Council Directive of 26 June 1964 on health problems affecting intra-Community trade in fresh meat

I

Council Directive No 64/433/EEC of 26 June 1964 on health problems affecting intra-Community trade in fresh meat (OJ No 121, 29.7.1964, p. 2012/64) and the amendments arising out of the acts set out below: 1. Directive No 66/601/EEC (OJ No 192, 27.10.1966, p. 3302/69);

2. Directive No 69/349/EEC (OJ No L 256, 11.10.1969, p. 5);

3. Act of Accession (OJ, Special Edition, 27.3.1972, p. 14) and the Council Decision of the European Communities of 1.1.1973 adjusting the documents concerning the accession of new Member States to the European Communities (OJ No L 2, 1.1.1973, p. 1);

4. Directive No 72/461/EEC (OJ No L 302, 31.12.1972, p. 24);

5. Directive No 75/379/EEC (OJ No L 172, 3.7.1975, p. 17);

are hereby coordinated.

This coordination is without legal status. Hence, the preamble has been omitted.

The numbers in brackets at certain Articles correspond to the above numbering and refer to the last amendment of the basic act.

II

As regards the implementation of Directive No 64/433/EEC, account has been taken of the following provisions of the Act of Accession:

"Article 105

Directive No 64/433/EEC on health protection questions in intra-Community trade in fresh meat shall apply, account being taken of the following provisions:

Until 31 December 1977, Ireland and the United Kingdom in respect of Northern Ireland, are authorized to retain for the import of fresh meat their national rules relating to protection against foot-and-mouth disease, while complying with the general provisions of the EEC Treaty.

Article 106

Before the expiry of the time limits referred to in Articles 104 and 105, a review of the situation in the Community as a whole and in its various parts will be carried out in the light of developments in the veterinary field.

By 1 July 1976 at the latest, the Commission shall submit a report to the Council and, in so far as is necessary, appropriate proposals taking account of these developments."

COUNCIL DIRECTIVE of 26 June 1964 on health problems affecting intra-Community trade in fresh meat (64/433/EEC)

Article 1

1. This Directive shall apply to intra-Community trade in fresh meat of domestic animals of the following species : bovine animals, swine, sheep and goats and solipeds.

2. All parts of these animals which are fit for human consumption shall be considered to be meat.

3. All meat which has not undergone any preserving process shall be considered to be fresh meat ; however, chilled and frozen meat shall for the purposes of this Directive be considered to be fresh meat.

Article 2 (1)

For the purposes of this Directive: (a) carcase : means the whole body of a slaughtered animal after bleeding, evisceration and removal of the limbs at the carpus and tarsus, the head, the tail and the udder ; in addition, in the case of bovine animals, sheep, goats and solipeds, after skinning;

(b) offal : means fresh meat other than that of the carcase as defined in paragraph (a), whether or not naturally connected to the carcase;

(c) viscera : means offal from the thoracic, abdominal and pelvic cavities, including the trachea and oesophagus;

(d) official veterinarian : means the veterinarian designated by the competent central authority of the Member State;

(e) exporting country : means the Member State from which fresh meat is sent to another Member State;

(f) country of destination : means the Member State to which fresh meat is sent from another Member State.

Article 3 (2)

1. Each Member State shall ensure that only fresh meat which, without prejudice to Article 8, meets the following requirements is sent from its territory to that of another Member State: A. In the case of carcases, half carcases or quarters: (a) it has been obtained from a slaughterhouse approved and supervised in accordance with Article 4 (1);

(b) it comes from a slaughter animal inspected ante mortem by an official veterinarian in accordance with Chapter IV of Annex I and passed fit, as a result of such inspection, for slaughter for intra-Community trade in fresh meat;

(c) it has been treated under satisfactory hygienic conditions in accordance with Chapter V of Annex I;

(d) it has been inspected post mortem by an official veterinarian in accordance with Chapter VI of Annex I, and has shown no change except for traumatic lesions incurred shortly before slaughter or localized malformations or changes, provided that it is established, if necessary by appropriate laboratory test, that these do not render the carcase and offal unfit for human consumption or dangerous to human health;

(e) it has a health mark in accordance with Chapter IX of Annex I;

(f) it is accompanied by a health certificate during transportation to the country of destination, in accordance with Chapter XI of Annex I;

(g) in accordance with Chapter XII of Annex I, it is stored after post mortem inspection under satisfactory hygienic conditions in slaughterhouses and cutting plants approved and supervised in accordance with Article 4 (1) or in approved and supervised cold stores within the meaning of Article 4 (4);

(h) in accordance with Chapter XIII of Annex I, it is transported to the country of destination under satisfactory hygienic conditions;

B. In the case of cuts smaller than quarters, or boned meats: (a) it has been cut in a cutting plant approved and supervised in accordance with Article 4 (1);

(b) it has been cut and obtained in accordance with Chapter VII of Annex I and comes from: - fresh meat from animals slaughtered in the Member State and satisfying the conditions referred to in A, excepting meat referred to under (f) and (h), transported in accordance with Chapter XIII of Annex I ; or

- fresh meat imported from another Member State and satisfying the conditions of A ; or

- fresh meat imported from third countries in accordance with the conditions laid down by the Community provisions for imports of fresh meat from third countries;

(c) it has been stored under conditions corresponding to the provisions of Chapter XII of Annex I;

(d) it has been supervised by an official veterinarian in accordance with Chapter VIII of Annex I;

(e) it meets the requirements of Chapter X of Annex I as regards their packaging;

(f) it satisfies the conditions of A (c), (e), (f) and (h).

