
Member States shall ensure that intra-Community trade in prepared
meals is governed by the provisions laid down for meat products andthat such meals also meet the requirements set out in Annex B, Chapter
III.
Article 7
1. Each Member State shall draw up a list of its approved establish-
ments, each of them having a veterinary approval number. It shall sendthis list to the other Member States and to the Commission.
A Member State shall not approve an establishment unless it complies
with this Directive. The Member State shall withdraw its approval if
the conditions for approval cease to be fulfilled.
If a check has been made in accordance with Article 8, the Member
State concerned shall take account of the conclusions resulting fromthat check. The other Member States and the Commission shall beinformed in the event of approval being withdrawn.
2. The inspection and supervision of approved establishments shall
be carried out by the competent authority.
The competent authority must at all times have free access to all parts
of establishments for the purpose of ensuring that this Directive isbeing complied with.
Article 8
The provisions of Article 9 of Directive 64/433/EEC shall apply
mutatis mutandis to the establishments referred to in Article 7.
Article 9
By way of derogation from the conditions stipulated in Article 3, it
may be decided, in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article18, that some provisions of this Directive shall not apply to certainproducts which contain other foodstuffs and only a small percentageof meat, meat product or meat preparation.1977L0099 — EN — 22.12.1989 — 011.001 — 6
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These exceptions shall relate only to:
(a) the conditions for approval of establishments as laid down in
Annex A, Chapter I and in Annex B, Chapter I;
(b) the inspection requirements described in Annex A, Chapter IV;
(c) the requirements for a health marking and health certificate as laid
down in paragraphs 8 and 9 of Article 3 (1).
When considering whether to allow exceptions such as those provided
for under this Article, both the nature and the composition of theproduct shall be taken into account.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Article, Member States shall
ensure that all meat products intended for intra-Community trade arewholesome products prepared from fresh meat, meat products orproducts covered by Directive 88/657/EEC.
Article 10
The Council shall, acting by a qualified majority on a proposal from
the Commission to be submitted by 1 July 1990, adopt the rules applic-able to the products referred to in Article 2 (a), third subparagraph.
Article 11
Member States shall ensure that the meat products undergo checks to
be carried out by the establishments referred to in Article 7 and withperiodic inspection by the official department, in order to ensure thatthe products comply with the requirements laid down in this Directive.
Article 13
Pending compilation, in the context of Community legislation on addi-
tives, of the list of foodstuffs to which the additives authorized for use
may be added and establishment of the conditions under which theymay be added and, where appropriate, a limit on the technologicalpurpose of their use, the national rules and the bilateral arrangementsexisting on the date on which this Directive is brought into application
restricting the use of additives in the products covered by this Directive
shall remain applicable, with due regard for the general provisions ofthe Treaty, provided that they apply without distinction to domesticproduction and to trade.
Until that provisional list is drawn up, the national rules and the bilat-
eral arrangements governing the use of additives for the products
referred to in this Directive shall remain in force, in compliance withthe general provisions of the Treaty and the Community rules in forcein the field of additives.
Article 14
The Annexes shall be amended by the Council acting by a qualified
majority on a proposal from the Commission.
Article 15
The Council shall, acting on a proposal from the Commission, take
before 1 January 1991 a decision on the incorporation into meatproducts of starch or proteins of animal or vegetable origin and themaximum permissible percentages from a technological viewpoint.
Until such decision is taken, national rules restricting the use of the
abovementioned substances and the bilateral arrangements in force onthe date of notification of this Directive and concerning such incorpora-tion shall remain applicable in compliance with the general provisionsof the Treaty and, in particular, in so far as they apply without anydistinction being made between national products and imported1977L0099 — EN — 22.12.1989 — 011.001 — 7
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products and without prejudice to any initiatives to be embarked upon
under a Community procedure with a view to their approximation.
Member States which authorize the said incorporation shall ensure that
details of such incorporation and the incorporated products referred toin the first subparagraph are entered on the label in accordance withDirective 79/112/EEC.
Member States which authorize the incorporation of proteins of vege-
table origin as a meat substitute shall ensure that the label does not
contain any indication that could cause the consumer to think that the
meat product has been produced either from or with meat.
Article 17
1. Pending the implementation of Community provisions concerning
imports of poultrymeat products from third countries, Member Statesshall apply to such imports provisions which shall not be more favour-able than those governing intra-Community trade.
2. The health certificate which accompanies the meat product on
import, and the form and nature of the health mark which this productor preparation shall bear, shall correspond to a model to be determinedin accordance with the Article 18 procedure.
