1991R1274 — EN — 23.02.2003 — 013.001 — 1
This document is meant purely as a documentation tool and the institutions do not assume any liability for its contents
►B COMMISSIONREGULATION(EEC)No1274/91
of15May1991
introducing detailed rules for implementing Regulation (EEC) No 1907/90 on certain marketing
standardsforeggs
(OJ L 121, 16.5.1991, p. 11)
Amended by:
Official Journal
No page date
►M1Commission Regulation (EEC) No 3540/91 of 5 December 1991 L 335 12 6.12.1991
►M2Commission Regulation (EEC) No 2221/92 of 31 July 1992 L 218 81 1.8.1992
►M3Commission Regulation (EC) No 3300/93 of 30 November 1993 L 296 52 1.12.1993
►M4Commission Regulation (EC) No 1259/94 of 31 May 1994 L 137 54 1.6.1994
►M5Commission Regulation (EC) No 3239/94 of 21 December 1994 L 338 48 28.12.1994
►M6Commission Regulation (EC) No 786/95 of 6 April 1995 L 79 12 7.4.1995
►M7Commission Regulation (EC) No 2401/95 of 12 October 1995 L 246 6 13.10.1995
►M8Commission Regulation (EC) No 1511/96 of 29 July 1996 L 189 91 30.7.1996
►M9Commission Regulation (EC) No 505/98 of 3 March 1998 L 63 16 4.3.1998
►M10Commission Regulation (EC) No 1651/2001 of 14 August 2001 L 220 5 15.8.2001
►M11Commission Regulation (EC) No 45/2003 of 10 January 2003 L 7 60 11.1.2003
►M12Commission Regulation (EC) No 318/2003 of 19 February 2003 L 46 20 20.2.2003
Corrected by:
►C1Corrigendum, OJ L 233, 22.8.1991, p. 31 (1274/91)
►C2Corrigendum, OJ L 292, 8.10.1992, p. 34 (2221/92)
►C3Corrigendum, OJ L 320, 22.12.1993, p. 42 (3300/93)
►C4Corrigendum, OJ L 335, 19.12.2001, p. 24 (1651/2001)
▼B
COMMISSIONREGULATION(EEC)No1274/91
of15May1991
introducing detailed rules for implementing Regulation (EEC) No
1907/90oncertain marketingstandardsforeggs
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic
Community,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 1907/90 of 26 June
1990 on certain marketing standards for eggs (1) and in particular Arti-
cles5 (3), 10 (3), 11 (2), 20 (1) and 22 (2) thereof;
WhereasRegulation (EEC) No 1907/90 containsa thorough revis ion of
such marketing standards as were implemented in pursuance ofprevious Regulations; whereas provision is made therein for detailedrules necessary for the implementation of such standards to be adoptedin accordance with Article 17 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2771/
75 (
2), aslas t amended by Regulation (EEC) No 1235/89 (3); whereas
such rules are in particular to be laid down as regards the conditionsfor registration of collectors and packing centres, the identification,frequency of collection and the delivery and handling of eggs, qualitycriteria and weight gradings, the particulars of indications on eggs andtheir packs, terms to be used for indications of the type of farming, and
criteria concerning the origin of eggs, and exemption in the case of
small quantities from the obligation for eggs to be packed in largepacks;
Whereasboth technological developmentsand cons umer demand now
make it appropriate to provide for prompter delivery, collection,
grading and packing of eggs; whereas however certain producers are
in a position to provide guarantees of maintaining the temperature atwhich the eggs are kept at a level such as would make possible apermanent exemption from the general requirement of daily collectionor delivery in the cas e of eggsintended for labelling as‘extra’ eggsas
provided for in Article 12 of Regulation (EEC) No 1907/90; whereas,
however, for a transitional period, it is appropriate to provide for ageneral exemption for the benefit of all operators;
Whereas markets, access to which is restricted to authorized packing
and processing undertakings, provide guarantees of correct handling
such that they may be allowed to deliver eggs on the second working
day following that of reception;
Whereasthe deliberate cumulation of the varioustime limits , to the
detriment of egg freshness, must be prevented in the case where apacking centre deliversungraded eggsto another packing centre;
Whereas only undertakings whose premises and technical equipment
are suited to the scale of their operations, which therefore permit theproper handling of the eggs, should be authorized to collect, or to gradeeggsby quality and weight;
Whereas, for the avoidance of confusion and in order to facilitate iden-
tification of consignments of eggs for the purposes of the enforcementof this Regulation, each packing centre should be allotted a distin-guishing registration number based on a uniform coding system;
Whereas, in order to ensure that the consumer is supplied with good
quality produce, criteria of a high standard should be fixed for each
quality grade;
Whereas quality characteristics for fresh eggs, also known as Grade ‘A’
eggs, should be defined so as to be limited to eggs of the highestquality; whereas certain eggs may be considered to be ‘extra fresh’ in1991R1274 — EN — 23.02.2003 — 013.001 — 2
(1) OJ No L 173, 6. 7. 1990, p. 5.
(2) OJ No L 282, 1. 11. 1975, p. 49.
(3) OJ No L 128, 11. 5. 1989, p. 29.
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so far as especially stringent arrangements apply to their collection and
further distribution;
Whereaseggsof ordinary quality, the characteris ticsof which do not
allow their inclusion in the grade ‘fresh eggs’ must be described as‘second quality eggs’ and graded as such; whereas eggs which haveundergone a process of cleaning, dipping refrigeration or preservationshould, as a general rule, be put in that grade;
Whereas a third quality grade should be established for eggs which do
not meet the requirements of the higher grades but are still suitable for
human consumption;
Whereasin practice thes e eggsare largely intended for direct delivery
to the food industry, including food industry undertakings approved inaccordance with Council Directive 89/437/EEC of 20 June 1989 on
hygiene and health problemsaffecting the production and placing on
the market of egg products(
1), asamended by Directive 89/662/
EEC (2), and on condition that packscontaining them are labelled with
that destination, do not in that case need to bear the distinguishingmark which would otherwise identify them as Grade ‘C’ eggs;
Whereas under the same conditions this waiver may also be extended
to Grade ‘B’ eggs; whereas such labelling must also not allow ofconfusion, whether accidental or deliberate with that provided for inthe case of eggs unfit for human consumption which may be deliveredonly to the non-food industry;
Whereas, since graded eggs are liable to depreciate in transport, high
standards should be enforced as regards packing, storage and transport;
whereas such risks, including that of microbiological contamination,can be substantially reduced by imposing severe restrictions on theuse of packing material; whereas detailed conditions need to be laiddown in order to give effect to certain exemptionsprovided for in the
case of direct local deliveries for retail sale of eggs without special
packaging, otherwise known as loose sales;
Whereas, in addition to the mandatory packing date for use on egg
packs and grading date in the case of loose sales, relevant additionalinformation may be provided to the consumer by the optional indica-tion on eggsor on packscontaining them of the recommended s ell-by
date and/or best-before date and/or laying date; whereas it seems
appropriate to relate the recommended sell-by date and best-beforedate to the quality criteria for eggs; whereas subject to certain safe-guardsit isappropriate to provide that the laying date may als o bestamped on eggs at the farm;
Whereas, to counter the risk of fraud, not only daily collection and
immediate grading and marking, but also especially rigorous registra-tion, record-keeping and monitoring proceduresneed to be introducedin the case of eggs on which it is intended to stamp the date of laying;
Whereas, in the case of eggs on which the date of laying has been
stamped at the farm, the rule providing for daily collection may be
relaxed in order to avoid discrimination against producer establish-ments other than those supplying packing centres situated at the samesite;
Whereas, in view of current commercial practice, it seems unnecessary
to provide for s pecific indicationsfor the eggsof laying henskept in
batteries; whereas, however, provision should be made for a limited
number of indications for the eggs of hens not raised in batteries, soas to avoid confusion amongst consumers as regards the principalnon-battery production systems;
Whereas, in order to safeguard the consumer from misleading state-
mentswhich might otherwis e be made with the fraudulent intention to
obtain prices higher than those prevailing for eggs of hens raised inbatteries, it is necessary, in the case of the optional use of indications1991R1274 — EN — 23.02.2003 — 013.001 — 3
(1) OJ No L 212, 22. 7. 1989, p. 87.