2. However, if the Member State of destination so authorizes, the conditions referred to in 1 (A) and (B) shall not be binding for meat intended for purposes other than for human consumption ; in such cases, the Member State of destination shall ensure that the meat cannot be used for purposes other than those for which it was imported.

3. The official veterinarian may, when carrying out the post mortem inspection referred to in 1 A (d) and the supervision referred to in 1 B (d), be helped in purely material tasks by assistants specially trained for the purpose.

The Commission may after consulting the Member States lay down detailed rules governing such assistance.

4. The following shall be excluded for intra-Community trade: (a) fresh meat from boars and cryptorchid pigs;

(b) fresh meat treated with natural or artificial colouring matters, with the exception of colouring matters for stamping specified in Chapter IX of Annex I;

(c) fresh meat of animals in which any form of tuberculosis or one or more living or dead cysticerci have been found;

(d) parts of carcases or offal showing the traumatic lesions incurred shortly before slaughter, malformations or changes referred to in Article 3 (1) (d);

(e) blood which has been chemically treated to prevent coagulation.

Article 4 (1) (2)

1. The competent central authority of the Member State on whose territory the slaughterhouse or cutting plant is situated shall ensure that the approval provided for in Article 3 (1) (A) (a) and B (a) is granted only where the provisions of Chapters I or II of Annex I are observed and where that slaughterhouse or cutting plant is able to satisfy the other conditions of that Annex. It shall also ensure that an official verterinarian supervise observance of those provisions and that approval is withdrawn when one or more of the provisions are no longer observed.

2. All approved slaughterhouses and cutting plants shall be registered on separate lists, each slaughterhouse and cutting plant having a veterinary approval number. Each Member State shall communicate the lists of approved slaughterhouses and cutting plants and their veterinary approval number to the other Member States and the Commission and notify them where necessary of any withdrawal of approval.

3. When a Member State considers that the provisions governing approval are not, or are no longer, observed in a slaughterhouse or cutting plant in another Member State, it shall inform the competent central authority of that State accordingly. The latter shall take all necessary measures and notify the competent central authority of the other Member State of the decisions taken and the reasons for such decisions.

If that other Member State fears that the necessary measures have not been taken or are inadequate, it may inform the Commission accordingly which shall seek the opinion of one or more veterinary experts. In the light of that opinion, Member States may be authorized under the procedure laid down in Article 9a, to prohibit provisionally the introduction into their territory of fresh meat coming from that slaughterhouse or cutting plant.

Such authorization may be withdrawn under the procedure laid down in Article 9a, in the light of a new opinion delivered by one or more veterinary experts.

Veterinary experts must be nationals of a Member State other than those involved in the dispute.

After consulting the Member States, the Commission shall lay down general rules for applying this paragraph, in particular as regards the appointment of veterinary experts and the procedure to be followed as regards delivery of opinions by them.

4. Cold stores shall, even when situated outside a slaughterhouse or cutting plant, be supervised by an official veterinarian as regards the storage of fresh meat.

The competent central authority of the Member State in whose territory the cold store is situated shall be responsible for approving that store and, for the storage of fresh meat, for withdrawing the approval.

Article 5 (1) (2)

1. Without prejudice to the powers arising from the second sentence of the second subparagraph of Article 4 (3), a Member State may prohibit the marketing of fresh meat on its territory if, at the time of the health inspection carried out in the country of destination, it is found that: (a) such meat is unfit for human consumption ; or

(b) the provisions of Article 3 have not been observed.

2. Decisions taken under paragraph 1 must, at the request of the consignor or his representative, authorize the return of the fresh meat provided this is not contrary to considerations of health. In all cases safety measures shall be taken to prevent misuse of such meat.

3. These decisions must be communicated to the consignor or his representative together with the reasons for such decisions. These reasoned decisions must, on request, be communicated to him forthwith in writing with an indication of what appeals against them are open under current legislation and of the form and time limits in which they must be commenced.

4. Where such decisions are based on the diagnosis of a contagious or infectious disease, a deterioration dangerous to human health or a serious infringement of the provisions of this Directive, the decisions and the reasons therefor shall also be communicated forthwith to the competent central authority of the exporting country.