Article 18
1. Where the procedure laid down in this Article is to be used, the
matter shall be referred without delay to the Standing VeterinaryCommittee (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Committee’), set upby theCouncil Decision of 15 October 1968, by the chairman, either on his
own initiative or at the request of a Member State.
2. Within the Committee, the votes of the Member States shall be
weighted as provided in Article 148 (2) of the Treaty. The chairmanshall not vote.
3. The Commission representative shall submit a draft of the
measures to be adopted. The Committee shall deliver its opinion on
the measures within a period to be determined by the chairman inkeeping with the urgency of the question submitted for examination.Opinions shall be delivered by a majority of ►
M6fifty-four ◄votes.
4. The Commission shall adopt the measures and shall implement
them immediately, where they are in accordance with the opinion of
the Committee. Where they are not in accordance with the opinion ofthe Committee or if no opinion is delivered, the Commission shallwithout delay submit to the Council a proposal on the measures to beadopted. The Council shall adopt the measures by a qualified majority.
If the Council has not adopted any measures within three months from
the date on which the proposal was submitted to it, the Commission
shall adopt the proposed measures and apply them immediately savewhere the Council has decided against them by a simple majority.
Article 19
1. Where the procedure laid down in this Article is to be used, the
matter shall be referred without delay to the Committee by the
chairman, either on his own initiative or at the request of a Member
State.
2. Within the Committee, the votes of the Member States shall be
weighted as provided in Article 148 (2) of the Treaty. The chairmanshall not vote.1977L0099 — EN — 22.12.1989 — 011.001 — 8
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3. The Commission representative shall submit a draft of the
measures to be adopted. The Committee shall deliver its opinion onsuch measures within two days. Opinions shall be delivered by a
majority of ►
M6fifty-four ◄votes.
4. The Commission shall adopt the measures and shall apply them
immediately where they are in accordance with the opinion of theCommittee. Where they are not in accordance with the opinion of theCommittee or if no opinion is delivered, the Commission shall withoutdelay submit to the Council a proposal on the measures to be adopted.
The Council shall adopt the measures by a qualified majority.
If the Council has not adopted any measures within 15 days from the
date on which the proposal was submitted to it, the Commission shalladopt the proposed measures and shall apply them immediately savewhere the Council has decided against them by a simple majority.
Article 20
Acting on a Commission proposal to be submitted before 1 July 1977,
the Council shall adopt before 31 December 1977 the provisions deter-mining who shall be empowered to carry out the supervision and
inspections provided for in paragraph 6 of Article 3 (1) and of Articles
4 (3) and 6 (2) and in Annex A, Chapters II, IV, V, VII and VIII.
Article 22
The Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and
administrative provisions necessary for them to comply with this Direc-tive on 1 July 1979.
Article 23
This Directive is addressed to the Member States.
Article 24
The Rules laid down in Directive 89/662/EEC (1) concerning veterinary
checks applicable in intra-Community trade, with a view to thecompletion of the internal market, shall apply in particular to checksat origin, to the organization of and follow-upto the checks to be
carried out by the Member State of destination, and to the protective
measures to be implemented.1977L0099 — EN — 22.12.1989 — 011.001 — 9
(1) OJ No L 395, 30. 12. 1989, p. 13.▼M2
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ANNEXA
CHAPTER I
GENERALCONDITIONSFORAPPROVALOFESTABLISHMENTS
Without prejudice to the special conditions laid down in Annex B, establish-
ments shall have at least:
1. in rooms where fresh meat or meat products are produced, worked on or
stored and where meat preparations are stored:
(a) waterproof flooring which is easy to clean and disinfect, rotproof and
laid in such a way to facilitate the draining of water; the water must
be channelled towards drains fitted with gratings and traps to prevent
odours.
However, establishments shall have:— in those rooms in which chilled or refrigerated meat, meat prepara-
tions, or meat products are stored, waterproof flooring which is easy
to clean and disinfect, rotproof and laid in such a way as to facilitate
the draining of water,
— in those rooms in which deep-frozen meat, meat products or meat
preparations are stored, waterproof and rotproof flooring;
(b) smooth, durable, impermeable walls, with a light-coloured, washable
coating upto a height of at least two metres and upto at least storage
height in chilling or refrigeration rooms and in stores. Wall to floor
junctions must be rounded or similarly finished except in the rooms
referred to in Annex B, Chapter I, 1 (a) and (b);
(c) doors in material that does not deteriorate and, if of wood, with a
smooth and impermeable covering on both sides;
(d) insulation materials which are rotproof and odourless;(e) adequate ventilation and if necessary good extraction of steam and
water-vapour;
(f) adequate natural or artificial lighthing which does not distort colours;(g) a clean and easily cleaned ceiling or, failing that, a roof covering with
an interior surface which fulfils these conditions;
2. as near as possible to the work stations:
(a) a sufficient number of facilities for cleaning and disinfecting hands and
for cleaning tools with hot water. Taps must not be hand or arm oper-
able. For washing hands, these facilities must have hot and cold running
water or water premixed to a suitable temperature, cleaning and disin-
fecting products and hand towels which can be used once only;
(b) facilities for disinfecting tools, with water supplied at not less than
82 ºC.