(2) OJ No L 395, 30. 12. 1989, p. 13.
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relating to particular typesof non-battery farming, to lay down
minimum husbandry criteria to be respected, as well as especiallyrigorous registration, record-keeping, and monitoring procedures;
Whereas, in order to ensure uniform application of the provisions of
Regulation (EEC) No 1907/90, and in particular of those concerning
supervision, including the special arrangements to be implemented for
monitoring the use of the laying date, and of indications of particulartypesof non-battery farming, and of thos e concerning the origin ofeggs, provision should be made for the continuous exchange of infor-mation between the Member States and the Commission;
Whereas bands and labels must allows easy identification of the packs
and contentsthereof;
Whereas special attention should be given to large and small packs
containing industrial eggs, on the one hand, and ‘extra’eggs on theother;
Whereas packing centres should be in a position to repack eggs, this
being necessary, in particular, when the packing is damaged, when atrader wishes to sell eggs under his own name or when eggs in largepacks are required to be repacked in small packs; whereas it is also
necessary in such cases that the origin and age of the eggs be given
in the notices affixed to bands, labels and packs; whereas these noticesshould show that the eggs have been regraded or repacked;
Whereas it is necessary, in the interest of correct and unequivocal
information to wholesale and retail purchasers and to the finalconsumer, to make special arrangements for the labelling of eggswhich have been repacked, and in particular in cases where packs arere-us ed, aswell aswhere eggsare regraded in a lower quality grade;
Whereas the additional delay caused by repacking makes it essential to
forbid the use of the indication ‘extra’ in the case of repacked eggs;
Whereas effective supervision of compliance with marketing standards
requires the examination of a sufficient number of eggs chosen so as toform a representative sample of the batch checked; whereas at the endof the checking process the batch checked should be marked with the
decision of the checker;
Whereas, following the provision for and definition of loose sales
enacted in Regulation (EEC) No 1907/90, the sampling parameters
should also be extended to such sales;
Whereas, since the methods used for grading eggs by quality and
weight are not fully accurate, the process should admit of certain toler-
ances; whereas, moreover, as storage and transport conditions can
affect the quality and weight of the batch, it isadvis able to differentiatetolerancesaccording to marketing s tage;
Whereas, in order to facilitate marketing and the checking of eggs
graded by quality and weight when contained in large packs, provisionshould be made for an average minimum net weight for each weightgrade;
Whereas Regulation (EEC) No 1907/90 delegates to the Commission
the enactment of a number of provisions formerly contained in Regula-tion (EEC) No 2772/75, in order to facilitate future amendments;whereas this has made necessary a large number of amendments to
Commission Regulation (EEC) No 95/69 (
1), aslas t amended by Regu-
lation (EEC) No 3906/86 (2), which should for the sake of clarity be
redrafted;
Whereas, therefore, Regulation (EEC) No 95/69 as well as Commission
Regulation (EEC) No 1295/70 (3), asamended by Regulation (EEC) No
36/85 (4), should be repealed;1991R1274 — EN — 23.02.2003 — 013.001 — 4
(1) OJ No L 13, 18. 1. 1969, p. 13.
(2) OJ No L 364, 23. 12. 1986, p. 20.
(3) OJ No L 145, 3. 7. 1970, p. 1.
(4) OJ No L 5, 8. 1. 1985, p. 5.
▼B
Whereasthe meas uresprovided for in thisRegulation are in accor-
dance with the opinion of the Management Committee forPoultrymeat and Eggs,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
1. Eggss hall be delivered from producersto, or collected from
producers by, the establishments referred to in Article 4 (1) (a) of
Regulation (EEC) No 1907/90 at least every third working day.
However, in Finland and Sweden delivery or collection from producersto packing centresor to the indus try may take place once a week onlyin those cases where the temperature at which eggs are kept at the farmisartificially maintained below 14 ºC.
2. Eggsintended for marketing as‘extra’, asprovided by Article 12
of Regulation (EEC) No 1907/90, shall only be delivered to, orcollected by, packing centresevery working day from each producer.However, such delivery or collection may take place every second
working day in those cases where ambient temperatures at which eggs
are kept at the farm do not exceed 18 ºC.
During a transitional period until 31 December 1992, delivery and
collection of these eggs may generally take place every second working
day.
3. Eggson which it isintended to indicate the laying date in accor-
dance with Article 17 shall only be delivered from each producer, to,or collected from each producer by, packing centreson the day oflaying.
Eggs on which the laying date is stamped at the farm shall be delivered
or collected not later than the working day following the day of laying.
4. All collectorss hall deliver eggsto packing centresnot later than
the working day following that of reception.
However, operatorsat marketswithin the meaning of Article 2 (2) (a)
of Regulation (EEC) No 1907/90 may deliver eggsnot later than the
second working day following that of reception by the market.
5. Each container shall be identified by the name and address or
registered number of the producer establishment, the day or period of
laying and the date of dispatch before leaving the production site.
In the case of packing centres supplied from their own production units
situated at the same site with eggs which are not in containers, identi-
fication shall take place at the packing centre.
Where ungraded eggs are passed from the first packing centre to other
packing centres in different containers, each container must be identi-
fied with thisinformation before leaving the packing centre.
Where the period of laying isindicated, the determination of the date
of minimum durability and of the recommended sell-by date in accor-
dance with Article 14(1a) and Article 16(2) respectively shall be madestarting from the first date of that period.
6. Packing centresare to grade and pack eggsat the lates t on the
second working day following that on which the eggs were received
at the packing centre, except in cases where:
— the eggsreceived from producersare delivered to other packing
centresnot later than the working day following that of reception,1991R1274 — EN — 23.02.2003 — 013.001 — 5
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— it isintended to indicate the laying date on eggswhich are s upplied
by production units situated at the same site as the packing centreand which are not in sealed containers in which case they shall be
graded and packed on the day of laying or, if the day of laying falls
on a non-working day, on the first subsequent working day.
7. The indicationsprovided for in Articles7 and 10 (1) and (2) (c)
of Regulation (EEC) No 1907/90 shall be apposed not later than on theday of grading and packing.
Article 2
Eggs shall be maintained, during storage at the producer's premises and
during transport from producer to collector or packing centre, at atemperature best suited to assure an optimal conservation of theirquality.
