30. 9.74 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities No C 116/31 
Opinion  on the 'Proposal  for a Council  Directive  amending  the Council  Directive  of 
15 February  1971  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 35 of 28 March  1974,  page  70. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 26 February  1974,  the  Council  referred  the  abovementioned  proposal  to the 
Economic  and  Social  Committee  in accordance  with  Articles  43 and  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 
121st  plenary  session,  held  in Brussels  on 26 and  27 June  1974. 
The full  text  of the Opinion  is as follows: 
THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE: 
Having  regard  to the  request,  dated  26 February 
1974,  from  the  Council  of  the  European 
Communities  for an opinion  on the 'Proposal  for a 
Council  Directive  amending  the Council  Directive  of 
15 February  1971  on health  problems  affecting  trade 
in fresh  poultrymeat'; 
Having  regard  to the Decision  taken  by its Bureau  on 
26 February  1974  entrusting  the  Section  for 
Protection  of the  Environment,  Public  Health  and 
Consumer  Affairs  with  the  preparation  of a report 
and an opinion  on the  matter,  in accordance  with 
Article  22 of the Rules  of Procedure'; 
Having  regard  to Articles  43 and  100  of the  Treaty 
establishing  the European  Economic  Community; 
Having  regard  to the  Opinion  delivered  by  the 
Section  for  Protection  of the  Environment,  Public 
Health  and  Consumer  Affairs  on 18 June  1974  at its 
10th meeting; 
Having  regard  to the  oral  report  presented  by Mrs 
Evans,  the rapporteur; 
Having  regard  to the discussions  at its 121st  plenary 
session,  held  on 26 and  27 June  1974,  sitting  of 
27 June  1974; 
Whereas  the  proposed  measures  are  clearly  a 
significant  contribution  to the  protection  of human 
health; Whereas  storage  and  defreezing  instructions  should 
be marked  on poultry  packaging, 
HAS  ADOPTED  THE  FOLLOWING  OPINION 
unanimously: 
The Economic  and  Social  Committee  approves  the 
proposal  for  a Directive,  subject  to the  following 
comments: 
1. General  comments 
1.1. The  Committee  has taken  note  of the fact  that 
the proposal  put before  it is not a final  version,  since 
amendments  have  subsequently  been  made  to Article 
5, and  elsewhere.  The  Committee  regrets  this  and 
trusts  that  it will  be consulted  on the final  version. 
1.2. The  Committee  welcomes  the  new  approach 
to veterinary  checks,  which  will  be carried  out  on 
behalf  of the Commission. 
1.3. The  Committee  also  agrees  that  it is necessarv 
to prescribe  the abolition  of certain  national  practices 
with  regard  to 'New  York  dressed'  and  'effilee' 
No C 116/32 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 30. 9. 74 
poultry.  However,  this  abolition  —  which  was 
provided  for  in 1971  (Council  Directive  of 15 
February  1971)  — should,  subject  to an exception 
being  made  for the United  Kingdom  and  Ireland,  be 
carried  our much  earlier  than  the present  deadline. 
1.4. As  it is essential  to enable  poultry  to be 
handled  correctly  in the distribution  chain  and  by the 
consumer,  the  Committee  recommends  that  storage 
and defreezing  instructions  be marked  on poultry 
packaging. 
2. Specific  comments 
2.1. Article  2.2. 
In order  to clarify  this  Article,  the  Committee 
proposes  that  it be worded  as follows: 
'Where  necessary,  a decision  may  be taken  by the 
procedure  laid  down  in Article  12 (a) to amend 
the provisions  of that  Chapter  to take  account,  in 
particular,  of various  forms  of packing  used  in the 
trade,  provided  such  forms  comply  with  the rules 
of hygiene  in accordance  with  this  Directive.' 
2.2. Article  10 
2.2.1.  The  Committee  is of the  view  that  if a 
sprinkler  system  is used  in case  of fire,  the water 
must  come  from  a drinking  water  source.  The 
Committee  consequently  proposes  that  the  second 
sentence  be amended  to read: 
'However,  non-drinking  water  may  be used  in 
exceptional  cases  for  steam  production  and 
fire-fighting  purposes  — though  not  for sprinkler 
systems  — provided  that  the  pipes  installed  for 
this purpose  do not  allow  this  water  to be used 
for other  purposes.' 2.2.2.  For  similar  reasons  the Committee  proposes 
that the last  sentence  of this  Article  be amplified  so 
that it reads: 
'The  pipes  for non-drinking  water  must  be clearly 
distinguished  from  those  for drinking  water  and 
must  not pass  through,  or terminate  in, rooms  in 
which  there  is meat.' 
2.3. Article  11 (4 b) 
The Committee  considers  that,  given  the way  work  is 
organized  in this  sector,  and  especially  the  various 
stages  in the processing  of poultry,  Article  11 (4 b) 
should  be amplified  to read: 
'a room  for evisceration  operations,  cutting  up and 
boning,  and  for packaging  operations  covered  by 
paragraph  35'. 
2.4. Article  11 (4 m) 
The comments  made  on Article  10 are relevant  here. 
2.5. Article  12 (10) 
The Committee  proposes  that  the  medical 
supervision  provided  for in this  Article  should  be as 
effective  as possible;  a blood  test  should  be carried 
out in every  case.  It therefore  proposes  that  this  part 
of the proposal  be amended  to read: 
'A medical  certificate  shall  be required  from  every 
person  working  on poultrymeat.  It shall  attest 
that there  is no impediment  to such  employment, 
for example  impediments  listed  under  point  9); it 
shall  state  that  a blood  test  has  been  carried  out; 
the certificate  must  be renewed  annually  and 
whenever  the  official  veterinarian  requests;  it 
shall  always  be available  to the latter.' 
Done  at Brussels,  27 June  1974. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Alfons  LAPPAS