Facilities for cleaning and disinfecting tools are not required when such
cleaning is effected by a machine situated in a room separate from the
work stations;
3. appropriate arrangements for protection against pests such as insects and
rodents;
4. (a) instruments and working equipment such as cutting tables, tables with
detachable cutting surfaces, containers, conveyor belts and saws, made
of corrosion-resistant material, not liable to taint meat, meat products
and meat preparations and easy to clean and disinfect. The use of
wood is forbidden;
(b) corrosion-resistant fittings and equipment meeting hygiene requirements
for:
— handling meat, meat products and meat preparations,
— setting down meat, meat products or meat preparation containers in
such a way that the meat, the meat products, the meat preparations
and the containers do not come into contact with the floor or walls;
(c) facilities for the hygienic handling and protection of meat or meat
products and meat preparations during loading and unloading;
(d) special watertight, corrosion-resistant containers, with lids and fasteners
to prevent unauthorized persons from removing things from them, in
which to put meat, meat products or meat preparations not intended
for human consumption, or a lockable room for such meat or meat
products or meat preparations if the quantities are large enough to
necessitate this or if they are not removed or destroyed at the end of1977L0099 — EN — 22.12.1989 — 011.001 — 10
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each working day; where such meat, meat products or products referred
to by Directive 88/657/EEC are removed through conduits, these should
be so constructed and installed as to avoid any risk of contamination of
fresh meat, meat products or meat preparations;
5. a refrigeration plant to keep the internal temperature of the meat, or meat
products or products referred to by Directive 88/657/EEC at the levels
required by Directives 64/433/EEC and 71/118/EEC and by this Directive.
This plant shall include a system for draining off condensed water without
any possibility of contamination of the meat, meat products or meat
preparations;
6. plant for the exclusive supply under pressure of a sufficient quantity of
potable water within the meaning of Directive 80/778/EEC; however, as an
exception, authorization can be given for the plant supplying non-potable
water to be used for steam production, fire-fighting and the cooling of
refrigeration equipment, providing that the pipes installed for this purpose
preclude the use of this water for other purposes and present no risk of
contamination of meat, meat products and meat preparations. Non-potable
water pipes shall be clearly distinguished from those used for potable water;
7. plant providing an adequate supply of hot potable water within the meaning
of Directive 80/778/EEC;
8. a waste water disposal system which meets hygiene requirements;9. an adequately equipped lockable room for the exclusive use of the compe-
tent authority or, in the case of storage premises located apart from the
establishment approved for the production of meat products or meat
preparations, a properly equipped area for its use;
10. facilities enabling the inspection operations provided for in the Directive to
be carried out efficiently at any time;
11. an appropriate number of changing rooms with smooth, waterproof wash-
able walls and floors, wash basins, showers and flush lavatories which
fulfil all conditions of hygiene. Lavatories must not open directly on to the
work rooms. The wash basins must have hot and cold running water or
water premixed to a suitable temperature, materials for cleaning and disin-
fecting the hands and hand towels for use once only. The wash basin taps
must not be hand or arm operable. There must be a sufficient number of
such wash basins near the lavatories;
12. a place and adequate facilities for cleaning and disinfecting means of trans-
port. This place and these facilities are not, however, compulsory if
provisions exist requiring that means of transport be cleaned and disinfected
at officially authorized facilities.