Article 3
1. Only undertakings and producers satisfying the conditions laid
down in paragraphs2 to 4 s hall be approved ascollector or packing
centreswithin the meaning of Regulation (EEC) No 1907/90.
2. The premises of collectors and packing centres must be:
(a) of sufficient area in relation to the volume of work done;
(b) so built and equipped:
— that they afford suitable ventilation and lighting,
— that they may be properly cleaned and disinfected,— that the eggsare protected from wide variationsin the outs ide
temperature;
(c) reserved for handling and storing eggs; however, a part of the
premises may be used for storing other products on condition thatthe latter do not impart extraneousodoursto the eggs .
3. The technical equipment of packing centres must ensure proper
handling of the eggsand include in particular:
(a) suitable candling equipment continuously manned throughout and
allowing the quality of each egg to be examined separately. Whereuse is made of an automatic machine for candling, sorting andgrading, the equipment must include an independent candlinglamp. In the case of automated systems, the competent authoritymay dispense with continuous manning of the machine;
(b) devices for measuring the height of the air space;
(c) a machine for grading the eggsby weight;
(d) one or more adjusted balances for weighing eggs;
(e) equipment for stamping eggs, where use is made of the provisions
of Articles7 and 8 of Regulation (EEC) No 1907/90.
4. The premises and technical equipment must be kept clean and in
good repair and be free of extraneousodours .
Article 4
1. Any request for the approval of a collector or packing centre shall
be submitted to the competent authority of the Member State on whoseterritory the premises of the collector or centre are situated.
2. That authority shall give the packing centre approved by it a
distinguishing number, the first figure of which shall be as follows:
Belgium 1
Germany 2France 31991R1274 — EN — 23.02.2003 — 013.001 — 6
▼B
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▼B
▼B
Italy 4
Luxembourg 5Netherlands6Denmark 7Ireland 8
United Kingdom 9
Greece 10Spain 11Portugal 12
Austria 13
Finland 14
Sweden 15.
3. Only packing centres which have been subject to special registra-
tion may be authorized to pack Grade ‘A’ eggsmarked ‘extra’ or to
indicate the laying date in accordance with Article 17 or the terms
provided for in Article 18.
4. Each Member State shall provide the other Member States and
the Commission, before 1 June 1991, with a list of the approvedcentres in its territory, showing the name and address and the numberallotted to each centre. Any alteration of that list shall be communi-cated at the beginning of each quarter of the calendar year to the
other Member States and to the Commission.
Article 5
1. Grade ‘A’ eggs shall have the following minimum characteristics:Shell and cuticle: normal, clean, undamaged;
Air space: height not exceeding 6 mm, stationary;
however, for eggsto be marketed as‘extra’, it shall not exceed 4 mm;
White: clear, limpid, of gelatinous consistency,
free of extraneousmattersof any kind;
Yolk: visible on candling as a shadow only,
without clearly discernible outline, notmoving appreciably away from the centreof the egg on rotation, free of extraneousmatter of any kind;
Germ cell: imperceptible development;
Odour: free of extraneousodour.
2. Grade ‘a’ eggs shall not be washed or cleaned by any other
meansbefore or after grading.
3. Grade ‘A’ eggs shall not be treated for preservation or refriger-
ated in premises or plants where the temperature is artificiallymaintained at less than + 5 ºC. However, eggs which have been keptat a temperature below + 5 ºC during transport of not more than 24hours or on retail premises or in annexes thereto, shall not be consid-ered as refrigerated in so far as the quantity stored in these annexes
doesnot exceed the requirementsfor three daysof retail s ale on the
premises in question.
Article 6
1. Grade ‘B’ eggs shall have the following minimum characteristics:Shell: normal and undamaged;
Air space: height not exceeding 9 mm;
White: clear, limpid, free of extraneousmatter of
any kind;1991R1274 — EN — 23.02.2003 — 013.001 — 7
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Yolk: — visible on candling as a shadow only;
thischaracteris tic isnot required ofeggspres erved in lime,
— free of extraneousmatter of any kind;
Germ cell: imperceptible development;
Odour: free of extraneousodour.
2. Grade ‘B’ shall include three types of eggs:
(a) eggsneither refrigerated nor pres erved:
Grade ‘B’ eggswhich have not undergone any pres ervative treat-
ment and have not been refrigerated in premises or plants wherethe temperature isartificially maintained at les sthan +5 ºC.
However, eggswhich have been kept at a temperature below +5 ºC
during transport of not more than 24 hours or on retail premises orin annexes thereto, shall not be considered as refrigerated in so far
as the quantity stored in these annexes does not exceed the require-
ments for three days of retail sale on the premises in question;
(b) refrigerated eggs:
Grade ‘B’ eggswhich have been refrigerated in premis esartifi-
cially maintained at a temperature below + 5 ºC;
(c) preserved eggs:
Grade ‘B’ eggswhich have been pres erved, whether refrigerated or
not, in a gasmixture the compos ition of which differsfrom that of
atmospheric air, and those which have undergone any other preser-vative treatment.
Article 7
Grade ‘C’ eggss hall be eggswhich do not meet the requirements
applicable to eggs in Grades ‘A’ and ‘B’. They may only be passed tofood industry undertakings approved in accordance with Article 6 ofDirective 89/437/EEC or to non-food industry undertakings.
Article 8
1. Grade ‘A’ eggs shall be graded by weight as follows:
— XL-very large: 73 g and more,
— L-large: from 63 g up to 73 g,— M-medium: from 53 g up to 63 g,— S-small: under 53 g.
2. On packs the weight-grading shall be indicated by the respective
lettersor by the res pective termsasdefined in paragraph 1 or by acombination of both, which may be supplemented by the correspondingweight ranges. No subdivision of the weight ranges referred to in para-graph 1 shall be made using different pack colours, symbols,
trademarksor other indications .
Article 9
In the case of stamping Grade ‘A’ eggs in accordance with Article 7 of
Regulation (EEC) No 1907/90, the following applies:
— the Grade ‘A’ distinguishing mark shall be a circle of at least 12
mm in diameter,
— the distinguishing mark for weight-grading shall be the letters as
defined in Article 8 (1), between 2 and 3 mm high, placed insidethe abovementioned circle,1991R1274 — EN — 23.02.2003 — 013.001 — 8
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— the packing centre number shall be of three or more figures at least
5 mm high,
— the indication of dates consists of letters and figures at least 5 mm
high showing the terms listed in Annex I, followed by day and
month asdefined in Article 14.
Article 10
1. The distinguishing mark showing quality grading for Grade
‘B’eggs shall be as follows:
(a) for ‘eggs neither refrigerated nor preserved’, a circle at least 12
mm in diameter in which shall appear the letter B in roman typeat least 5 mm high;
(b) for ‘refrigerated eggs’, an equilateral triangle with each side at least
10 mm long;
(c) for ‘preserved eggs’, a rhombus with diagonals of 16 mm and 7
mm.
Anyone who refrigerates or otherwise preserves eggs shall mark them
asindicated in (b) or (c) before doing s o.
For eggs preserved in lime, however, these marks may be applied after
the preserving process has been carried out.
2. The distinguishing mark for the quality grading of Grade ‘C’ eggs
shall be a circle at least 12 mm in diameter in which shall appear theletter C in roman type at least 5 mm high.
