EN Official Journal of the European Union L 125/32

COMMISSION DECISION

of 28 April 2008

authorising methods for grading pig carcasses in Lithuania

(notified under document number C(2008) 1595)

(only the Lithuanian text is authentic)

(2008/364/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 3220/84 of 13 November 1984 determining the Community scale for grading pig carcasses (1), and in particular Article 5(2) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Under Article 2(3) of Regulation (EEC) No 3220/84, the grading of pig carcasses is to be determined by estimating the lean-meat content by means of statistically proven assessment methods based on the physical measurement of one or more anatomical parts of the pig carcass. The authorisation of grading methods is subject to compliance with a maximum tolerance for statistical error in assessment. This tolerance is defined in Article 3(2) of Commission Regulation (EEC) No 2967/85 of 24 October 1985 laying down detailed rules for the application of the Community scale for grading pig carcasses (2).

(2) The Lithuanian Government has asked the Commission to authorise four methods for grading pig carcasses and has presented the results of its dissection trials in the second part of the protocol provided for in Article 3(3) of Regulation (EEC) No 2967/85.

(3) Examination of this request has revealed that the conditions for authorising those grading methods are fulfilled.

(4) No modification of the apparata or grading methods may be authorised except by means of a new Commission Decision adopted in the light of experience gained. For this reason, the present authorisation may be revoked.

(5) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Pigmeat,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The use of the following methods is hereby authorised for grading pig carcasses pursuant to Regulation (EEC) No 3220/84 in Lithuania:

1. the Fat-O-Meat’er (FOM) apparatus and the assessment methods related thereto, details of which are given in Part 1 of the Annex,

2. the Hennessy Grading Probe (HGP 7) apparatus and the assessment methods related thereto, details of which are given in Part 2 of the Annex,

3. the IM-03 apparatus and the assessment methods related thereto, details of which are given in Part 3 of the Annex,

4. the Two point method (ZP) measuring by ruler (ruler method) apparatus and the assessment methods related thereto, details of which are given in Part 4 of the Annex.

The manual method (ZP) may be applied only in slaughterhouses which do not exceed a weekly slaughtering of 200 pigs.

Article 2

Modifications of the apparata or the assessment methods shall not be authorised.

Article 3

This Decision is addressed to the Republic of Lithuania.

Done at Brussels, 28 April 2008. For the Commission Mariann FISCHER BOEL Member of the Commission

(1) OJ L 301, 20.11.1984, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 3513/93 (OJ L 320, 22.12.1993, p. 5).

(2) OJ L 285, 25.10.1985, p. 39. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1197/2006 (OJ L 217, 8.8.2006, p. 6).