CHAPTER II
HYGIENE OF STAFF, CLEANLINESS OF PREMISES, EQUIPMENT
ANDINSTRUMENTSINESTABLISHMENTS
13. Absolute cleanliness shall be required of staff, premises and equipment:
(a) staff shall in particular wear clean working clothes and headgear and,
where necessary, a neck shield. Staff engaged in working on or hand-
ling meat, meat products or meat preparations shall wash and disinfect
their hands several times during the working day and each time work is
resumed. Persons who have been in contact with infected meat shall
immediately wash their hands and arms carefully with hot water and
then disinfect them. Smoking is forbidden in work rooms and store
rooms;
(b) no animal may enter the establishments. Rodents, insects and other
vermin in the establishments shall be systematically destroyed;
(c) equipment and implements used for working on fresh meat, meat
products and meat preparations shall be kept clean and in a good state
of repair. They shall be carefully cleaned and disinfected several times
during the working day, at the end of the day's work and before being
re-used when they have been soiled.
Continuous production machines shall at least be cleaned when work is
finished or in the event of doubt about their cleanliness;
14. work-rooms and working instruments and equipment shall not be used for
purposes other than work on fresh meat, meat products and meat prepara-
tions.
However, they may be used for the preparation of other foodstuffs either
simultaneously or at different times after authorization by the competent1977L0099 — EN — 22.12.1989 — 011.001 — 11
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authority, provided that all appropriate measures are taken to prevent
contamination of the products covered by this Directive or adverse changes
in them;
15. fresh meat, meat products and meat preparations, their ingredients and
containers shall not:
— come into direct contact with the ground,
— be left or handled in conditions which might contaminate or damage
them.
Care shall be taken to ensure that there is no contact between raw materials
and finished products;
16. potable water shall be used for all purposes;
17. the spreading of sawdust or any other similar substance on the floor of the
workrooms and storage rooms is prohibited;
18. detergents, disinfectants and similar substances shall be used in such a way
that equipment, working instruments, fresh meat, meat products and the
products referred to by Directive 88/657/EEC are not adversely affected.
Their use shall be followed by thorough rinsing of such equipment and
working instruments with potable water. Products for maintenance and
cleaning shall be kept in the place provided for in Annex B, Chapter I (1)
(g);
19. persons likely to contaminate fresh meat, meat products or the products
referred to by Directive 88/657/EEC shall be prohibited from working on
them and handling them;
20. any person employed to work with or handle fresh meat or meat products
shall produce a medical certificate attesting that there is no impediment to
such employment. The medical certificate shall be renewed every year,
unless some other staff medical check-upscheme offering equivalent guar-
antees is recognized in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article
18;
21. by way of derogation from point 4 (a) of this Annex, the use of wood is
permitted in rooms in which meat products are smoked, cured, matured,
pickled, stored or dispatched, when essential for technological reasons,
provided there is no risk of the products being contaminated. Wooden
pallets may be brought into the said rooms solely for transporting packaged
meat products and for no other purpose;
22. the temperatures in rooms or parts of rooms where work on fresh meat,
meat products and meat preparations is carried out shall ensure hygienic
production; if necessary, such rooms or parts of rooms shall be provided
with air-conditioning facilities.
When in use, rooms for cutting and curing shall be kept at a temperature not
exceeding 12 ºC.
Rooms for slicing, cutting and wrapping meat products intended for sale in
prepackaged form shall be kept at a temperature not exceeding 12 ºC.
The temperature laid down in the third subparagraph may be departed from,
with the agreement of the competent authority, if it considers it possible to
do so for technical preparation reasons, particularly in the case of slicing
rooms in order to take account of the temperature of meat products.
CHAPTER III
REQUIREMENTSFOR FRESH MEATTO BE USEDFOR THEMANU-
FACTUREOFMEATPRODUCTS
23. Fresh meat which comes from a slaughterhouse, cutting establishment, cold
store or other processing establishment in the same country as the establish-
ment concerned shall be transported to it under satisfactory hygiene
conditions in accordance with the provisions of the Directive referred to in
Article 2 except those on sealing;
24. not later than 31 December 1992, and without prejudice to point 26, meat
which does not comply with the conditions set out in Article 2 may not be
held in approved establishments. Until that date, meat which does not
comply with the conditions set out in Article 2 (c) may be held in approved
establishments only if stored in separate places; it shall be used in other
places or at other times than meat which does not comply with these condi-
tions;
The competent authority shall at all times have free access to cold stores
and to all work rooms in order to verify strict compliance with these provi-
sions.1977L0099 — EN — 22.12.1989 — 011.001 — 12
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Packaged meat and packaged fresh meat shall be kept in separate cold store-
rooms;
25. as soon as it arrives at the establishment and until it is used, fresh meat
intended for processing shall be kept in accordance with the provisions of
the Directives referred to in Article 2;
26. by way of derogation from point 24 and Article 2, the competent authority
may authorize, in the establishments, the presence of meat from animals
other than those indicated in the directives referred to in Article 2 for the
manufacture of meat products, provided it is obtained in accordance with
national rules and is transported, treated and stored in accordance with the
provisions of this Directive. Trade in these products shall be subject to the
requirements laid down in Article 3 (1) (3) (a) (iv); products produced in
such authorized establishments and destined for intra-Community trade
may be prepared only under official veterinary supervision and must be
protected from any contamination or re-contamination.
