14.3.87 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 67/9 
Proposal for a Council Directive on health problems affecting the production and the placing 
on the market of egg products 
COM(87) 46 final 
(Submitted by the Commission to the Council on 13 February 1987) 
(87/C 67/07) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community, and in particular Article 43 
thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
Having regard to the opinion of the European Par­
liament, 
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and 
Social Committee, 
Whereas, in order to ensure the smooth operation of the 
common market and more especially of the common 
organization of the market in eggs established by 
Council Regulation (EEC) No 2771/75 0) as last 
amended by Regulation (EEC) No 3768/85 (2) and of 
the common system of trade for ovalbumin and 
lactalbumin introduced by Council Regulation (EEC) 
No 2783/75 (3), it is essential that the marketing of egg 
products should no longer be hindered by disparities 
existing in the Member States in respect of health 
requirements in this area; whereas this will enable 
production to be better harmonized and bring about 
competition on equal terms while assuring consumers of 
a quality product; 
Whereas the marketing of certain egg products which 
are not covered by Annex II to the Treaty is closely 
linked with the marketing of egg products for which a 
market organization exists; whereas distortions of 
competition should be eliminated for all egg products; 
Whereas health requirements should be laid down for 
the production, storage and transport of egg products; 
whereas, in particular, it is important that health rules be 
laid down governing the approval of establishments; 
Whereas it is important also that the health requirements 
to be met by egg products be laid down; 
Whereas the said rules must apply in an identical manner 
to intra-Community trade and to trade within the 
Member States; 
Whereas it is the responsibility primarily of producers to 
ensure that egg products meet the health requirements 
laid down in this Directive; whereas the competent auth­
orities of the Member States must, by carrying out 
(') OJNoL282, 1. 11. 1975, p. 49. 
(2) OJ No L 362, 31. 12. 1985, p. 8. 
O OJ No L 282, 1. 11. 1975, p. 104. checks and inspections, ensure that producers comply 
with the abovementioned health requirements; whereas 
the rules governing these checks and inspections must 
take account of the demands of the internal market; 
Whereas a random check must be made to detect the 
presence of residues of substances liable to be harmful to 
human health; 
Whereas Community control measures should be 
introduced to guarantee the uniform application in all 
Member States of the standards laid down in this 
Directive; 
Whereas in the context of intra-Community trade the 
consignor, the consignee or their representative must be 
given the opportunity, where a dispute arises with the 
competent authorities of the Member State of 
destination, of seeking an expert's opinion; 
Whereas egg products manufactured in a third country 
intended to be placed on the market on Community 
territory must not qualify for more favourable 
arrangements than those laid down in this Directive; 
whereas provision should be made for a Community 
procedure for inspecting establishments in third 
countries; 
Whereas the Commission should be entrusted with the 
task of adopting certain measures for implementing this 
Directive; whereas, to that end, procedures should be 
laid down introducing close and effective cooperation 
between the Commission and the Member States within 
the Standing Veterinary Committee, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE: 
Article 1 
This Directive lays down requirements concerning health 
problems affecting the production and the placing on the 
market of egg products for use in the manufacture of 
foodstuffs. 
Article 2 
For the purposes of this Directive, the following 
definitions shall apply: 
1. Egg products: whole egg, as well as yolk and egg 
white or mixtures thereof, after removal of the shell 
and membranes, intended for human consumption; 
they may be obtained from eggs of hens, ducks, 
geese, turkeys, guineafowl or quails; they may be 
partly supplemented with other foodstuffs or 
additives provided that at least 50 % of the egg 
products thus obtained consists of natural egg 
constituents; they may be liquid, concentrated, 
dried, crystallized, frozen or deep frozen; 
No C 67/10 Official Journal of the European Communities 14.3.87 
2. Farm of production: farm for the production of eggs 
intended for human consumption; 
3. Packing centre: establishment as referred to in point 7 
of Article 1 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 
2772/75 of 29 October 1975 on marketing standards 
for eggs (>); 
4. Establishment: establishment approved for the manu­
facture of egg products; 
5. Treatment: the heat treatment of egg products; 
6. Cracked eggs: eggs with a fractured shell but with 
intact membranes; 
7. Broken eggs: eggs showing breaks of both the shell 
and the membranes resulting in the exposure of their 
contents; 
8. Batch: a quantity of egg products which have been 
prepared under the same conditions and in particular 
treated in a single continuous operation; 
9. Consignment: a quantity of egg products for a single 
delivery for one destination for further processing by 
the food industry; 
10. Country of dispatch: the Member State from which 
egg products are dispatched to another Member 
State; 
11. Country of destination: the Member State to which 
egg products are dispatched from another Member 
State; 
12. Packing: the placing of egg products in any form of 
package; 
13. Competent authority: the veterinary department or 
any other equivalent department designated by 
the Member State concerned to monitor the 
implementation of this Directive; 
14. Placing on the market: the marketing of egg 
products, as defined in point 5 of Article 1 of Regu­
lation (EEC) No 2772/75. 