Article 6 (2)

1. Without prejudice to Articles 3 (4) and 9 and pending the entry into force of provisions adopted by the European Economic Community, this Directive shall not affect Member States' provisions: A. Which prohibit or restrict the introduction into their territory of the following: (a) fresh meat in cuts weighing less than 3 kg, in particular minced meat and meat cut up in a similar manner, and excepting whole fillets of beef and whole shoulders of pork on the bone;

(b) cut fresh meat, prepacked in indivisible commercial portions intended for direct sale to the consumer;

(c) offal separated from the carcase, excepting ox tails;

(d) fresh meat of solipeds.

Such fresh meat may only be consigned in accordance with Article 3.

B. Concerning the conditions for the approval of the cold stores referred to in Article 4 (4) and any withdrawal of this approval;

C. Concerning the treatment of slaughter animals with substances likely to make the consumption of fresh meat dangerous or harmful to human health and concerning the absorption by slaughter animals of substances such as antibiotics, oestrogens, thyreostatics, tenderizers, pesticides, herbicides or arsenic or antimonial substances;

D. Concerning the addition of foreign substances to fresh meat and its treatment by ionising or ultra-violet radiation.

2. This Directive shall not affect Member States' provisions relating to detection of the presence of trichinae in fresh pigmeat.

Article 7

1. Rights of appeal existing under current legislation in the Member States against decisions taken pursuant to this Directive by the competent authorities shall not be affected by this Directive.

2. Each Member State shall grant to consignors whose fresh meat cannot be marketed pursuant to Article 5 (1) the right to obtain the opinion of a veterinary expert. Each Member State shall ensure that, before the competent authorities take any other measures such as destroying the meat, the veterinary experts have an opportunity of determining whether the conditions of Article 5 (1) are fulfilled.

The veterinary expert must be a national of a Member State other than the exporting country or country of destination.

The Commission, acting on a proposal from the Member States, shall draw up a panel of veterinary experts who may be instructed to formulate such opinions. After consulting the Member States, it shall lay down general rules which are to be applied in particular as regards the procedure, for formulation of these opinions.

Article 8 (4)

(deleted)

Article 9

If the Community provisions relating to importation of fresh meat from third countries do not apply at the time when this Directive enters into force, or pending their becoming applicable, national provisions relating to imports from those countries shall not be more favourable than those governing intra-Community trade.

Article 9a (2) (3)

1. Where the procedure laid down in this Article is to be used, matters shall without delay be referred by the Chairman, either on his initiative or at the request of a Member State, to the Standing Veterinary Committee (hereinafter called the "Committee") set up by Council Decision of 15 October 1968.

2. Within the Committee, the votes of Member States shall be weighted as provided in Article 148 (2) of the Treaty. The Chairman shall not vote.

3. The representative of the Commission shall submit a draft of the measures to be adopted. The Committee shall deliver its opinion on such measures within two days. Opinions shall be delivered by a majority of 41 votes.

4. The Commission shall adopt the measures and implement them immediately where they are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee. Where they are not in accordance with the opinion of the Committee or if no opinion is delivered, the Commission shall without delay propose to the Council the measures to be adopted. The Council shall adopt the measures by a qualified majority.

If, within 15 days from the date on which a matter was referred to it, the Council has not adopted any measures, the Commission shall adopt the proposed measures and implement them immediately unless the Council has decided against the measures by a simple majority.

Article 9b (2) (5)

The provisions of Article 9a shall apply for a period of 102 months from the date on which a matter was first referred to the Committee either under Article 9a (1) or under any other corresponding provision.

Article 10

The Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this Directive and its Annexes within 12 months following its notification and shall forthwith inform the Commission thereof.

Article 11

This Directive is addressed to the Member States.

ANNEX I (1) (2) (3)

CHAPTER I CONDITIONS FOR THE APPROVAL OF SLAUGHTERHOUSES

1. Slaughterhouses must have: (a) adequate lairage for holding the animals;

(b) slaughter premises large enough for work to be carried out satisfactorily ; in slaughter premises where both pigs and other animal species are slaughtered, a special place must be provided for slaughtering pigs ; however, such special place shall not be compulsory if the slaughter of pigs and that of other animals take place at different times ; but in such cases scalding, depilation, scraping and singeing must be carried out in special places which are dearly separated from the slaughter line either by an open space of at least 5 metres or by a partition at least 3 metres high;

(c) a room for emptying and cleansing stomachs and intestines;

(d) rooms for dressing guts and tripe;

(e) separate rooms for the storage of fat and for the storage of hides, horns and hooves, where such waste products are not removed from the slaughterhouse on the day of slaughter;

(f) lockable premises reserved respectively for the accommodation of sick or suspect animals, the slaughter of such animals, the storage of detained meat and the storage of seized meat;

(g) sufficiently large chilling or refrigerating rooms;

(h) an adequately equipped lockable room for the exclusive use of the veterinary service ; a room suitably equipped for carrying out a trichinoscopic test when such test is compulsory;

(i) changing rooms, wash basins, showers and flush lavatories ; the latter shall not open directly on to the work rooms ; the wash basins must have hot and cold running water, materials for cleansing and disinfecting the hands and hand towels which can be used only once ; the wash basins must be near the lavatories;

