COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
C0M(91) 374 final 
Brussels, 15 October 1991 
AaendMent to the proposal for a 
COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) 
aying down the health rules for the production and placing 
on the market of minced meat, meat preparations and 
comminuted meat for industrial use. 
(presented by the Commission pursuant to Article 149(3) 
of the EEC Treaty) 

i, 
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 
On 15 February 1990 the Commission submitted to the Council a Proposal for a 
Council Regulation laying down the health rules for the production and placing 
on the market of minced meat, meat preparations and comminuted meat for 
Industrial use.(1) 
As a result of the opinion delivered by the European Parliament at its meeting 
of 12.06.1991, the Commission had decided, in accordance with Article 149(3) 
of the Treaty, to amend its original proposal. 
(1) O.J. No. C84, 2.04.1990, p.120 
Amendment to the proposal for a 
COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) 
laying down the health rules for the production and placing on 
the market of minced meat, meat preparations and comminuted meat 
for industrial use 
On 16 February 1990 the Commission submitted the above proposal to the 
Council, following the opinion of the European Parliament delivered at its 
sitting of 12 June 1991, the original proposal is amended as follows: 
1. The following whereases are added: 
"Whereas the Commission has agreed to submit a proposal to the Council for 
a general framework directive on food hygiene and food safety as soon as 
possible and preferably before the end of 1991; 
Whereas, when considering the completion of the internal market, the 
Community will take as a base a high level of consumer protection, whereas 
there is a need for a campaign to educate the consumer about the special 
hygiene requirements of products of animal origin;" 
2. Article 1, paragraph 2 is replaced by the following: 
"2. This Regulation shall not apply to mmced meat and meat preparations 
prepared in retail shops or in premises adjacent to sale points for 
sale directly to the consumer where transport and packaging are not 
involved." 
3. Article 2, paragraph 5 is replaced by the following: 
"5. "Products for direct consumption" means minced meat or meat 
preparations intended to be consumed directly without undergoing any 
further treatment, including by the consumer, prior to consumption." 
4. Article 4 id deleted. 
5. Article 6, paragraph 1 is replaced by the following: 
"1) Veterinary experts from the Commission shall, in so far as is 
necessary to ensure uniform application of this Regulation, make on 
the spot checks, they shall verify whether establishments are actually 
complying with this Regulation. The Commission shall inform the Member 
States of the results of the investigations. 
A Member State in whose territory a check is being carried out shall 
give all the necessary assistance to the experts in carrying out their 
dut ies. 
The results of these checks shall be communicated to the undertakings 
concerned." 
6. At Annex I, chapter III, the following point 6(a) is inserted after 
point 6. 
"6a. 1. In addition to the general conditions laid down in Article 3, 
minced meat and, insofar as they contain such meat, meat preparations must 
(a) (i) be obtained from chilled fresh meat or from frozen or quick frozen 
boneless meat ; 
(ii) in the case of meat and meat preparations intended for direct 
consumption, be obtained from chilled fresh meat, within a maximum 
of six days after the slaughter of the animal of origin, except in 
the case of beef where nine days will obtain, compliance with this 
requirement being guaranteed by a method of identification to be 
specified by the competent authority; 
(b) undergo cold treatment referred to in subparagraph (c) within a 
maximum of one hour after cutting into portions and wrapping except 
where processes requiring the lowering of internal temperature of the 
meat during preparation are used; 
(c) be placed on the marked, 
(i) either chilled and wrapped for the final consumer and cooled at an 
internal temperature below + 4"C in a period of not more than one 
hour and below + 2"C after two hours, 
(ii) or quick frozen and wrapped for the final consumer, in this case 
they must conform with the Council Directive 89/108/EEC. 
(d) in the case of meat not for direct consumption, be labelled at point 
of sale: "This product should be thoroughly cooked before 
consumpt ion". 
2. The additives used must be in conformity with Community rules." 
7. At Annex I, chapter III, point 8 the words "boned shin meat" are replaced 
by "carpal and tarsal region". 
8. At Annex I, chapter V, point 11 is replaced by the following: 
"11. Establishments which produce the minced meat or meat preparations 
or comminuted meat for industrial use shall be subject to 
inspection by the official service." 
9. At Annex I, chapter VI, point 17 is replaced by the following: 
"17. The results of the microbiological tests shall be at the disposal 
of the competent authojity. 
The establishment shall inform the competent authority when the 
standards laid down in Annex II are reached. The competent 
authority shall take the appropriate measures." 
10. Annex I, Chapter VII, point 19 the following indend is added: 
the percentage of MechanicalIv Recovered Meat contained in the 
product. " 

ISSN 0254-1475 
COM(91) 374 final 
DOCUMENTS 
JH 03 
Catalogue number : CB-CO-91-430-EN-C 
ISBN 92-77-76221-7 
QfHce for Officiai Publications of the European Cottununities 
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