Article 3 
Member States shall ensure that only egg products which 
meet the following general requirements are produced 
and placed on the market: 
(a) they must have been prepared in an establishment 
approved in accordance with Article 6 (1) and (2) 
which complies with Chapters I and II of the Annex 
and satisfy the requirements of this Directive, and in 
particular those of Article 5; 
(b) they must have been prepared under satisfactory 
hygiene conditions in accordance with Chapters III 
and V of the Annex, with eggs meeting the 
requirements laid down in Chapter IV of the Annex; 
O OJ No L 282, 1. 11. 1975, p. 56. (c) they must have undergone treatment in accordance 
with point 7 of Chapter V ot the Annex; however, 
— other forms of treatment having a similar effect 
may be permitted in accordance with the 
procedure laid down in Article 14, 
— the competent authority of a Member State may 
decide, where it is necessary for technological 
reasons associated with the preparation of 
foodstuffs manufactured from egg products, 
that certain egg products need not undergo 
treatment; in such a case the egg products must 
be processed as soon as possible in the Member 
State concerned, 
— the competent authority may decide that the 
treatment of egg products is not compulsory 
where they are used without delay, in the 
establishment where they were obtained, for the 
manufacture of other foodstuffs; 
(d) they must comply with the end-product 
specifications set out in Chapter VI of the Annex; 
(e) they must have undergone a health check in 
accordance with Chapter VII of the Annex; 
(f) they must have been appropriately packed in 
accordance with Chapter VIII of the Annex; 
(g) they must be stored and transported under satis­
factory hygiene conditions in accordance with 
Chapters IX and X of the Annex; 
(h) they must bear the mark of wholesomeness provided 
for in Chapter XI of the Annex. 
Article 4 
The competent authorities of the Member States shall 
ensure that the manufacturers of egg products adopt all 
measures necessary to comply with the requirements of 
this Directive, and in particular that: 
— samples for laboratory examination are taken in 
order to check that the end-product specifications set 
out in Chapter VI of the Annex have been observed, 
— the temperatures at which the egg products must be 
transported and stored and .the period during which 
their preservation is thus assured have been 
established, 
— the results of the various checks and tests are 
recorded and kept for presentation to the competent 
authority for a period of two years, 
— each batch is given a number indicating its date and 
time of production, and in particular treatment; this 
batch number must appear on the heat treatment 
record and on the mark of wholesomeness provided 
for in Chapter XI. 
14.3.87 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 67/11 
Article 5 
1. Member States shall ensure that random checks are 
carried out on eggs and egg products to detect any 
residues of substances having a pharmacological or 
hormonal effect, and of antibiotics, pesticides, detergents 
or other substances which are harmful or liable to render 
their consumption dangerous or harmful to human 
health, where those residues exceed the permitted levels 
established pursuant to paragraph 4. 
2. If the egg products examined show traces of 
residues in excess of the permitted levels, they must not 
be allowed to be placed on the market. 
3. Tests for residues must be carried out in 
accordance with proven and scientifically recognized 
methods. 
4. The Commission, acting in accordance with the 
procedure laid down in Article 14, shall establish: 
— the detailed arrangements for checks and tests, 
— the permitted levels for residues, 
— the intervals at which samples are to be taken. 
5. The Commission, acting in accordance with the 
procedure laid down in Article 15, shall establish: 
— the reference methods for evaluating the results of 
the tests for residues, 
— the list of reference laboratories in the Community. 
Article 6 
1. Member States shall draw up a list of their 
approved establishments, each of which shall have an 
official number. Member States shall forward this list to 
the other Member States and to the Commission. 