(j) facilities enabling the veterinary inspections provided for in this Directive to be carried out efficiently at any time;

(k) means of controlling access to and exit from the slaughter house;

(l) an adequate separation between the clean and the contaminated parts of the building;

(m) in rooms where work on meat is undertaken: - waterproof flooring, which is easy to clean and disinfect, rot proof, slightly sloping and which has a suitable drainage system for draining liquids to drains fitted with traps and gratings,

- smooth walls with light, coloured, washable coating or paint up to a height of at least 3 metres, with rounded angles and corners;

(n) adequate ventilation and steam extraction in rooms where work on meat is undertaken;

(o) in the same rooms, adequate natural or artificial lighting which does not distort colours;

(p) an adequate supply, under pressure, of potable water only ; however, non-potable water may be used in exceptional cases for steam production, provided that the pipes installed for this purpose do not permit this water to be used for other purposes ; in addition, the use of non-potable water may be authorized in exceptional cases for cooling refrigeration equipment. In such cases, non-potable water pipes must be painted red and must not pass through rooms containing meat;

(q) an adequate supply of hot potable water;

(r) a waste water disposal system which meets hygiene requirements;

(s) in the work rooms, adequate equipment for cleansing and disinfecting hands and tools ; such equipment must be as near as possible to the work stations ; taps must not be hand operable ; these facilities must have hot and cold running water, cleaning and disinfecting materials and hand towels which can be used only once ; for cleaning instruments the temperature of the water must be not less than 82 ºC;

(t) equipment such that, after stunning, dressing can be carried out as far as possible on the suspended animal ; where flaying is carried out on metal cradles, these must be of non-corrodible materials and high enough for the carcase not to touch the floor;

(u) an overhead system of rails for the further handling of the meat;

(v) appropriate arrangements for protection against pests such as insects, rodents, etc.;

(w) instruments and working equipment, in particular containers, of non-corrodible material and easy to cleanse and disinfect;

(x) a special section for manure;

(y) a place and adequate equipment for cleansing and disinfecting vehicles.

CHAPTER II CONDITIONS FOR THE APPROVAL OF CUTTING PLANTS

2. Cutting plants must have: (a) a chilling room large enough for meat preservation;

(b) a room for cutting and boning and for the packaging operations provided for in 46;

(c) a room for the packaging operations provided for in paragraph 45 and for meat consignment;

(d) an adequately equipped lockable room for the exclusive use of the veterinary service;

(e) a room suitably equipped for carrying out a trichinoscopic test, where such test is carried out in the cutting plant;

(f) changing rooms, wash basins, showers and flush lavatories ; the latter shall not open directly on to the work rooms ; the wash basins must have hot and cold running water, materials for cleaning and disinfecting the hands and hand towels which can be used only once ; the wash basins must be near the lavatories;

(g) special air- and water-tight non-corrodible containers, with lids and fasteners to prevent unauthorized persons from removing things from them, for meat or meat offal derived from cutting and not intended for human consumption, or a lockable room for such meat and offal if they are in large enough quantities to necessitate this or if they are not removed or destroyed at the end of each working day;

(h) in the rooms provided for under (a) and (b): - waterproof flooring which is easy to clean and disinfect, rot proof, slightly sloping and which has a suitable drainage system for draining of liquids to drains fitted with traps and gratings,

- smooth walls with light coloured washable coating or paint up to a height of at least 2 metres, with rounded angles and corners;

(i) cooling equipment in the rooms provided for under (a) and (b) to keep meat at an internal temperature of not more than + 7 ºC;

(j) a thermometer or telethermometer recorder in the cutting room;

(k) facilities enabling the inspection and veterinary supervision operations prescribed by this Directive to be carried out efficiently at any time;

(l) adequate ventilation in rooms where work on meat is undertaken;

(m) in rooms where work on meat is undertaken, natural or artificial lighting which does not distort colours;

(n) an adequate supply, under pressure, of potable water only ; however, non-potable water may be used in exceptional cases for steam production, provided that the pipes installed for this purpose do not allow this water to be used for other purposes ; in addition, non-potable water may be used in exceptional cases for cooling refrigeration equipment. Non-potable water pipes must be painted red and must not pass through rooms used for working on and storing meat;

(o) an adequate supply of hot potable water;

(p) a waste water disposal system which meets hygiene requirements;

(q) in rooms where work on meat is undertaken, adequate equipment for cleaning and disinfecting hands and tools which must be as near as possible to the work stations. Taps must not be hand operable. These facilities must have hot and cold running water, cleaning and disinfecting materials and hand towels which can be used only once. For cleaning instruments, the water must have a temperature of not less than 82 ºC;

(r) equipment meeting hygiene requirements for: - meat handling,

- storing meat containers,

in such a way that neither the meat nor the containers come into direct contact with the ground;

(s) appropriate arrangements for protection against pests such as insects, rodents, etc;

(t) instruments and working equipment such as cutting tables, tables with detachable cutting surfaces, containers, conveyor belts and saws of non-corrodible material, not liable to taint meat and easy to clean and disinfect.