3. Notwithstanding the above, Grade ‘B’ and ‘C’ eggs need not be
marked in the case of direct deliveries to the food industry, provided
that packs containing them are clearly marked to show this destination.
Article 11
1. The distinguishing marks applied in accordance with Articles 9
and 10 and the indicationson eggsprovided for in Articles16, 17, 18and 19 must be clearly legible.
2. Eggs shall be marked in an indelible colour resistant to boiling.
The product used must comply with the provisions in force in respect
of colouring matters which may be used in foodstuffs intended forhuman consumption.
Article 12
1. Packs, including inner packing material, must be shock-resistant,
dry, clean and in good repair, and made of materialswhich protect theeggsfrom extraneousodour and the ris k of quality deterioration.
2. Large packs, used for transporting and dispatching eggs, including
inner packing material, shall not be re-used unless they are as new andmeet the technical requirements of paragraph 1. Re-used large packs,must not bear any previous marking likely to lead to confusion.
3. Small packsmay not be re-us ed.
4. The derogation referred to in Article 11(2) of Regulation (EEC)
No 1907/90 applies in the case of daily quantities of less than 3 600eggsper delivery and of les sthan 360 eggsper buyer. The name,addres sand number of the packing centre aswell asthe number of
eggs, quality and weight grades and date of minimum durability shall
be indicated on accompanying documents.
Article 13
1. Eggs must be stored in clean, dry premises, free of extraneous
odour.1991R1274 — EN — 23.02.2003 — 013.001 — 9
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2. Eggs in transport and during storage must be kept clean, dry and
free of extraneous odour and effectively protected from shocks,weather and the effect of light.
3. Eggs in store and in transport must be protected from extremes of
temperature.
Article 14
1. The indication of the date of minimum durability referred to in
Articles10 and 15 of Regulation (EEC) No 1907/90 s hall be made at
the time of packaging in accordance with Article 9 (2) of Council
Directive 79/112/EEC (
1). It shall comprise one or more of the
following:
— Consúmase preferentemente antes del …,
— Mindst holdbar til …,— Mindestens haltbar bis …,—Ανάλωση κατά προτίµηση πριν από …,
— Best before …,
— À consommer de préférence avant le …,
— Da consumarsi preferibilmente entro …,— Ten minste houdbaar tot …,— A consumir de prefêrencia antes de …,
— Parasta ennen …,
— Bäst före …
For this purpose the date shall be indicated by two sets of figures
representing, in the following order:
— the day, from 1 to 31,
— the month; from 1 to 12.
1a. The date of minimum durability shall be the date until which
grade ‘A’ eggs will retain the characteristics described in Article 5(1)when properly stored. It shall be fixed at not more than 28 days after
laying.
2. Large packs, and small packs even when contained in large packs,
shall bear on the outer surface in clearly visible and legible type an
indication to advise consumers to keep eggs refrigerated after purchase.
3. In case of loose egg sales, wording equivalent to the indication
referred to in paragraph 2 shall be indicated in such a manner as to be
clearly visible and unequivocal to the consumer.
Article 15
The indication of the packing date referred to in Articles10 and 15 of
Regulation (EEC) No 1907/90 shall comprise one or more of the
following:
— Embalado el: …,
— Pakket den: …,
— Verpackt am: …,
—Ηµεροµηνία συσκευασίας: …,
— Packing date: …,— Emballé le: …,— Data d'imballaggio: …,— Verpakt op: …,1991R1274 — EN — 23.02.2003 — 013.001 — 10
(1) OJ No L 33, 8. 2. 1979, p. 1.▼M3
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— Embalado em: …,
— Pakattu: …,
— Förpackat den: …
followed by the two sets of figures as referred to in the second subpar-
agraph of Article 14 (1).
Article 16
1. In addition to the date of minimum durability and/or the packing
date, the recommended sell-by date may be indicated by the operator at
the time of packing on eggsor on packscontaining them or on both.
2. The recommended sell-by date shall not exceed the maximum
time limit for the delivery of eggsto the cons umer of 21 daysafter
laying aslaid down in Article 3(1) of Council Decis ion 94/371/EC (1).
3. The laying date may be indicated by the operator on packsat the
time of packing, in which case it shall also be indicated on the eggscontained in the packs. The laying date may, however, also be stampedon eggsat the farm.
4. For the indication of the datesreferred to in thisArticle on eggs ,
and in the case of the sell-by and laying dates also on packs, one ormore of the terms listed in Annex I shall be used.
5. The dates referred to in this Article shall be indicated by two sets
of figures, as referred to the second subparagraph of Article 14 (1).
Article 17
Where the laying date isindicated on eggsand on packscontaining
them in accordance with the provisions of ►
M3Article 16 ◄, the
following conditionss hall apply:
1. packing centres shall keep separate records:
— of the names and addresses of the producers supplying such
eggs, who shall be registered following an inspection by the
competent authority of the Member State,
— at the request of this authority, of the number of laying hens kept
by each producer;
2. the producers referred to in paragraph 1 shall subsequently be
inspected regularly. They shall keep current records:
— of the date of placing, the age at placing and the number of
laying hens, broken down by henhouse,
— of the daily egg production of each henhouse;— of the number or weight of eggsdelivered and on which it is
intended to indicate the laying date, or on which the laying datehasalready been s tamped at the farm, broken down by buyer,and to include the latter's name, address, and packing centrenumber;
3. eggson which it isintended to indicate the laying date s hall be
delivered to packing centres in sealed containers except in cases ofproduction units situated at the same site. Deliveries of these eggsand of eggson which the laying date hasalready been s tamped atthe farm shall be identified by:
— the laying date,
— name, address and number of producer, together with a coded
reference to the henhouse from which the eggs came,1991R1274 — EN — 23.02.2003 — 013.001 — 11
(1) OJ L 168, 2.7.1994, p. 34.▼M5
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— the date of dispatch,
— the number or weight of the eggsin the delivery.
This information shall be shown on the container and on accompa-
nying documents, the latter to be kept at the packing centre for aperiod of at least six months;
4. containersreferred to in point 3 s hall be opened in the packing
centre immediately before grading starts. All eggs from a singlecontainer shall be graded and packed without interruption.►
C2The laying date shall be ◄stamped during or immediately
after grading on those eggs intended for such marking;
5. in the case of packing centres supplied from their own production
units situated at the same site with eggs which are not in sealedcontainers, eggs are to be:
— stamped with the laying date on the day of laying; however, eggs
laid on non-working days may be stamped on the first subse-quent working day, together with the eggslaid on that day with
the date of the first non-working day, or
— graded and packed in accordance with the provisions of Article 1
(6), or
— delivered to other packing centresor indus try on the day of
laying or, if the day of laying fallson a non-working day, onthe first subsequent working day.
If these packing centres are also supplied with eggs from external
producerson which it isnot intended to indicate the laying date,these eggs shall be stored and handled separately. Daily records ofcollection or reception and grading of such eggs shall be kept;
6. packing centres shall keep separate records of:
— daily quantities, by producer, of eggs arriving at the centre and
on which it isintended to indicate the laying date, or on which
the laying date hasalready been s tamped at the farm, includingthe producer's name, address, and registration number,
— daily quality and weight grading of these eggs,
— the number and/or weight of eggss old, by weight grade and
buyer, together with the latter's name and address;
7. production unitsand packing centresreferred to in point 1 s hall be
inspected at least once every two months.