2. The inspection and monitoring of establishments 
shall be carried out regularly on the responsibility of the 
competent authority, which shall at all times have free 
access to all parts of the establishments, in order to 
ensure that this Directive is being observed. 
If such inspections reveal that not all the requirements of 
this Directive are being met the competent authority 
shall take the appropriate action. 
Article 7 
1. Experts from the Commission may, in cooperation 
with the competent authorities of the Member States, 
make on-the-spot checks in so far as is necessary to 
ensure the uniform application of this Directive. They may check whether establishments are in effect 
complying with this Directive, and in particular the 
Annex thereto. The Commission shall inform the 
Member States of the results of such checks. 
A Member State in whose territory a check is being 
carried out shall give all necessary assistance to the 
experts in carrying out their duties. 
General provisions for the application of this Article shall 
be determined in accordance with the procedure laid 
down in Article 14. 
2. The Member State concerned shall take all 
measures necessary to take account of the results of the 
checks referred to in paragraph 1. If the Member State 
fails to take those measures, the Commission may, in 
accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 13, 
prohibit the placing on the market of egg products 
coming from the establishment which no longer complies 
with the provisions of this Directive. 
Article 8 
1. Without prejudice to Article 6 and 7, the country 
of destination may, where there are serious grounds for 
suspecting that there are irregularities, carry out non­
discriminatory inspections of egg products which are the 
subject of intra-Community trade in order to check that 
a consignment meets the requirements of this Directive. 
2. The inspections referred to in paragraph 1 shall be 
carried out at the place of destination of the goods or at 
another suitable place, provided that in the latter case the 
choice of the place interferes as little as possible with the 
routing of the goods. Inspections may not be carried out 
at or because of the crossing of internal Community 
frontiers. 
Such inspections may not delay unduly the placing of 
egg products on the market, or cause delays which might 
impair their quality. 
3. If, during an inspection carried out in accordance 
with paragraphs 1 and 2 above, it is found that the egg 
products do not comply with this Directive, the 
competent authority may give the consignor, the 
consignee or their representative the choice of 
withdrawing the consignment from the market in order 
that it may undergo further treatment or of using it for 
other purposes if this is permissible on health grounds. If 
not, one of the choices offered must be the destruction 
of the egg products. In any event, precautionary 
measures shall be taken by the competent authority to 
prevent improper use of such egg products. 
4. (a) Decisions and the grounds for taking them must 
be notified to the consignor, the consignee or 
their representative. Should such person so 
request, reasons must be given for such decisions 
and must be notified to him immediately in 
writing together with particulars of the remedies 
available to him under the law, their forms and 
the time limits within which action must be taken. 
Remedies available to the consignor, the 
No C 67/12 Official Journal of the European Communities 14.3.87 
consignee or their representative shall not be 
affected by this Directive. 
(b) If such decisions are based on the existence of a 
particularly serious risk to human health, they 
shall be communicated forthwith to the 
Commission or, where appropriate, to the 
competent authority of the Member State of 
dispatch. 
(c) Following such communication, appropriate 
measures may be taken in accordance with the 
procedure laid down in Article 13, in particular 
for the purpose of coordinating the measures 
taken in other Member States with regard to the 
egg products concerned. 
5. Member States shall grant consignors whose egg 
products may not be placed on the market as a result of 
an inspection as provided for in paragraph 1 the right to 
obtain an expert's opinion. 
The expert must be a national of a Member State other 
than the country of dispatch or the country of 
destination. 
The Commission, acting on a proposal from the Member 
States, shall draw up a list of experts who may be 
instructed to prepare such opinions. It shall, in 
accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 14, 
determine detailed rules for the application of this 
paragraph. 
Article 9 
Where a Member State considers, after carrying out an 
inspection in accordance with Article 8, that the 
provisions of this Directive are no longer being observed 
in an establishment in another Member State, it shall so 
inform the competent central authority of that State. The 
latter shall take all necessary measures and notify the 
competent central authority of the former Member State 
of the decisions taken and of the reasons for such 
decisions. 
If the former Member State fears that such measures 
have not been taken or are inadequate, the two Member 
States shall together seek ways and means of remedying 
the situation, if necessary by means of an inspection visit 
of the establishment. 