CHAPTER IV
SUPERVISIONOFPRODUCTION
27. Establishments shall be subject to supervision by the competent authority,
which shall be given due notice before the work on meat products intended
for intra-Community trade is carried out;
28. supervision by the competent authority shall include the following:
— verification of the cleanliness of the rooms, plant and instruments and of
staff hygiene, in accordance with Chapter II,
— inspection of the entry and exit register for fresh meat, meat products
and meat preparations,
— sanitary inspection of fresh meat and meat preparations intended for the
manufacture of products intended for intra-Community trade and, in the
case referred to in Article 3 (3) (b), of meat preparations,
— inspection of the effectiveness of the treatment of meat products,— inspection of meat products when they leave the establishment,— taking of any samples required for laboratory tests.— preparation and issue of the health certificate provided for in point 40,— any other supervision measures considered necessary by the competent
authority to ensure compliance with this Directive.
The results of the various checks carried out, in accordance with Article 11
and Annex B, Chapters II and III (2) (b) and Article 12, by the producer
must be kept for two years so that they can be shown on receipt of any
request from the competent authority.
29. the competent authority shall check whether a meat product has been made
from meat in which other foodstuffs, additives or condiments have been
incorporated, by submitting to an appropriate inspection and assessingwhether it complies with the production criteria laid down by the producer
and especially whether the composition of the product truly corresponds to
what is stated on the label;
30. the competent authority must in particular ensure that intra-Community
trade in meat products and in products referred to by Directive 88/657/
EEC made from the fresh meat referred to in Article 5 (c) to (h) of Direc-
tive 64/433/EEC cannot take place.
CHAPTER V
WRAPPINGANDPACKAGINGOFMEATPRODUCTS
31. Wrapping and packaging shall take place under satisfactory hygiene condi-
tions in rooms provided for that purpose;
32. wrapping and packaging shall comply with all the rules of hygiene, and in
particular:
— not be such as to affect adversely the organoleptic characteristics of the
meat products,
— not be capable of transmitting to the meat products substances harmful
to human health,
— be strong enough to protect the meat products effectively;
33. wrappings may not be re-used for meat products, with the exception of
certain special types of earthenware and glass containers which may be re-
used after effective cleaning and disinfecting;1977L0099 — EN — 22.12.1989 — 011.001 — 13
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34. manufacture of meat products and wrapping and packaging operations may
take place in the same room subject to the following conditions:
(a) the room shall be sufficiently large and so equipped that the hygiene of
the operations is assured;
(b) the packaging and wrapping shall be enclosed in a sealed protective
cover immediately after manufacture; this cover shall be protected
from damage during transport to the establishment and stored under
hygienic conditions in a seperate room in the establishment;
(c) the rooms for storing the packaging material shall be free from dust and
vermin and have no atmospheric connection with rooms containing
substances which might contaminate fresh meat, the products referred
to by Directive 88/657/EEC or meat products. Packaging shall not be
placed directly on the floor;
(d) packaging shall be assembled under hygienic conditions before being
brought into the room. A derogation from this requirement may be
granted in the case of the automatic assembly of packaging, provided
there is no risk of contamination of meat products;
(e) packaging shall be brought to the room under hygienic conditions and
used without delay. It may not be handled by staff handling unwrapped
fresh meat or meat products;
(f) immediately after packaging, the meat products shall be placed in the
storage rooms provided for the purpose;
35. the producer shall ensure for inspection purposes that in addition to the
information required by Directive 79/112/EEC the following information is
visibly and legibly displayed on the wrapping or, under the conditions set
out in point 36 on the label of meat products:
— where it is not clear from the sales description, the species from which
the meat was obtained, and, in the case of a mixture, the percentage of
each species,
— information allowing the consignment to be identified,
— for packaging not intended for the final consumer, the date of prepara-
tion,
— the list of condiments and of any other foodstuffs.
CHAPTER VI
MARKINGANDLABELLING
36. Meat products shall carry a health mark. Marking must be carried out under
the responsibility of the competent authority, during or immediately after
manufacture, in an easily visible place. The mark shall be legible, indelible
and its characters easily distinguishable. The mark may be applied to the
product or to the wrapping, if the meat product is individually wrapped, or
to a label affixed to this wrapping in accordance with point 39 (b).