CHAPTER III HYGIENE OF STAFF, PREMISES AND EQUIPMENT IN SLAUGHTERHOUSES AND CUTTING PLANTS

3. Absolute cleanliness shall be required of staff, premises and equipment: (a) staff must in particular wear clean working clothes and headgear with, where necessary, a neck shield. Staff engaged in slaughtering animals or working on or handling meat 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 sick animals or infected meat must immediately afterwards carefully wash their hands and arms with hot water and then disinfect them. Smoking shall be forbidden in work rooms and store rooms;

(b) dogs, cats and poultry must not enter slaughterhouses and cutting plants. Rodents, insects and other vermin must be systematically destroyed;

(c) equipment and instruments used for working on meat shall be kept clean and in a good state of repair. They shall be carefully cleansed 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 contaminated particularly by disease-causing germs.

4. Premises, instruments and working equipment must not be used for purposes other than working on meat. Instruments for meat cutting must be used solely for this purpose.

5. Meat and meat containers shall not come into direct contact with the ground.

6. The use of detergents, disinfectants and pesticides must not affect the wholesomeness of the meat.

7. Potable water must be used for all purposes ; however, non-potable water may be used in exceptional cases for steam production provided that the pipes installed for this purpose preclude the use of this water for other purposes. In addition, non-potable water may be used in exceptional cases for cooling refrigeration equipment. Non-potable water pipes must be painted red and must not pass through rooms containing meat;

8. The spreading of sawdust or any other similar substance on the floor of the rooms referred to in paragraph 1 (b), (c), (d), (e) and (g) and 2 (a), (b) and (c) shall be prohibited;

9. Meat must be brought into the rooms referred to in paragraph 2 (b) as and when required and remain in such rooms for as little time as possible;

10. During the cutting, boning and packaging work referred to in paragraphs 45 and 46 and without prejudice to the provision laid down in the second subparagraph of paragraph 34, meat must be kept at a constant internal temperature of not more than + 7 ºC.

11. Cutting shall be carried out in such a way as to avoid any contamination of the meat.

Splinters of bone and clots of blood shall be removed. Meat obtained from cutting and not intended for human consumption shall be collected up in the containers referred to in paragraph 2 (g) as it is cut.

12. Persons likely to contaminate meat shall be prohibited from working on it and handling it, in particular persons: (a) suffering from or suspected of suffering from typhoid fever, paratyphus A and B, infectious enteritis (salmonellosis), dysentery, infectious hepatitis, scarlet fever or carriers of agents of these diseases;

(b) suffering from or suspected of suffering from contagious tuberculosis;

(c) suffering from or suspected of suffering from a contagious skin disease;

(d) exercising at the same time an activity which might cause microbes to be transmitted to meat;

(e) wearing a bandage on the hands except for a waterproof bandage protecting a non-infected finger wound;

13. A medical certificate shall be required from any person working on meat. It shall attest that there is no impediment to such employment ; it shall be renewed annually and each time the official veterinarian so requests ; it shall be kept at the disposal of the latter.

CHAPTER IV "ANTE MORTEM" HEALTH INSPECTION

14. Animals must undergo ante mortem inspection on the day of their arrival at the slaughterhouse. The inspection must be repeated immediately before slaughter if the animal has been in the lairage for more than 24 hours.

15. The official veterinarian must make the ante mortem inspection in accordance with professional rules and under suitable lighting.

16. The inspection must determine: (a) whether the animals are suffering from a disease which can be transmitted to humans and animals or whether they show symptoms or are in a general condition such as to indicate that the disease may occur;

(b) whether they show symptoms of a disease or a disorder of their general condition which is likely to make the meat unfit for human consumption;

(c) whether they are tired or agitated.

17. Animals may not be slaughtered for intra-Community trade in fresh meat: (a) which show any of the conditions listed in paragraph 16 (a) and (b);

(b) which have not been rested for an adequate period of time which, for tired or agitated animals, must not be less than 24 hours;

(c) in which any form of tuberculosis has been found or which react positively to tuberculin and are thus found to be suffering from tuberculosis.

CHAPTER V SLAUGHTER AND CUTTING HYGIENE

18. Slaughter animals brought into slaughter premises must be slaughtered immediately.

19. Bleeding must be complete ; blood intended for human consumption must be collected in absolutely dean containers. It must not be stirred by hand and only with instruments which meet hygiene requirements.

20. Immediate and complete skinning shall be compulsory, except for pigs. When not skinned, pigs shall have their bristles removed immediately.