The Member States shall inform the Commission of 
disputes and of the solutions reached. 
If the Member States are unable to reach agreement, one 
of them shall refer the matter within a reasonable period 
to the Commission, which shall instruct one or more 
experts to deliver an opinion. 
Pending that opinion, the Member State of dispatch shall 
intensify checks on egg products coming from the 
establishment in question and, at the request of the 
Member State of destination, the Commission shall 
immediately instruct an expert to go to the consignor 
establishment in order to propose appropriate interim 
protective measures. In the light of the opinion provided for in the fourth 
subparagraph or the result of the check performed in 
accordance with Article 7 (1), Member States may be 
authorized, under the procedure laid down in Article 13, 
temporarily to deny access to their territory for egg 
products coming from that establishment. 
Such authorization may be withdrawn under the 
procedure laid down in Article 13 on the basis of a 
further opinion delivered by one or more experts. 
The experts shall be nationals of a Member State other 
than those involved in the dispute. 
Detailed rules for the application of this Article shall be 
adopted in accordance with the procedure laid down in 
Article 14. 
Article 10 
The Annexes to this Directive shall be amended in 
accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 14. 
Article 11 
1. National provisions governing imports of egg 
products from third countries shall not be more 
favourable than those governing intra-Community trade. 
2. Pending the adoption of Community rules relating 
to third countries, on-the-spot inspections shall be 
carried out by experts from the Member States and the 
Commission. Member States' experts instructed to carry 
out these inspections shall be appointed by the 
Commission on proposals from the Member States. 
Inspections shall be carried out on behalf of the 
Community, which shall bear the costs relating thereto. 
3. A list of the establishments which meet the 
requirements set out in the Annex shall be drawn up in 
accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 15. 
4. The health certificate accompanying the products 
on importation and the form and nature of the mark of 
wholesomeness applied to the products shall correspond 
to a model to be determined in accordance with the 
procedure laid down in Article 14. 
Article 12 
Without prejudice to Community rules concerning 
permitted additives in foodstuffs, the use of additives in 
egg products and the detailed rules for their use shall 
continue to be subject to national law. 
Article 13 
1. Where the procedure laid down in this Article is to 
be applied, the matter shall be referred fortwith to the 
Standing Veterinary Committee set up by the Council 
Decision of 15 October 1968 (hereinafter called 'the 
Committee') by its Chairman on his initiative or at the 
request of a Member State. 
14. 3. 87 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 67/13 
2. Within the Committee, Member States' votes shall 
be weighted as provided for in Article 148 (2) of the 
Treaty. The Chairman shall not vote. 
3. The Commission representative 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 54 votes. 
4. Where the measures are in conformity with the 
opinion of the Committee the Commission shall adopt 
and implement them immediately. Where they are not in 
conformity 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 working days from the date on which a 
matter is referred to it, the Council has not adopted any 
measures, the Commission shall adopt the proposed 
measures and implement them immediately. 
Article 14 
1. Where the procedure laid down in this Article is to 
be applied, the Chairman shall refer the matter without 
delay on his own initiative or at the request of a Member 
State to the Committee. 
2. Within the Committee, Member States' votes shall 
be weighted as provided for in Article 148 (2) of the 
Treaty. The Chairman shall not vote. 
3. The Commission representative shall submit a draft 
of the measures to be adopted. The Committee shall 
deliver its opinion on such measures within a period to 
be determined by the Chairman in relation to the urgency of the matter to be considered. Opinions shall 
be delivered by a majority of 54 votes. 
4. Where the measures are in conformity with the 
opinion of the Committee, the Commission shall adopt 
and apply them immediately. Where they are not in 
conformity 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 three months from the date on which the 
proposal was submitted to it, the Council has not 
adopted any measures, the Commission shall adopt the 
proposed measures and apply them immediately. 
Article 15 
Where the procedure laid down in this Article is to be 
followed, the Committee shall consider the matter on the 
basis of a request for an opinion made by the 
Commission. When requesting the Committee's opinion 
the Commission may set a time limit within which the 
opinion must be delivered. 
The Committee's deliberations shall not be followed by a 
vote. However, each member of the Committee may 
require its opinion to be written into the minutes. 