However, where a meat product is individually wrapped and packaged, it
will suffice for the health mark to be applied to the packaging;
37. where meat products marked in accordance with point 36 are subsequently
placed in a second packaging, the mark shall also be applied to that second
packaging;
38. by way of derogation from points 36 and 37, the health marking of meat
products in palletized consignments intended for further processing or wrap-
ping in an approved establishment is not necessary, provided that:
— the said consignments containing the meat products bear the health mark
in accordance with point 39 (a) on the external surface,
— the dispatch establishment maintains a separate record of the quantities,
type and destination of meat products dispatched in accordance with this
paragraph,
— the recipient establishment maintains a separate record of the quantities,
type and origin of meat products received in accordance with this para-
graph.
— the health marking is destroyed only when the consignment is opened
under the responsibility of the competent authority,
— the destination and intended use of meat products are clearly indicated
on the external surface of the large packaging except when this is trans-
parent.
However where a consignment of packages is contained within a transparent
outer wrapping, it shall not be necessary to health mark the outer wrapping
as long as the health mark on the packages is clearly visible through the
outer wrapping;1977L0099 — EN — 22.12.1989 — 011.001 — 14
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39. (a) the health mark shall give the following particulars within an oval
surround:
(i) either:
— above:
the initial letter or letters of the consigning country in capitals,
i.e. B/D/DK/EL/ESP/F/IRL/I/L/NL/P/UK, followed by the
approval number of teh establishment,
— below:
one of the following sets of initials: CEE — EEC — EEG —
EOK — EWG — EØF;
(ii) or:
— on the upper part, the name of the consigning country in capi-
tals,
— in the centre, the veterinary approval number of the establish-
ment,
— on the lower part, one of the following sets of initials: CEE,
EEC, EEG, EOK, EWG, EØF;
(b) the health mark may be applied to the product, wrapping or packaging
by an ink stamp or by branding, or it may be printed on or applied to a
label. If it is applied on the packaging, the mark must be destroyed
when the package is opened. Non-destruction of this mark may be toler-
ated only when the packaging is destroyed by being opened. In the case
of hermetically sealed containers, the mark must be indelibly marked
either on the lid or on the can;
(c) the health mark may also consist of an irremovable plate of resistant
material complying with all the hygiene requirements and bearing the
information specified in paragraph (a).
CHAPTER VII
HEALTHCERTIFICATE
40. The original copy of the health certificate which must accompany meat
products, except the products referred to in Article 3 (1) (9), second
sentence, during their transportation to the country of destination must be
issued by the competent authority at the time the meat products are loaded.
The health certificate must correspond in form and content to the model in
Annex C; it must be made out at least in the official language(s) of the
country of destination and must contain the particulars laid down. It must
consist of a single sheet of paper.
CHAPTER VIII
STORAGEANDTRANSPORT
41. Meat products shall be stored in the rooms provided for in Annex B,
Chapter I (1) (a), or in a cold store approved in accordance with Directive
64/433/EEC.
Meat products which can be kept at ambient temperatures may be stored in
stores situated outside an establisment approved for the production of meat
products provided such stores are approved by the competent authorities on
conditions equivalent to those provided for by this Directive;
42. meat products for which certain storage temperatures are indicated in accor-
dance with Article 4 shall be maintained at those temperatures;
43. meat products shall be transported in such a way that they are protected
during transportation from anything which may contaminate them or be
detrimental to them. For this purpose account should be taken of the length
of the journey, the means of transport employed and the weather conditions;
44. meat products, if the product so requires, shall be transported in vehicles
equipped to ensure that they can be transported in the refrigerated state
and in particular that the temperatures indicated in accordance with Article
4 are not exceeded.1977L0099 — EN — 22.12.1989 — 011.001 — 15
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ANNEXB
CHAPTER I
SPECIAL CONDITIONS FOR APPROVAL OF ESTABLISHMENTS
MANUFACTURINGMEATPRODUCTS
1. Beyond the general requirements laid down in Annex A, Chapter I, establish-
ments manufacturing and wrapping meat products shall have at least:
(a) until not later than 31 December 1992, suitable rooms large enough for
the separate storage:
(i) under refrigeration:
— of fresh meat within the meaning of Article 2 (b) (ii) and meat
preparations within the meaning of Article 2 (c),
— of meat and meat preparations other than those referred to in the
first indent;
(ii) at ambient temperature or, where appropriate, under refrigeration:
— of meat products fulfilling the requirements set out in this Direc-
tive,
— of other products prepared wholly or partly from meat;
(b) as from 1 January 1993 at the latest, suitable rooms large enough for the
separate storage:
(i) under refrigeration, of fresh meat and meat preparations;
(ii) at ambient temperature or, where appropriate, under refrigeration:
— of meat products meeting the requirements set out in this Direc-
tive,
— of other products prepared wholly or partly from fresh meat;
(c) one or more suitable rooms sufficiently large for manufacture and wrap-
ping;
(d) a lockable room for the storage of certain ingredients such as additives;
(e) a room for packaging, unless the conditions laid down for packaging in
Annex A, Chapter V, point 34, are fulfilled, and for dispatch;
(f) a room for the storage of wrapping and packaging materials;
(g) a room for cleaning movable equipment such as hooks and containers,
and a room or a cupboard for the storage of cleaning and maintenance
tools and products.