21. Evisceration must be carried out immediately and completed not later than half an hour after bleeding. The lungs, heart, liver, spleen and mediastinum may either be detached or left attached to the carcase by their natural connections. If detached, they must be numbered or identified in some way to enable them to be recognized as belonging to a given carcase ; this shall also apply to the head, tongue, digestive tract and any other part of the animal required for inspection. The abovementioned parts must remain near the carcase until the inspection is complete. For all species the kidneys must remain attached to the carcase by their natural connections but be removed from their fatty covering.

22. Cleansing of meat by wiping with a cloth, and inflation, are prohibited. However, inflation of an organ may be authorized when this is required by a religious rite, provided that the organ is withdrawn from human consumption.

23. Carcases of solipeds, pigs over four weeks old and bovine animals over three months old must be submitted for inspection split lengthwise into half carcases down the spinal column. In the case of such pigs and of solipeds, the head shall also be split lengthwise. If the inspection so necessitates, the official veterinarian may require any carcase to be split lengthwise.

24. Cutting up the carcase or removal or treatment of any part of the slaughtered animal before the inspection has been completed is prohibited.

25. Detained or seized meat, stomachs, intestines, hides, skins, horns and hooves must be removed as soon as possible to special premises.

26. If the blood of several animals is collected in the same container, the entire contents shall be excluded from intra-Community trade if the meat of one of the animals in the consignment has been declared unfit for human consumption.

CHAPTER VI "POST MORTEM" HEALTH INSPECTION

27. All parts of the animal, including blood, must be inspected immediately after slaughter.

28. The post mortem inspection must include: a) visual inspection of the slaughtered animal;

(b) palpation of certain organs, in particular the lungs, liver, spleen, uterus, udder and tongue;

(c) incisions of organs and of lymph nodes;

(d) investigation of anomalies in consistency, colour, smell and, where appropriate, taste;

(e) where necessary, laboratory investigations.

29. The official veterinarian must examine, in particular: (a) the colour of the blood, its coagulation properties and the possible presence of foreign bodies in the blood;

(b) the head, throat, retro-pharyngeal submaxillary and parotid lymph nodes, (Lnn. retro-pharyngiales mandibulares and parotidei) and the tonsils, the tongue having been freed to permit a detailed inspection of the mouth and the fauces. The tonsils must be removed after inspection;

(c) the lungs, trachea, oesophagus, bronchial and mediastinal lymph nodes (Lnn. bifurcationes, eparteriales and mediastinales), the trachea and the main branches of the bronchi having been opened lengthwise and the lungs having been incised in their posterior third, perpendicular to their main axes;

(d) the pericardium and the heart, the latter being incised lengthwise so as to open the ventricles and to cut through the inter-ventricular septum;

(e) the diaphragm;

(f) the liver, gall-bladder and bile ducts and the hepatic and pancreatic lymph nodes (Lnn. portales);

(g) the gastro-intestinal tract, the mesentery, the gastric and mesenteric lymph nodes (Lnn. gastrici mesenterici, craniales and caudales);

(h) the spleen;

(i) the kidneys and their lymph nodes (Lnn. renales) and the bladder;

(j) the pleura and peritoneum;

(k) the genital organs ; in cows, the uterus shall be opened by a lengthwise incision;

(l) the udder and its lymph nodes (Lnn. supramammarii) ; in cows, the udder shall be opened by a long, deep incision as far as the lactiferous sinuses;

(m) the umbilical region and joints of young animals ; in case of doubt, the umbilical region must be incised and the joints opened.

The lymph nodes referred to above must be systematically freed and sliced as thinly as possible along their main axes.

In case of doubt the following lymph nodes must also be incised in the same way : superficial cervical, prescapular (Lnn. cervales superficiales), axillaries (Lnn. axillares proprii et primae costae), substernal (Lnn. sternales craniales), deep cervical (Lnn. cervicales profundi), costocervical (Lnn. costocervicales), popliteal (Lnn. poplitei), precrural (Lnn. subiliaci), ischiatic (Lnn. ischiatici), iliac and sublumbar (Lnn. iliaci et lumbales).

In sheep and goats, the opening of the heart and incision of the lymph nodes of the head is necessary only in case of doubt.

30. In addition, the official veterinarian must systematically carry out: A. An investigation for cysticercosis: (a) in bovine animals over six weeks old which must include examination of: - the tongue, of which the musculature must be incised lengthwise on the lower surface, without damaging the organ excessively,

- the oesophagus, which must be freed from the trachea,

- the heart, which, in addition to the incision provided for in paragraph 29 (d), must be split from two opposite points from the auricles to the apex,

- the external and internal masseters, which shall be incised along two planes parallel to the mandible from its lower edge to its upper muscular insertion,

- the diaphragm, the muscular part of which must be freed from the serous part,

- the muscular surfaces of the carcase which are directly visible;

(b) in swine, which must include examination of the directly visible muscular surfaces, in particular at the level of the thigh muscles, the abdominal wall, the psoas muscles freed from fatty tissue, the pillars of the diaphragm, the intercostal muscles, the heart, tongue and larynx.

B. An investigation for distomatosis in bovine animals, sheep and goats by means of incisions on the gastric surface of the liver to examine the bile ducts and by means of a deep incision at the base of the Spiegel lobe.