Article 18
1. In order to indicate the farming method asreferred to in Article 7
and Article 10(3) of Regulation (EEC) No 1907/90 with the exceptionof organic or biological farming asreferred to in Council Regulation(EEC) No 2092/91 (
1), on eggsand on packscontaining eggs , no other
terms except those set out hereunder and the corresponding terms in the
other Community languages listed in Annex II may be used and in anycase only if the relevant conditions laid down in Annex III are fulfilled:
On packs On eggs
Free range eggsFree range
Barn eggsBarnEggsfrom caged hens Cage
These terms may be supplemented by indications referring to the parti-
cular characteristics of the respective farming method.
The termson eggsmay be replaced by a code des ignating the produ-
cer's distinguishing number permitting to identify the farming methodprovided that the meaning of the code isexplained on the pack.1991R1274 — EN — 23.02.2003 — 013.001 — 12
(1) OJ L 198, 22.7.1991, p. 1.▼B
▼M10
▼M10
In the case of loose sales, the indications of the farming method may
be used only if individual eggs are marked at the farm or packingcentre with the respective term or the producer code, if the latter
permitsto identify the farming method, provided that itsmeaning is
explained on a separate sign.
When the Member States have attributed the distinguishing number
referred to in Article 7 of Council Directive 1999/74/EC (
1) to producer
establishments covered by this Directive no other codes shall be used.
If a Member State decides to attribute distinguishing numbers also for
establishments not falling under the scope of Directive 1999/74/EC noother codes shall be used.
2. Packing centres authorised to use the terms referred to in para-
graph 1 shall keep a separate record by farming method for at least
six months after the producer ceases to supply eggs or after the flockis disposed of:
— of the names and addresses of the producers of such eggs, who shall
be registered following an inspection by the competent authority ofthe Member State,
— at the request of this authority, of the number of laying hens kept
by each producer.
The said producers shall subsequently be inspected regularly. They
shall keep records of the date of placing, the age at placing and thenumber of laying hens by type of poultry system, showing also thenumber of eggsproduced and delivered per day, the date of dis patch
and the names of the purchasers. ►
M9Such recordss hall be kept
on-farm for at least six months after the flock has been disposed of. ◄
Each Member State shall provide the other Member States and the
Commission, before 1 January 1993 with the list of the registered
producersin itsterritory, for each type of farming s howing the nameand address of each of them and any number alloted to them. Anyalteration of that list shall be comunicated at the beginning of eachcalendar year to the other Member States and to the Commission.
3. In accordance with Article 4 (4) each Member State shall provide
the other Member States and the Commission with a list of the packingcentres in its territory thus registered, and any alteration to that list.
4. Eggsasreferred to in paragraph 1 s hall be delivered to packing
centresand to food indus try undertakingsapproved in accordance with
Directive 89/437/EEC in containersbearing one of the termsreferred to
in paragraph 1 in one or more Community languages. Containers shallbe identified by name and address or registered number of producer,type of eggs, their number or weight and date of dispatch beforeleaving the production site. The date of delivery and records of allinformation on containers, and of physical stocks on a weekly basis
shall be kept at the packing centre and food industry establishment for
a period of at least six months.
5. Eggsasreferred to in paragraph 1 s hall be graded and packed
only on daysindicated at leas t one working day in advance to the
competent authority of the Member State. During storage, grading andpacking they shall be clearly separated from any other eggs.
6. Packing centres as referred to in paragraph 2 shall keep separate
recordsof daily quality and weight grading and of s alesof eggsandsmall packs marked in accordance with paragraph 1 including thename and address of buyer, number of packs, the number and/or weightof eggss old by grade of weight and date of delivery aswell asof1991R1274 — EN — 23.02.2003 — 013.001 — 13
(1) OJ L 203, 3.8.1999, p. 53.▼B
▼M2
▼B
▼M10
▼B
▼M10
▼M10
physical stocks on a weekly basis. Instead of keeping sales records,
they may, however, keep filesof invoicesor delivery notesmarked asindicated in paragraph 1. Such recordsand filess hall be kept for at
least six months.
6a. Collectorsand wholes alersare required to maintain recordson
purchases and sales transactions and physical stock records for eggsreferred to in paragraph 1(a) and (b), for a period of at least sixmonths.
Collectors shall be able to show for these eggs:
(a) datesand quantitiesof collections ;
(b) the names and addresses of the producers;
(c) dates and quantities of deliveries to the relevant packing stations.
Wholesalers (including dealers who do not physically handle eggs)
shall be able to show for these eggs:
(a) dates and quantities of both purchases and sales
(b) names and addresses of the suppliers/purchasers
In addition, those wholesalers who physically handle these eggs shall
keep a weekly record of physical stock.
Instead of keeping specific records on purchases and sales transactions,
collectorsand wholes alersmay keep filesof invoicesor delivery notesmarked asindicated in paragraph 1.
7. Large packscontaining eggsor s mall packsmarked in accordance
with paragraph 1 shall bear one of the indications referred to in para-
graph 1.
7a. The provisions of paragraphs 2 to 6a do not apply when the term
referred to in paragraph 1(c) isus ed.
7b. Packs containing eggs destined for food industry undertakings
approved in accordance with Directive 89/437/EEC may be marked
with the indicationsreferred to in paragraph 1 provided that the eggs
are produced in poultry establishments meeting the respective require-ments set out in Annex III and that the monitoring measures referred toin paragraphs2 to 6 are applied.
8. The provisions of paragraphs 1 to 7 shall apply without prejudice
to national technical measures going beyond the minimum require-
mentss et out in Annex II, which are applicable only to producersofthe Member State concerned, provided that they are compatible withCommunity law and are in conformity with the common marketingstandards for eggs.
9. The national measures referred to in paragraph 8 shall be commu-
nicated to the Commission.
10. At any time and at the request of the Commission, Member
States shall provide all the information necessary for assessing thecompatibility of the measures referred to in this Article with Commu-nity law and their conformity with the common marketing standards for
eggs.
Article 18 a
1. The Member States shall take all measures necessary to ensure
the confidential character of information supplied pursuant to Article17, Article 18(2), Article 18c(1) and Article 19(2) insofar as naturalpersons are concerned.1991R1274 — EN — 23.02.2003 — 013.001 — 14
▼M10
▼M9
▼B
▼M10
▼M7
▼B
▼M8
▼M10
▼M8
2. The data entered in the registers may be used only for the appli-
cation of thisRegulation.
Article 18b
Supervision of the indications of the farming method used as referred
to in Article 18(1), including indicationsregarding the particular char-acteristics of the respective farming method and of indications howlaying hensare fed asreferred to in Article 18c, may be delegated tobodies designated by the Member Sates which provide the necessary
independence vis-à-vis the producers concerned and which shall
comply with the criteria set out in European Standard No EN/45011in force.
These bodies shall be licensed and supervised by the competent autho-
ritiesof the Member State concerned.
The costs of controls charged by these bodies shall be borne by the
operator using the indications referred to above.
