No C 247/14 Official Journal of the European Communities 1. 10. 79 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Regulation on health problems affecting 
intra-Community trade in fresh meat and fresh poultrymeat which has been minced, ground 
or similarly chopped, with or without the addition of other foodstuffs, additives and 
condiments 
The text referred to the Committee has not yet been published in the Official Journal of the 
European Communities. 
A. LEGAL BASIS FOR THE OPINION 
On 17 November 1978 the Council referred the abovementioned proposal to the Economic 
and Social Committee in accordance with Article 198 of the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community. 
B. OPINION OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE 
The Economic and Social Committee prepared its opinion on the above matter at its 170th 
plenary session held in Brussels on 17and 18 July 1979. 
The full text of the opinion is as follows: 
THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community, and in particular Article 198 
thereof, 
Having regard to the request made by the Council of the 
European Communities on 17 November 1978 for an 
opinion, 
Having regard to the decision taken by its Bureau on 28 
November 1978 instructing the Section for Protection of 
the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Affairs to 
draw up an opinion and a report on the matter, 
Having regard to the opinion issued by the Section for 
Protection of the Environment, Public Health and 
Consumer Affairs at its meeting held on 3 July 1979, 
Having regard to the report submitted by the rapporteur, 
Mrs Strobel, 
Having regard to the discussions at its 170th plenary 
session held on 17 and 18 July 1979 (meeting of 18 July 
1979), 
HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING OPINION 
with no votes against and four abstentions: 
1. General comments 
1.1. The Committee approves the principles 
underlying the Commission's proposal for a Regulation. It considers, however that improvements may be made to 
the proposal in the light of what is said in the report. 
1.2. There is no doubt that both the meat industry 
and consumers are considerably affected by the 
Regulation since it covers all minced and chopped meat 
handled in cross-frontier trade within the Community 
and which is afterwards processed and consumed. 
1.3. Whereas almost all provisions governing the 
meat and poultry sector have so far been in the form of 
Directives, this is a Regulation. In other words its legal 
provisions are directly applicable. With a directly 
applicable Regulation it is all the more necessary to 
ensure that all provisions are wholly acceptable from a 
hygiene point of view and that all the necessary technical 
regulations can be applied in practice. 
1.4. The Committee would point out that according 
to Article 3 the Regulation is not concerned with the 
whole of trade within the Community but only with 
•cross-frontier trade between the Member States. 
1.5. The main technical rules for implementing the 
Regulation - which are set out in the Annexes — are 
particularly important. The Committee has made a 
considerable number of comments on these rules but, as 
has been the practice in the past, the comments and 
proposed amendments are set out in the report and not 
the opinion. In doing this the Committee assumes that 
the Council and Commission will attach particular 
importance to the report in view of the difficulties 
encountered in studying the Annex. 
1. 10. 79 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 247/15 
2. Specific comments 
2.1. Article 1 
2.1.1. The Committee considers that the last phrase 
of Article 1 'whether or not placed in an edible 
container', is misleading because it is not clear whether 
any other kinds of containers are covered by the 
Regulation. The above phrase should therefore be 
replaced by the words 'even if it is in an edible container 
prior to wrapping and packaging'. 
2.2. Article 2 
2.2.1. The definitions of the various types of meat are 
unsatisfactory and need to be thoroughly revised. This is 
especially true if one compares the various language 
versions. 
2.2.2. The phrase 'whether or not placed in the edible 
container' in Article 2 (f) should likewise be replaced by 
the words 'even if it is in an edible container prior to 
wrapping and packaging'. 
2.3. Article 3 
2.3.1. Point 3 (b) 
The Committee hopes that by means of an appropriate 
Directive the Commission will soon make it possible for 
poultrymeat originating in a third country to come under 
the Regulation. 