Article 16 
Member States shall bring into force the laws, regu­
lations and administrative provisions necessary to comply 
with this Directive not later than 1 January 1988. They 
shall inform the Commission thereof forthwith. 
Article 17 
This Directive is addressed to the Member States. 
ANNEX 
CHAPTER I 
GENERAL CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL 
Establishments must possess at least: 
1. in areas where egg products are manufactured or stored: 
(a) flooring which is easy to clean and disinfect and laid in such a way as to facilitate the flow of 
liquids; 
(b) smooth, durable, impermeable walls, with a light-coloured, washable covering up to a height of at 
least two metres in areas where egg products are worked on; wall-to-floor junctions must be 
finished in such a way as to facilitate cleaning; 
(c) doors in material that does not deteriorate and, if of wood, with a smooth and impermeable 
covering on both sides; 
No C 67/14 Official Journal of the European Communities 14.3.87 
(d) ceilings which are easy to clean and which have been built and finished in such a way as to prevent 
the accumulation of dirt and the formation of mould, the possible peeling of paintwork and the 
condensation of water vapour; 
(e) adequate ventilation and, if necessary, good steam extraction; 
(f) adequate natural or artificial lighting; 
(g) as near as possible to the work stations an adequate number of facilities for the cleaning and 
disinfecting of hands and the cleaning of equipment with hot water; taps must not be hand-
operable; for the cleaning of hands, these facilities must be provided with hot and cold running 
water or water premixed to a suitable temperature, cleaning and disinfecting products, and hand 
towels which can be used once only; 
2. an appropriate number of changing-rooms, with smooth, impermeable and washable walls and floors, 
wash basins and flush lavatories. The latter must not give directly on to the work area; wash basins must 
have hot and cold running water or water premixed to a suitable temperature, materials for cleaning and 
disinfecting the hands, and hand towels which can be used once only; wash basin taps must not be 
hand-operable; there must be a sufficent number of wash basins close to the lavatories; 
3. a special area and adequate facilities for cleaning and disinfecting containers and tanks; however, this 
area and facilities shall not be required if there are compulsory provisions for the cleaning and 
disinfecting of containers and tanks at other centres situated close to the establishment; 
4. facilities for the supply of exclusively potable water within the meaning of Council Directive 
80/778/EEC of 15 July 1980 relating the quality of water intended for human consumption ('). 
However, facilities supplying non-potable water are authorized for steam-production, fire-fighting and 
the cooling of refrigeration equipment, provided that the pipes installed for this purpose preclude the 
use of such water for other purposes and present no risk of contamination to the egg products. The 
steam and water concerned may not come into contact with the egg products or be used for cleaning or 
disinfecting containers, plant or equipment which come into contact with the egg products. Pipes 
carrying non-potable water must be clearly distinguished from those carrying potable water; 
5. appropriate equipment for protection against pests such as insects and rodents; 
6. equipment, couplings and instruments or their surfaces which are intended to come into contact with 
egg products must be made of smooth material which is easy to wash, clean and disinfect, resists 
corrosion and does not transfer substances to the egg products in such quantities as to endanger human 
health, cause deterioration in the composition of the egg products or adversely affect their organoleptic 
characteristics. 
CHAPTER II 
SPECIAL CONDITIONS FOR THE APPROVAL OF ESTABLISHMENTS 
In addition to the general conditions laid down in Chapter I, establishments must have at least: 
1. suitable rooms large enough for the separate storage of the eggs and the finished egg products, where 
necessary, with refrigeration equipment to keep the egg products at the appropriate temperatures; cold 
stores must be equipped with a thermometer or a remote recording thermometer; 
2. where soiled eggs are used, facilities for washing and disinfecting the eggs; a list of products auth­
orized for performing this disinfection shall be drawn up in accordance with the procedure laid down 
in Article 14; 
3. where necessary, suitable equipment for handling eggs; 
(') OJ No L 229, 30. 8. 1980, p. 11. 