C. An investigation for glanders in solipeds by means of careful examination of mucous membranes from the trachea, larynx, nasal cavities, sinuses and their ramifications, after splitting the head in the median plane and excision of the nasal septum.

CHAPTER VII REQUIREMENTS FOR MEAT INTENDED FOR CUTTING

31. Cutting into pieces smaller than half-carcases and quarters or boning shall only be allowed in cutting plants.

32. The owner of the plant or his agent shall facilitate operations for supervising the plant, in particular any handling which is considered necessary and shall place the necessary facilities at the disposal of the supervisory service ; in particular, he must be able on request to make known to the official veterinarian responsible for supervision the origin of meat brought into his cutting plant.

33. Meat which does not fulfil the conditions of Article 3 (1) (B) (b) may be placed in approved cutting plants only on condition that it is stored there in special places ; it must be cut up in other places or at other times than meat which fulfils those conditions. The official veterinarian must at all times have free access to cold stores and all work rooms in order to ensure strict observance of the abovementioned provisions.

34. Fresh meat intended for cutting must as soon as it is brought in, be placed in the cutting plant and, until used, in the room provided for in paragraph 2 (a) ; a constant temperature of not more than + 7 ºC in that room must be ensured for carcases and cuts thereof.

However, by way of derogation from paragraph 49, meat may be transported directly from the slaughter premises to the cutting room. In such cases the slaughter premises and the cutting room must be located in the same group of buildings and sufficiently near to each other since the meat to be cut must be transferred in one operation from one room to the other by means of an extension of the overhead handling network from the slaughter premises and cutting must be carried out immediately. As soon as the prescribed cutting and packaging are completed, the meat must be transported to the chilling room provided for in paragraph 2 (a).

During cutting the temperature of the room must not exceed + 10 ºC.

35. Except in cases where the meat is cut while warm, cutting may take place only if the meat has reached an internal temperature of not more than + 7 ºC. At the time of cutting, the pH of the meat must be between 5 76 and 6 71 ; this examination must be made on the large dorsal muscle at the thirteenth rib.

36. 36. Cleansing of meat by wiping with a cloth, and inflation, are prohibited. However, inflation of an organ may be authorized when this is required by a religious rite, provided that the inflated organ is withdrawn from human consumption.

CHAPTER VIII HEALTH CONTROL OF CUT MEAT

37. Cutting plants shall be supervised by an official veterinarian. The latter must be notified in good time before the cutting of meat intended for intra-Community trade.

38. Supervision by the official veterinarian shall include the following tasks: - supervision of the entry register for fresh meat and the exit register for cut meat,

- health inspection of fresh meat held in the cutting plant and intended for intra-Community trade,

- health inspection of fresh meat intended for intra-Community trade, prior to cutting and when it leaves the cutting plant,

- the drawing up and issuing of the documents provided for in paragraphs 45 (c) and 48, certifying that there has been supervision of the cut meat,

- supervision of the cleanliness of the buildings, facilities and instruments provided for in Chapter III, and of staff hygiene,

- all sampling necessary for laboratory tests to detect for example, the presence of harmful germs, additives or other unauthorized chemical substances. The results of such tests shall be recorded in a register,

- any other supervision which the veterinarian considers necessary for ensuring observance of the provisions of the Directive.

CHAPTER IX HEALTH MARKING

39. Health marking must be carried out under the responsibility of the official veterinarian. For this purpose, he shall keep and maintain: (a) the instruments intended for meat health marking which he may hand over to the assistant staff only at the time of marking and for the length of time required for this purpose;

(b) the labels mentioned in Chapter X when these have already been marked with the stamp provided for in this Chapter. These labels shall be given to the assistant staff at the time when they must be affixed and in the required number.

40. The health mark must be an oval mark 6 75 cm wide by 4 75 cm high. The following information must appear on the mark in perfectly legible characters: - on the upper part, the name of the exporting country in capitals,

- in the centre, the veterinary approval number of the slaughterhouse,

- on the lower part, one of the following sets of initials, CEE, EEG, EWG, EØF, EEC.

The letters must be 0 78 cm high and the figures 1 cm high.

The seal may in addition include an indication of the official veterinarian who carried out the health inspection of the meat.

41. Carcases shall be marked in ink or hot-branded with a stamp in accordance with paragraph 40.

- those weighing more than 60 kilogrammes must be stamped on each half-carcase, in the following places at least : external surface of the thighs, loins, back, breast, shoulder and pleura,

- other carcases must be stamped in at least four places, on the shoulders and on the external surface of the thighs.

42. Livers shall be hot-branded with a stamp in accordance with paragraph 40.

Heads, tongues, hearts and lungs shall be marked with ink or hot-branded with a stamp in accordance with paragraph 40.

However, in the case of bovine animals under three months old, swine, sheep and goats, stamping of tongues and hearts shall not be compulsory.