Article 18c
Where grade A eggsand packsbear an indication of how laying hens
are fed, the following conditionsand thos e laid down in Annex IVshall apply:
1. packing centres which make use of such indications shall keep a
detailed record of deliveries, showing the name and address or regis-
tered number of the producer, the number or weight of eggsand thedate of delivery. The producer shall keep current record of quantityand type of feed supplied and mixed on-site, date of supply andname of feed manufacturer or supplier, the number and age oflaying hens, showing also the number of eggs produced and deliv-
ered, the date of dispatch, and the names of the purchaser.
These records shall be kept for at least six months after the producer
ceases to supply eggs or after the flock is disposed of;
2. feed manufacturers and suppliers shall keep records showing the
composition of the feed supplied to the producers referred to inparagraph 1 for at least six months after dispatch;
3. packing centres as referred to in paragraph 1 shall keep separate
records of the daily quality and weight grading and sales of smallpacksand of eggsmarked with the termsreferred to in paragraph1, including name and address of the buyer, the number or weightof eggs sold and the date of delivery, as well as of physical stocks
on a weekly basis for a period of at least six months.
Instead of keeping sales records, they may however keep files of
invoicesor delivery notesbearing indicationsof how laying hens
are fed;
4. large packscontaining eggsor s mall packsmarked with the indica-
tion of how laying hens are fed shall bear the same indications. Inthe case of loose egg sales, the indications may be used only if indi-
vidual eggs are marked with the respective terms;
5. inspections regarding compliance with the statements made shall be
carried out at the farm and feed manufacturer at least once a year;
6. the provisions of paragraphs 1 to 4 shall apply without prejudice to
national technical measures going beyond the minimum require-mentss et out in Annex IV, which are applicable only to producersof the Member State concerned, provided that they are compatible
with Community law and are in conformity with the common
marketing standards for eggs;
7. the national measures referred to in paragraph 6 shall be communi-
cated to the Commission;
8. at any time and at the request of the Commission, Member States
shall provide all the information necessary for assessing the compat-ibility of the measures referred to in this Article with Community1991R1274 — EN — 23.02.2003 — 013.001 — 15
▼M10
▼M10
law and their conformity with the common marketing standards for
eggs.
Article 19
1. In order to indicate the origin of Grade ‘A’ eggsor s mall packs
containing eggsin accordance with Article 10 (3) of Regulation (EEC)
No 1907/90, terms and/or symbols may be used which refer to theMember State and/or to an administrative or other region, defined bythe competent authority to the Member State in which the eggswereproduced. In the case of loose egg sales these indications of the originof eggsmay be us ed only if individual eggsare marked with the
respective terms and or symbols.
2. Packing centres which make use of the terms and/or symbols
referred to in paragraph 1 shall keep a detailed record of deliveries byorigin, showing the name and address or registered number of theproducer, the number or weight of eggsand the date of delivery. Theproducer shall keep current records of the number and age of laying
hens, showing also the number of eggs produced and delivered, the
date of dispatch, and the names of the purchaser. Such records shallbe kept for at least six months after the producer ceases to supplyeggs or after the flock has been disposed of.
3. Packing centres as referred to in paragraph 2 shall keep separate
records of the daily quality and weight grading and sales of small
packsand of eggsmarked with the termsand/or s ymbolsreferred to
in paragraph 1, including name and address of the buyer, the numberor weight of eggss old and the date of delivery, aswell asof phys icalstocks on a weekly basis for at least six months. Instead of keepingrecords, they may however keep files of invoices or delivery notesmarked asindicated in paragraph 1.
4. Large packscontaining eggsor s mall packsmarked with the
terms and/or symbols referred to in paragraph 1 shall bear the sameterms and/or symbols.
Article 20
1. Each Member State shall report to the other Member States and
to the Commission:
— the monitoring methodsapplied for the implementation of Articles
17, 18 and 19,
— annually, before 1 April, the average number of laying hens
present (
1), the number or weight of eggsdelivered asrecorded in
accordance with Article 18(2) and (7)(b) aswell asthe number orweight of eggss old asrecorded in accordance with Article 18(6), inthe previouscalendar year.
2. The checks carried out in the Member State shall be discussed, on
a regular basis, in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article
18 of Regulation (EEC) No 2771/75.
Article 21
1. The bandsand labelsprovided for in Article 11 of Regulation
(EEC) No 1907/90 shall be white and the indications shall be printedin black on these bands and labels.1991R1274 — EN — 23.02.2003 — 013.001 — 16
(1) Average number of laying henspres ent =
number of hensplaced × laying weeks
52▼B
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▼B
2. Apart from the information provided for in Article 10 of Regula-
tion (EEC) No 1907/90, these bands and labels, which may benumbered, shall bear an official marking laid down by the competent
authority. Each Member State shall before 1 June 1991 provide one or
more specimens of the band and label to the other Member States andto the Commission.
Article 22
1. The following shall be marketed in packs with a yellow band or
label which cannot be re-used after the pack has been opened:
(a) eggsreferred to in Article 2 (2) (b) of Regulation (EEC) No 1907/
90 and not of Grade ‘A’, ‘B’ or ‘C’;
(b) Grade ‘A’ or ‘B’ eggswhich no longer have the characteris ticsof
those grades but have not been regraded;
(c) Grade ‘C’ eggs.
2. The bandsof labelsmentioned in paragraph 1 s hall conform to a
model laid down by the competent authority. Each Member State shall,before 1 June 1991, provide one or more specimens of the band and
label to the other Member States and to the Commission. They shall
show in clearly visible and legible black type:
(a) the name or business name and address of the undertaking which
dispatched the eggs;
(b) the number or net weight of the packed eggs;
(c) the marking ‘ ►
C2EGGS FOR THE FOOD INDUSTRY ◄’i n
letters, 2 cm high, in one or more languages of the Community.
Article 23
1. Industrial eggs within the meaning of Article 1 (2) of Regulation
(EEC) No 19078/90 shall be marketed in packs with a red band orlabel.
2. The band and the label mentioned in paragraph 1 shall conform to
a model laid down by the competent authority. Each Member State
shall, before 1 June 1991, provided one or more specimens of theband and label to the other Member States and to the Commission.The band and the label shall bear:
(a) the name or business name and address of the undertaking to which
the eggsare being s ent;
(b) the name or business name and address of the undertaking which
dispatched the eggs;
(c) the marking ‘industrial eggs’ in black capital letters, 2 cm high,
and the marking ‘unsuitable for human consumption’ in blacklettersat leas t 0,8 cm high, in one or more languagesof theCommunity.
Article 24
1. The band or label referred to in Article 12 of Regulation (EEC)
No 1907/90 must be printed or affixed in such a way that none of theinformation on the pack is obscured by the position of the band orlabel. The term ‘extra’ shall be printed on the band or label in italics
at least 1 cm high followed by the word ‘until’ and the two sets of
figures referred to in the second subparagraph of Article 14 (1) indi-cating the seventh day after packing or the ninth day after the layingdate.
Where the packing date isindicated on the packs , the indication
referred to above may be replaced by the following indication:1991R1274 — EN — 23.02.2003 — 013.001 — 17
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▼M6
‘extra until seventh day after packing’.
Where the laying date isindicated on the packs , the indication referred
to above may be replaced by the following indication:
‘extra until ninth day after laying’.The term ‘extra’ may be followed by the word ‘fresh’.2. Where the band or label referred to in paragraph 1 cannot be
removed from the pack, the pack must be removed from the salesarea not later than the seventh day after packing or the ninth day afterlaying and the eggsmus t be repacked.