14.3.87 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 67/15 
4. a room with hygienic facilities for breaking eggs and collecting the eggs' contents and for further 
processing; 
5. suitable facilities for in-plant conveying of egg contents; 
6. in the cases provided for in this Directive, equipment approved by the competent authority for the 
treatment of egg products, fitted at least with: 
(a) automatic temperature control, 
(b) a recording thermometer; 
7. a room for the storage of ingredients; 
8. where the products are packed in disposable containers, an area for the storage of such containers and 
the raw materials intended for their manufacture; 
where the products are packed in re-usable containers, a special area for their storage and equipment 
designed to clean and disinfect them mechanically; 
9. facilities for the immediate removal and separate storage of empty shells, and of eggs and egg products 
which are unfit for human consumption; 
10. suitable equipment for the packaging of egg products; 
11. the establishment must have its own laboratory or secure the services of a laboratory equipped with the 
necessary facilities for carrying out the analyses and tests on raw materials and egg products provided 
for in this Directive; 
12. where required, suitable equipment for the thawing of frozen egg products which must undergo 
treatment and further handling in an approved establishment. 
CHAPTER III 
HYGIENE REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO THE PREMISES, EQUIPMENT AND STAFF OF 
ESTABLISHMENTS 
The highest degree of cleanliness shall be required of staff, premises and equipment: 
1. staff who treat or handle eggs and egg products must in particular wear clean working clothes and 
headgear; 
they must also have clean hands; it shall be forbidden to smoke, eat, spit or chew in areas where eggs 
and egg products are handled and stored; 
2. no animals may enter the establishments. Any rodents, insects or other vermin found must be 
systematically destroyed; 
3. premises, equipment and instruments used for working on egg products shall be kept clean and in a 
good state of repair. Equipment and instruments must be carefully cleaned and disinfected several times 
during the working day, at the end of the day's work and before being re-used where they have been 
soiled; closed pipe-line systems for conveying egg products must be provided with an appropriate 
cleaning system which ensures their cleaning and disinfection in all parts; after having been cleaned and 
disinfected, pipes must be rinsed out with potable water; 
4. premises, instruments and equipment must not be used for purposes other than the processing of egg 
products except the processing of other foodstuffs either simultaneously or at different times after the 
authorization of the competent authority has been obtained, provided that all appropriate measures are 
taken to prevent contamination of or adverse changes in the products covered by this Directive; the 
preparation of egg products not intended for human consumption shall be carried out entirely separately 
from the preparation of the egg products covered by this Directive; 
5. 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 and present no danger of contamination of eggs or egg products. In addition, 
non-potable water pipes must be clearly distinguished from pipes used for potable water; 
6. detergents, disinfectants and similar substances must be used in such a way that instruments, equipment 
and egg products are not adversely affected. Their use must be followed by thorough rinsing of such 
instruments and equipment with potable water; 
7. any person who is a possible source of contamination, in particular through pathogenic agents, shall be 
prohibited from working with or handling eggs or egg products; 
No C 67/16 Official Journal of the European Communities 14.3.87 
8. any person employed to work with or handle eggs or egg products shall be required to show by a 
medical certificate that there is no reason why he or she should not engage in such work. The medical 
certificate shall be renewed yearly unless another staff medical check-up scheme offering equivalent 
guarantess is recognized in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 14. 
CHAPTER IV 
REQUIREMENTS CONCERNING EGGS INTENDED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF EGG 
PRODUCTS 
1. Eggs used for the manufacture of egg products must be put up in packaging materials which are not 
capable of transmitting to them substances harmful to human health; packaging material intended to be 
re-used must be easily cleaned; it shall be cleaned regularly and kept in good condition. 
2. (a) For the manufacture of egg products, only non-incubated eggs which are fit for human 
consumption may be used; their shells must be fully developed and contain no breaks; 
(b) by way of derogation from (a), cracked eggs may be used for the manufacture of egg products 
provided they are delivered directly from the packing centres and the farm of production to an 
approved establishment, where they shall be broken as quickly as possible; 
(c) by way of derogation from (a), eggs which have accidentally been broken at the farm of production 
or at the packing centre may be used for the manufacture of egg products; the egg contents must be 
obtained under the best possible hygiene conditions, and in particular: 
— the egg contents must be immediately separated from the shell after accidental breakages, 
— containers must be of a material which does not deteriorate and it must be possible to close 
them; they must be cleaned, disinfected and rinsed before being filled, 
— egg contents must be deep frozen immediately after they have been collected, 
— egg contents must be transported to an approved establishment under the conditions laid down 
in this Directive, 
— egg contents must undergo treatment at an approved establishment; 
3. eggs and egg products which are unfit for human consumption shall be removed and denatured in such 
a way that they cannot be re-used for human consumption; they shall immediately be placed in the 
room provided for in Chapter II, point 9. 