2. Depending on the type of product involved, the establishment shall have:
(a) a room or — if there is no danger of contamination — an area where
packaging is removed;
(b) a room or — if there is no danger of contamination — an area for
thawing out fresh meat;
(c) a cutting room;(d) a room for filling containers prior to heat treatment;
(e) a room:
— for cooking (equipment for heat treatment shall be fitted with a
recording thermometer or telethermometer),
— for retorting (the retorts shall be fitted with a recording thermometer
or telethermometer, and a direct-reading control thermometer; retorts
shall also be equipped with a manometer);
(f) a room for rendering down fats;(g) a room or special equipment for smoking;
(h) a room for drying and maturing;
(i) a room for desalting, soaking or otherwise treating natural guts;(j) a room for the prior cleaning of foodstuffs which are necessary for the
production of meat products;
(k) a curing room, if necessary with air-conditioning facilities enabling the
temperature stipulated in point 22 of Chapter II of Annex A to be main-
tained;
(l) room, if necessary, for the prior cleaning of meat products intended to
be sliced or cut and wrapped;
(m) a room, if necessary with air-conditioning facilities, for slicing or cutting
and for wrapping meat products intended for sale in pre-packed form;1977L0099 — EN — 22.12.1989 — 011.001 — 16
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(n) a device for conveying empty cans hygienically to the work room;
(o) an apparatus enabling containers to be thoroughly cleaned immediately
before filling;
(p) an apparatus for washing containers in potable water which is hot
enough to remove grease after they have been hermetically sealed and
before retorting;
(q) a suitable room or area for cooling and drying containers after heat treat-
ment;
(r) facilities for the incubation of samples taken from meat products packed
in hermetically sealed containers;
(s) adequate facilities for checking whether containers are hermetically
sealed and undamaged.
However, provided that the equipment used can have no deleterious effect on
the fresh meat or meat products the same room may be used for the opera-
tions to be carried out in the separate rooms referred to in (e) and (f).
The operations carried out in the rooms referred to in (c), (d), (e), (g) and
(m) may be carried out in the room referred to in paragraph 1 (c) provided
that the installations constitute a single cycle of a continuous production line
without interruption of work and guarantee that the other requirements of this
Directive are complied with and that there is no risk of contamination of the
fresh meat or meat products.
CHAPTER II
SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS CONCERNING HERMETICALLY-
SEALEDCONTAINERS
In addition to the general provisions, establishments which manufacture meat
products in hermetically-sealed containers shall fulfil the following require-
ments:
1. the competent authority shall ensure, for meat products in hermetically-sealed
containers, that:
(a) the operator or proprietor of the establishment or his representative
checks, by sampling, that:
— a process is applied to meat products intended for storing at ambient
temperature resulting in an Fc value equal to or exceeding 3,00 or, in
Member States in which this value is not customarily employed, a
check on the treatment by means of a seven-day incubation test at
37 ºC or a 10-day test at 35 ºC,
— a proper heat treatment procedure is applied, determined on the basis
of representative criteria such as heating time, temperature, move-
ment during heating, filling, etc.,
— empty containers meet production standards,
— checks on the daily output are carried out at intervals determined in
advance, to ensure the efficacy of the sealing,
— the necessary checks are carried out using in particular control
markers to ensure that the containers have in fact undergone adequate
heat treatment,
— the necessary checks are carried out to ensure that the cooling water
contains a residual level of chlorine after use. Member States may,
however, grant a derogation from this requirement if the water fulfils
the requirements of Directive 80/778/EEC,
— incubation tests are carried out on meat products, in a hermetically-
sealed container, which have undergone heat treatment in accordance
with the first indent,
— a distinguishing mark is put on the containers allowing meat products
produced at the same time and under the same conditions to be iden-
tified;
(b) products in hermetically-sealed containers are removed from the heating
equipment at a sufficiently high temperature to ensure rapid evaporation
of humidity and are not touched by hand until completely dry;
(c) cans in which gas appears to be present undergo a further examination;
(d) the thermometers of heating equipment are checked against calibrated
thermometers;
2. containers shall be:
— rejected if damaged or badly made,1977L0099 — EN — 22.12.1989 — 011.001 — 17
▼M8
— thoroughly cleaned immediately before filling, by means of the cleaning
apparatus referred to in Chapter I, point 2 (o); the use of static water is
not authorized,
— if necessary, drained for a sufficiently long time after cleaning and before
filling,
— if necessary, washed in potable water, sufficiently hot to remove grease if
appropriate, after they have been hermetically-sealed and before retorting,
by means of the apparatus referred to in Chapter I, point 2 (p),
— cooled, after heating, in water meeting the requirements in point 1 (a),
sixth indent,
— handled in such a way before and after heat treatment that any type of
damage or contamination is avoided.