3.►
C2Large packscontaining s mall packsmarked ‘EXTRA’ s hall
be marked in capital letters ◄2 cm high ‘PACK CONTAINING
SMALL “EXTRA” PACKS’ in one or more languagesof the Commu-nity.
Article 25
1. Eggswhich have been regraded in accordance with Article 8 (2)
of Regulation (EEC) No 1907/90 may be marketed in the packsinwhich they were contained before regrading. If they are repacked,each pack may contain only the eggsof a s ingle batch.
2. The band or label on large packss hall bear in clear and legible a
black charactersat leas t the following information:
(a) the name or business name and address of the undertaking which
regraded the eggsor had them regraded;
(b) the distinguishing number of the packing centre which first packed
the eggs or, in the case of imported eggs, the country of origin;
(c) the quality and weight grading;
(d) the number of eggspacked;
(e) — for grade A eggs: the original date of minimum durability, and
below thisthe words‘regraded eggs ’,
— for eggsof other grades : the words‘packing date:’, followed by
the date of first packing; and below this the word ‘regraded:’,followed by the date of the regrading, in the same manner asprovided for in the second subparagraph of Article 14 (1);
and below thisthe word ‘regraded:’ followed by the date of the
regrading in the same manner as provided for in Article 14;
(f) particularsof the refrigeration or method of pres ervation, uncoded
and in Roman type, for refrigerated or preserved eggs.
3. Small packscontaining regraded eggss hall bear only the particu-
larsprovided for in paragraph 2, in clearly vis ible and legible
characters; in cases where the original packs are being re-used, the
particularswhich are no longer applicable s hall be covered over. Inaddition, small packs may bear the trade mark of the undertakingwhich regraded the eggsor had them regraded.
Article 26
1. Except in the case provided for in Article 8 (2) of Regulation
(EEC) No 1907/90 packed eggsmay be repacked in other large orsmall packs only by packing centres. Each pack shall contain only theeggsof a s ingle batch.
2. The band or label on large packs shall bear in clearly visible and
legible black charactersat leas t the following information:
(a) the name or business name and address of the undertakings which
repacked the eggsor had them repacked;1991R1274 — EN — 23.02.2003 — 013.001 — 18
▼M2
▼B
▼M3
▼B
▼B
(b) the distinguishing number of the packing centre which repacked the
eggs;
(c) the quality and weight grading;
(d) the number of eggspacked;
(e) — for grade A eggs: the original date of minimum durability, and
below thisthe words‘repacked eggs ’,
— for eggsof other grades : the words‘packing date:’, followed by
the date of first packing; and below this the word ‘repacked:’,followed by the date of repacking, in the same manner asprovided for in Article 14 (1);
(f) particularsof the refrigeration or method of pres ervation, uncoded
and in Roman type, for refrigerated or preserved eggs;
(g) the distinguishing number of the packing centre which first packed
the eggs or, in the case of imported eggs, the country of origin;
3. Small packscontaining repacked eggss hall bear, in clearly
visible and legible characters, only the particulars provided for in para-graph 2. In addition, small packs may bear the trade mark of theundertaking which repacked the eggsor had them repacked. The word‘extra’ may not be used.
4. The provisions of Article 1 (6) and (7) shall apply.
Article 27
1. The provisions of Article 21 shall apply to the bands and labels
mentioned in Articles 25 and 26. The specimens shall be suppliedbefore 1 June 1991.
2. If the original packsare us ed for regrading and repacking they
shall be considered as re-used within the meaning of Article 12 (2).
3. The particularson the bandsor labelsof large packswhich are re-
used in accordance with Article 12 (2) shall be completely coveredover by new bandsor new labelsor rendered illegible in s ome othermanner.
4. Large packsmay bear one or more of the particularsappearing on
the bandsand labelswith which they are fas tened. In addition, largepacksmay bear the trade mark of the undertaking which repacked the
eggsor had them repacked.
Article 29
1. The decisions provided for in Article 19 (2) of Regulation (EEC)
No 1907/90 shall not be taken unless the check has been carried out inaccordance with the provisions of paragraphs 2 to 5.
2. Where the eggs are in large packs not containing small packs, at
least the following numbers of eggs shall be checked as samples.
Number of eggsin the batchNumber of eggsto be checked
% of batchMinimum number
of eggs
up to 180 100 —
181 to 1 800 15 180
1 801 to 3 600 10 270
3 601 to 10 800 5 360
10 801 to 18 000 4 540
18 001 to 36 000 3 720
36 001 to 360 000 1,5 1 080
over 360 000 0,5 5 4001991R1274 — EN — 23.02.2003 — 013.001 — 19
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▼B
3. Where the eggs are in small packs, whether or not these are
inside large packs, at least the following numbers of small packs andeggs shall be checked as samples.
Number of eggsin the batchPercentage of
small packs
checkedNumber of eggs
to be checked per
back checked (%)
up to 180 100 100
181 to 1 800 15 100
1 801 to 3 600 10 100
3 601 to 10 800 5 100
10 801 to 18 000 4 100
18 001 to 36 000 3 100
36 001 to 360 000 1,5 100
over 360 000 0,5 100
4. For batchesof not more than 18 000 eggs , the eggsto be checked
shall be selected from at least 20 % of the large packs.
For batches of more than 18 000 eggs, the eggs to be checked shall be
selected from at least 10 % of the large packs and from at least tenlarge packs.
5. In the case of non-packed eggs which are displayed or put up for
sale in the retail trade, 100 % of the eggs up to 180 eggs and for
greater quantities15 % of the eggswith a minimum of 180 eggss hallbe checked as samples.
Article 30
1. After the check and after any necessary correction of the batch
for compliance with Regulation (EEC) No 1907/90, the checker shallaffix to the pack a band bearing an official stamp and the followingparticulars:
(a) ‘Checked on (date) …,
at (place) …;’
(b) the number allotted to the checker by the checking agency.
2. The check band shall be white red imprint. If the pack was
fastened before the check, it shall be refastened by means of the checkband, which may, if appropriate, be affixed over the original band or
label.
3. After small packs marked ‘extra’ have been checked, the check
band small include the particulars referred to in paragraph 1 and theword ‘extra’ in italics1 cm high.
Article 31
1. In the checking of a batch of Grade ‘A’ eggs, the following toler-
ancess hall be allowed:
(a)►
M12at the packing centre, ready for dispatch: ◄
— 5 % of eggswith quality defects , of which not more than:
— 2 % of eggswhich are broken or with a cracked s hell,
visible to the naked eye,
— 1 % of eggs with meat or blood stains.
However, in the checking of eggsmarketed as‘extra’ no tolerance
shall be allowed for the height of the air space either at the time ofpacking or on customs clearance.
(b) at the other marketing stages:
— 7 % of eggswith quality defects , of which not more than:
— 4 % of eggswhich are broken or with a cracked s hell,
visible to the naked eye,
— 1 % of eggs with meat or blood stains.1991R1274 — EN — 23.02.2003 — 013.001 — 20
▼B
2. In the checking of a batch of Grade ‘B’ eggs, a toleance of 7 %
of eggswith quality defectss hall be allowed.