The denaturing of egg products shall be carried out in accordance with the rules laid down in 
Commission Regulation (EEC) No 2696/77 of 7 December 1977 determining the conditions of entry of 
goods under subheadings 04.05 B II, 11.04 ex B I and C I, 25.01 A II a) and 35.02 A I of the Common 
Customs Tariff. 
CHAPTER V 
SPECIAL HYGIENE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF EGG PRODUCTS 
All operations shall be carried out in such a way as to avoid all contamination during the production, 
handling and storage of egg products, and in particular: 
1. eggs and egg products presented for subsequent treatment at an approved establishment shall be stored 
immediately on arrival in the rooms provided for in Chapter II, point 1 until they are processed; the 
temperature of these rooms shall be such as to ensure that they are not contaminated; trays of shell 
eggs shall not be placed directly on the floor; 
2. eggs shall be unpacked, and if necessary washed and disinfected, in a room which is separate from the 
breaking room; packaging material shall not be taken into the breaking room; 
3. eggs shall be broken in the room provided for in Chapter II, point 4; cracked eggs as mentioned in 
Chapter IV, point 2 (b) shall be processed without delay; 
14.3.87 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 67/17 
4. dirty eggs shall be cleaned before being broken; this shall be carried out in a room which is separate 
from the breaking room or from any room where exposed egg contents are handled; cleaning pro­
cedures shall be such as to prevent contamination or adulteration of the egg contents; shells must be 
sufficiently dry at the time of breaking to prevent adulteration of the egg contents by the remains of 
the cleaning water; 
5. eggs other than hen eggs or those of turkeys or guineafowl shall be handled and processed separately; 
all equipment shall be cleaned and disinfected when processing of hen eggs and those of turkeys and 
guineafowl is resumed; 
6. breaking, whatever procedure is used, shall be carried out in such a way as to avoid as far as possible 
contamination of the egg contents. The breaking of eggs in bulk in prohibited. The remains of shells or 
membranes must be kept out of the egg product as far as possible and must not exceed the quantity 
specified in Chapter VI, point 4; 
7. after breaking, each particle of egg product shall undergo treatment as quickly as possible, heat 
treatment shall consist of treating the egg product at an appropriate temperature for an appropriate 
period in order to eliminate any pathogenic organisms present; during heat treatment, temperatures 
must be registered continuously; the records of each batch having undergone treatment shall be kept at 
the disposal of the competent authority; a batch which has been insufficiently treated shall undergo 
treatment again if it is intended for human consumption; 
8. if treatment is not carried out immediately after breaking, the egg contents must be stored under 
satisfactory hygiene conditions, either frozen or at a temperature of not more than 4 °C. The storage 
period at 4 °C shall not exceed 48 hours; 
9. egg products from an approved establishment may undergo treatment at another approved 
establishment provided the following conditions are met: 
(a) as soon as they have been obtained, they must be deep frozen or chilled to a temperature of not 
more than 4 °C; in the latter case, they shall be treated at their place of destination within 48 
hours of the breaking of the eggs from which they were obtained; 
(b) they must be packaged, transported and handled in accordance with the requirements of this 
Directive; 
(c) they must be labelled in accordance with the requirements laid down in Chapter XI; the nature of 
the goods shall be indicated as follows: 
'non-pasteurized egg products — to be treated at place of destination'. 
10. further processing operations after treatment shall ensure that there is no recontamination of the egg 
product; liquid products or concentrated products which have not been stabilized so as to keep at 
room temperature shall be cooled to a temperature not exceeding 4 °C; products for freezing shall be 
frozen immediately after treatment; 
11. egg products shall be kept at the temperatures required by this Directive until they are used for the 
manufacture of other foodstuffs. 