2.4. Article S 
2.4.1. Point 1 
The Committee welcomes the fact that regular 
inspections are to be carried out by the Commission as 
well as by national veterinary experts. Directives adopted 
earlier already make provisions for the Commission to 
use its own veterinary experts but none has been 
appointed as yet. The Committee considers that such 
Done at Brussels, 18 July 1979. appointments should be made as a matter or urgency, 
particularly since it is important to have supranational as 
well as national veterinary experts when a dispute arises. 
2.5. Article 6 
2.5.1. The discrepancy between points 1 and 2 of 
Article 6 means that the Regulation cannot come into 
force until after the studies have been completed and the 
microbiological requirements adopted. In the view of the 
Committee any outstanding studies should be carried out 
speedily. 
2.5.2. Point 1 (b) 
In the German version the word 'Knochengehalt' (bone 
content) should be used instead of the word 
'Knochenmark' (bone marrow). (Translator's note: The 
expression 'bone content' is used in the English version at 
all times, i.e. both in Article 6 (lb) and in points 21 (e) 
and 22 (d) of Annex A.) The question of bone content 
should be regulated in Annex A. (See comments in the 
report on points 21 (e) and 22 (d) of the Annex.) 
Measures should be taken to ensure that there is the 
usual cooperation with the interest groups affected, 
including consumers. 
2.6. Article 7 
The phrase 'using the fastest means of communication' 
should be incorporated in the expression 'be 
communicated forthwith in writing . . . with the reasons 
therefore' in the last paragraph of Article 7 (2). (The 
latter expression is also used in several other places apart 
from Article 7 (2).) 
In the event of objections on health grounds, 
consideration should also be given to the possibility of 
denaturing so that such products can be removed from 
intra-Community trade. 
3. The Committee has no amendments to propose in 
connection with Articles 8 to 11. For amendments to the 
Annexes, see the report. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Raffaele VANNI 
No C 247/16 Official Journal of the European Communities 1. 10. 79 
ANNEX 
to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee 
The following amendment was rejected during the debate: 
Paragraph 1.5 
Delete last sentence which reads: 
'In doing this the Section assumes that the Council and Commission will attach particular importance 
to the report in view of the difficulties encountered in studying the Appendix.' 
Reason 
Reference to the 'report' is already made in the recitals to the 'opinion' and in the qualification in 
paragraph 1.1 and earlier in paragraph 1.5. The content of the report, if any, is customarily left to the 
discretion of the rapporteur who will normally exercise a degree of impartiality and include minority 
views on contentious issues. The report is not subject to debate or voting procedures and any emphasis on 
its contents or importance as compared with the relevant 'opinion' issued by the Committee would 
circumvent the Committee's established procedures. 
Voting 
For: 9; against: 56; abstentions: 3. 
Opinion on the: 
— Commission report to the Council on certain problems of hygiene involved in the process 
for chilling poultry carcasses by immersion in water 
— proposal for a Council Directive amending, in respect of chilling, Directive 71/118/EEC 
on health problems affecting trade in fresh poultrymeat 
The text referred to the Committee has been published in Official Journal of the European 
Communities No C 65 of 9 March 1979, page 5. 
A. LEGAL BASIS FOR THE OPINION 
On 23 February 1979 the Council referred the abovementioned proposal to the Economic and 
Social Committee in accordance with Article 100 of the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community. 
B. OPINION OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE 
The Economic and Social Committee prepared its opinion on the above matter at its 170th 
plenary session held in Brussels on 17 arid 18 July 1979. 
The full text of the opinion is as follows: 
THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community, and in particular Article 100 
thereof, 
Having regard to the request made by the Council of the 
European Communities on 23 February 1979 for an 
opinion, Having regard to the decision taken by its Bureau on 
20 February 1979 instructing the Section for Protection 
of the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Affairs 
to draw up an opinion and a report on the matter, 
Having regard to the opinion issued by the Section for 
Protection of the Environment, Public Health and 
Consumer Affairs at its meeting held on 3 July 1979,