3. Where the batch checked is of less than 180 eggs, the percentages
referred to in paragraphsI and 2 s hall be doubled.
Article 32
With the exception of the case provided for in Article 13 (3) of Regu-
lation (EEC) No 1907/90, in the checking of a batch of Grade A eggs,a tolerance shall be allowed as regards the weight per egg. Such abatch may contain not more than 12 % of eggsof weight gradesbordering on that marked on the packing, but not more than 6 % ofeggsof the next lower weight grade.
Where the batch checked is of less than 180 eggs, the abovementioned
percentagess hall be doubled.
Article 33
Large packs of grade ‘A’ eggs, graded according to weight-grades,
shall have the following minimum net weights:
— XL-very large: 7,3 kg/100 eggs,
— L-large: 6,4 kg/100 eggs,
— M-medium: 5,4 kg/100 eggs,
— S-small: 4,5 kg/100 eggs.
Article 34
Each Member State on whose territory a batch of eggs from another
Member State is regraded shall ensure that the decision to regrade is
immediately communicated to that Member State and, at the request
of that Member State, to the competent authority which it designates.
Article 35
Member States shall communicate to the Commission before 1 January
1992 measures taken in application of this Regulation.
Article 36
Regulation (EEC) Nos95/69 and 1295/70 are hereby repealed.
Article 37
ThisRegulation s hall apply with effect from 1 July 1991. However,
Articles4 (4), 21 (2), 22 (2), 23 (2) and 27 (1) s hall apply with effect
from 1 June 1991.
ThisRegulation s hall be binding in itsentirety and directly applicable
in all Member States.1991R1274 — EN — 23.02.2003 — 013.001 — 21
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ANNEX I
1.Dateofminimumdurability:
►C3cons. preferente ◄
Mindst holdbar til
Mind. haltbar
Ανάλωση πριν από
Best before
à cons. de préf. av. or DCR (1)
da cons. pref. entro
tenm. houdb. tot
Cons. pref.parasta ennen
bäst före
2.Packingdate:
►
C3emb.◄
Pakket
Verp.
Συσκευασία
Packed
Emb. le
Imball. il
Verp.
Emb.
pakattu
förp. den
3.Sell-bydate:
vender antes
Sidste salgsdato
Verkauf bis
Πώληση
Sell by
à vend. préf. av. or DVR (1)
data vend. racc.
uit. verk. dat.
Vend. de pref. antesde
viimeinen myyntipäivä
sista försäljningsdag1991R1274 — EN — 23.02.2003 — 013.001 — 22
(1) If the terms DVR or DCR are used, the indication on the pack must be worded in such
a way that the meaning of these initials is clear.▼M10
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4.Layingdate:
Puesta
Læggedato
GelegtΩοτοκίαLaid
Pondu le
Deposto ilGelegd
Postura
munintapäivä
värpta den1991R1274 — EN — 23.02.2003 — 013.001 — 23
▼M5
▼M10
ANNEX II
Terms for the indication of the types of egg farming (a): on packs; (b) on
eggs
Code 1 2 3
EN a) Free-range eggsBarn eggs Eggs from caged
hens
b) Free-range Barn Cage
FR a) Œufsde poules
élevéesen plein
airŒufsde poules
élevéesau s olŒufsde poules
élevéesen cage
b) Plein air Poulesau s ol Cage
DE a) Eier ausFrei-
landhaltungEier ausBoden-
haltungEier ausKäfighal-
tung
b) Freiland Boden Käfig
IT a) Uova da alleva-
mento all'apertoUova da alleva-
mento a terraUova da alleva-
mento in gabbie
b) Aperto A terra Gabbia
NL a) Eieren van
hennen met vrije
uitloopScharreleieren Kooieieren
b) Vrije uitloop Scharrel Kooi
DA a) Frilandsæg Skrabeæg Buræg
b) Frilandsæg Skrabeæg Buræg
ES a) Huevosde
gallinas
camperasHuevosde
gallinascriadas
en el sueloHuevosde gallinas
criadasen jaulas
b) CamperasSuelo Jaulas
PT a) Ovosde
galinhascriadas
ao ar livreOvosde
galinhascriadas
no soloOvosde galinhas
criadasem gaiolas
b) Ar livre Solo Gaiolas
FI a) Ulkokanojen
muniaLattiakanojen
muniaHäkkikanojen
munia
b) Ulkokanan Lattiakanan Häkkikanan
SV a) Ägg från
utehönsÄgg från
frigående höns
inomhusÄgg från burhöns
b) Frigående (alt.
Frig.) uteFrigående (alt.
Frig.) inneBurägg
ELα) Αυγά
ελεύθερης
βοσκήςΑυγά δαπέδου
µε στρωµνήΑυγά
κλωβοστοιχίας
β) Ελεύθερης
βοσκής∆άπεδο µε
στρωµνήΚλωβοστοιχία1991R1274 — EN — 23.02.2003 — 013.001 — 24
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ANNEX III
Minimum requirements to be met by poultry establishments for the various egg farming
methods
(a) ‘Free range eggs’ must be produced in poultry establishments which satisfy at least the conditions
specified in Article 4 of Directive 1999/74/EC with effect from the dates referred to in that Article
and in which:
— hens have continuous daytime access to open-air runs, except in the case of temporary restric-
tions imposed by veterinary authorities,
— the open-air runs to which hens have access is mainly covered with vegetation and not used
for other purposes except for orchards, woodland and livestock grazing if the latter is
authorised by the competent authorities,
— the open-air runs must at least satisfy the conditions specified in Article 4(1)(3)(b)(ii) of
Council Directive 1999/74/EC whereby the maximum stocking density is not greater than
2 500 hensper hectare of ground available to the hensor one hen per 4 m2at all times;
however, where at least 10 m2per hen isavailable and where rotation ispractis ed and hens
are given even access to the whole area over the flock's life, each paddock used must at any
time assure at least 2,5 m2per hen,
— the open-air runsdo not extend beyond a radiusof 150 m from the neares t pophole of the
building; however an extension of up to 350 m from the nearest pophole of the building ispermissible provided that a sufficient number of shelters and drinking troughs within the
meaning of that provision are evenly distributed throughout the whole open-air run with at
least four shelters per hectare.
(b) ‘Barn eggs’ must be produced in poultry establishments which satisfy at least the conditions speci-
fied in Article 4 of Directive 1999/74/EC with effect from the datesreferred to in that Article.
(c) ‘Eggs from caged hens’ must be produced in poultry establishments which satisfy at least:
— the conditionss pecified in Directive 88/166/EEC until 31.12.2002,
— the conditionss pecified in Article 5 of Directive 1999/74/EC asfrom 1.1.2003 until
31.12.2011, or
— the conditionss pecified in Article 6 of Directive 1999/74/EC asfrom 1.1.2002.1991R1274 — EN — 23.02.2003 — 013.001 — 25
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ANNEX IV
Reference to the following particular feed ingredientsmay only be made where:
in the case of cereals, they account for at least 60 % in weight of the feed
formula given which may include not more than 15 % of cereal by-products;
however, where reference is made to specific cereals, each shall account for at
least 30 % of the feed formula used in the case of one cereal mentioned and for
at least 5 % of several cereals mentioned.1991R1274 — EN — 23.02.2003 — 013.001 — 26