3. Member States may authorize the addition of certain substances to the water
used in retorts in order to prevent corrosion of cans and to soften and disin-
fect the water. A list of these substances will be drawn upin accordance with
the procedure laid down in Article 18.
4. Member States may allow the use of recirculated water for cooling heat-
processed containers. Such water must be filtered and have either been
treated with chlorine or undergone some other treatment approved in accor-
dance with the procedure laid down in Article 18. The purpose of such
treatment is to make the recirculated water comply with the standards laid
down in Annex I (E) to Directive 80/778/EEC so that it cannot contaminate
the products and does not constitute a hazard to human health.
The recirculated water shall circulate in closed circuit so that it cannot be
used for other purposes;
5. where there is no risk of contamination, the water used for cooling containers
and water from retorts may be used at the end of a working period forcleaning floors.
CHAPTER III
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF PREPARED
MEALS
Beyond the general requirements of Annex A, Chapter I, and depending on
the type of production concerned:
1. (a) if the production of prepared meals does not take place in the room laid
down for that purpose in Chapter I (1) (c), the establishment shall posses
a separate room for the production of prepared meals;
(b) the production of prepared meals shall take place under conditions of
temperature control;
2. (a) the operator or proprietor of the establishment or his representative shall
conduct a regular check on the general hygiene of conditions of produc-
tion in his establishment, in particular by microbiological controls in
accordance with the fourth subparagraph.
These controls shall cover utensils, fittings and machinery at all stages of
production and, according to the type of production concerned, products.
He shall be in a position, upon request from the official service, to
inform the competent authority or the Commission's veterinary experts
of the nature, frequency and results of the controls conducted to this
end, together with the name of the investigating laboratory if need be.
The nature of these controls, their frequency, as well as the sampling
methods and the methods for bacteriological examination will be stipu-
lated in a code of good hygiene practices to be drawn up under the
Article 18 procedure;
(b) the competent authority shall regularly analyse the results of the controls
provided for in (a). It may, on the basis of this analysis, conduct further
microbiological examinations at all stages of production or on theproducts.
The results of these analyses shall be written upin a rep ort, the conclusions
and recommendations of which shall be notified to the operator, who shall
see to the rectification of shortcomings noted with a view to improving
hygiene;
3. in addition, prepared meals which have been cooked and are intended for
direct sale to consumers shall:
— be packaged immediately before or after cooking,
— after cooking and packaging operations, be cooled rapidly in an insulated
chamber which is satisfactory from the hygiene point of view,1977L0099 — EN — 22.12.1989 — 011.001 — 18
▼M8
— be cooled to an internal temperature of + 10 ºC within a period of not
more than two hours after the end of the cooking,
— where appropriate, be frozen or quick frozen immediately after they have
been cooled;
4. labelling of prepared meals shall be carried out in accordance with Directive
79/118/EEC. The list of ingredients shall, for the purposes of this Directive,
include a mention of the animal species included;
5. prepared meals shall bear the date of manufacture in very clear terms on one
of the outer surfaces of the wrapping in addition to the particulars already
specified.1977L0099 — EN — 22.12.1989 — 011.001 — 19
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ANNEXC
1977L0099 — EN — 22.12.1989 — 011.001 — 20
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►(1)C31977L0099 — EN — 22.12.1989 — 011.001 — 21