43. Cuts, other than fat, subcutaneous fat, tails, ears and feet, obtained in the cutting plants from officially marked carcases must, where they do not bear a stamp be marked in ink or hot-branded with a stamp in accordance with the requirements of paragraph 40 and including the veterinary approval number of the cutting plant instead of that of the slaughterhouse.

Cuts of solid outer pig fat and belly from which the rind is removed may be grouped into lots containing up to five cuts ; each lot and each piece, if this is separate, must be sealed under official supervision and be provided with a label which meets the requirements of paragraph 45 (c).

Marking may also be effected by means of a stamp seal. This stamp seal, to be fixed on each cut, must not be reusable, must be made of strong materials and must meet all hygiene requirements. The following information must appear on the stamp seal in perfectly legible characters: - on the upper part, the first two letters, in capitals, of the exporting country,

- in the centre, the veterinary approval number of the cutting plant,

- on the lower part, one of the initials CEE-EEG-EWG-EØF-EEC.

Letters and figures must be 0 72 cm in height.

The stamp seal may also include an indication of the official veterinarian who carried out the health inspection of the meat.

44. Only methyl violet or any other violet colouring matter authorized for such purpose under Community rules may be used for stamping meat with ink.

CHAPTER X PACKAGING OF CUT MEAT

45. (a) Packagings (for example packing cases, paperboard boxes) shall fulfil all rules of hygiene, in particular: - they must not alter the organoleptic nature of the meat,

- they must not be capable of transmitting substances harmful to human health to the meat,

- they must be sufficiently solid to ensure effective protection of the meat during transportation and handling.

(b) Packagings must not be reused for meat unless they are made of non-corrodible materials, which are easy to clean and have been previously cleaned and disinfected.

(c) (c) Packagings must have a clearly visible label on which there is a clearly legible mark reproducing one of the marks provided for in paragraphs 40 and 43. This label must be affixed in such a way that it is torn when the packaging is opened. The label shall also show a serial number.

46. Where necessary, when fresh cut meat or offal is wrapped in packaging, for example sheet plastic, which comes into direct contact with it, this operation must be carried out immediately after cutting and in accordance with hygiene requirements.

With the exception of cuts of solid outer pig fat and belly, cut meat must in all cases be provided with a protective packaging unless it is transported hanging up.

Such packagings must be transparent and colourless and must also fulfil the conditions of paragraph 45 (a) ; they may not be used a second time for wrapping meat.

47. The packagings referred to in paragraphs 45 and 46 may contain only cut meat belonging to the same animal species.

CHAPTER XI HEALTH CERTIFICATE

48. The original copy of the health certificate accompanying meat during transportation to the country of destination must be issued by an official veterinarian at the time of loading. The health certificate must correspond in form and content to the model in Annex II, be expressed in the language of the country of destination at least and contain the information specified in the model in Annex II.

CHAPTER XII STORAGE

49. Fresh meat intended for intra-Community trade must be chilled immediately after the post mortem inspection and kept at a constant temperature of not more than + 7 ºC for carcases and cuts and + 3 ºC for offal.

CHAPTER XIII TRANSPORT

50. Fresh meat must be transported in sealed vehicles or containers, designed and equipped in such a way that the temperatures specified in Chapter XII are maintained throughout transportation.

When meat is transported from a slaughterhouse to a cutting plant in the same Member State, sealing shall not be required.

Vehicles or containers intended for transporting such meat must meet the following requirements: (a) their inside surfaces or any other part which may come into contact with the meat must be of non-corrodible material which cannot affect the organoleptic character of the meat or render it harmful to human health ; these surfaces must be smooth and easy to cleanse and disinfect;

(b) they must be provided with efficient devices for protecting the meat against insects and dust and be watertight to prevent drainage of liquids;

(c) for transporting carcases, half-carcases or quarters and unpackaged cut meat, they must be equipped with non-corrodible fittings for hanging the meat fixed at such a height that the meat cannot touch the floor ; this provision shall not apply to frozen meat in hygienic packing.

52. Vehicles or containers intended for transporting meat may in no case be used for transporting live animals or any product likely to affect or contaminate meat.

53. No other product may be transported at the same time as the meat in the same vehicle or container. In addition, stomachs may not be transported therein unless scalded, and heads and feet unless they are skinned or scalded and depilated.

54. Fresh meat may not be transported in a vehicle or container which is not clean and has not been disinfected.

55. Carcases, half-carcases and quarters, excluding frozen meat packed in accordance with hygiene requirements, must always be hung up for transportation. Other cuts and offal must be hung or placed on supports if not packed or contained in non-corrodible containers. Such supports, packagings or containers must meet hygiene requirements and, in particular as regards packaging, the provisions of this Directive. The viscera must always be transported in strong waterproof and greaseproof packaging which may only be re-used after cleansing and disinfection.

56. The official veterinarian must ensure before consignment that transport vehicles or containers and loading conditions meet the hygiene requirements of this Chapter.

ANNEX II (1) (2) (3).

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