CHAPTER VI 
END-PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS 
1. Each batch of egg products shall undergo a microbiological check in order to ensure that it meets the 
microbiological criteria laid down in this paragraph: 
(a) salmonellae: absence in 25 g or ml of egg product; n = 10, c = 0, m = 0; 
(b) other criteria: 
mesophilic aerobic bacteria: n = 5, c = 2, m = 104, M = 10s, in 1 g or 1 ml; 
enterobacteriaceae:n = 5, c = 2; m = 10, M = 102 in 1 g or 1 ml; 
where 
n = number of sample units comprising the sample; 
m = threshold value for the number of bacteria; the result is considered satisfactory if the number 
of bacteria in all sample units does not exceed m; 
No C 67/18 Official Journal of the European Communities 14. 3. 87 
M = maximum value for the number of bacteria; the result is considered unsatisfactory if the 
number of bacteria in one or more sample units is M or more; 
c = number of sample units the bacterial count of which may be between m and M, the sample 
still being considered acceptable if the bacterial count of the other sample units is m or less. 
2. The concentration of 3 OH-butyric acid shall not exceed 10 mg/kg in the dry matter of the unmodified 
egg product. 
3. In order to ensure the hygienic handling of eggs and egg products before treatment, the following 
standards shall apply: 
(a) the lactic acid content shall not exceed 1 000 mg/kg of egg product dry matter (applicable only to 
the untreated product); 
(b) the succinic acid content shall not exceed 25 mg/kg of egg product dry matter. 
4. The quantity of eggshell remains, egg membrane and any other particles in the egg product shall not 
exceed 100 mg/kg of egg product. 
The methods and, where necessary, sampling plans and analytical tolerances to be applied in order to 
check compliance with the criteria laid down in this Chapter shall be established in accordance with the 
procedure laid down in Article 15. 
CHAPTER VII 
HEALTH CONTROL AND SUPERVISION OF PRODUCTION 
1. Establishments shall be subject to supervision by the competent authority. 
Supervision by the competent authority shall include any supervision measures considered necessary to 
ensure that manufacturers of egg products meet the requirements of this Directive, and in particular: 
— inspection of the register of the origin and destination of eggs and egg products and of the register 
referred to in the third indent of Article 4, 
— health inspection of eggs for the manufacture of egg products, 
— inspection of egg products on dispatch from the establishment, 
— verification of the cleanliness of the premises, facilities and instruments and of staff hygiene, 
— taking of any samples required for laboratory tests to ensure that eggs and egg products comply with 
the requirements of this Directive; the results of such tests shall be entered in a register and notified 
to the egg products manufacturer. 
2. At the request of the competent authority, manufacturers of egg products shall increase the frequency of 
the laboratory tests referred to in the first indent of Article 4 where this is considered necessary to 
ensure hygienic production of the egg products. 
CHAPTER VIII 
PACKAGING OF EGG PRODUCTS 
1. Egg products shall be put up in satisfactory hygiene conditions so as to ensure that they are not 
contaminated. 
Containers must comply with all rules of hygiene, including the following: 
— they must not be such as to impair the organoleptic characteristics of the egg products, 
— they must not be capable of transmitting to the egg products substances harmful to human health, 
— they must be strong enough to protect the egg products adequately. 
14. 3. 87 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 67/19 
2. The room in which containers are stored must be dust and vermin free; materials for making disposable 
containers must not be stored on the floor. 
3. Containers used for egg products must be cleaned prior to being filled; re-usable containers must be 
cleaned, disinfected and rinsed before being filled. 
4. Containers must be brought into the work room in a hygienic manner and must be used without undue 
delay. 
5. Immediately after packaging, the containers must be closed and placed in the storage rooms referred to 
in Chapter II. 
6. Containers intended for egg products may be used for other foodstuffs if required, provided the egg 
products are not contaminated. 
7. Containers which are to be used for the transport of egg products in bulk must comply with all the rules 
of hygiene, and in particular the following: 
— their inside surfaces and any other part which come into contact with the egg product must be made 
of a smooth material which is easy to wash, clean and disinfect, resists corrosion and does not 
transfer substances to the egg product in such quantities as to endanger human health, cause deteri­
oration in the composition of the egg product or adversely affect its organoleptic characteristics, 
— they must be designed so that the egg product can be removed completely; if they are fitted with 
taps, these must be easy to remove, dismantle, wash, clean and disinfect, 
— they must be washed, cleaned, disinfected and rinsed immediately after each use and, if necessary, 
before re-use, 
— they must be appropriately sealed after being filled and remain sealed during transportation until 
they are used, 
— they may be used to transport other food products, provided there are no adverse effects for the egg 
products. 
CHAPTER IX 
Storage 
1. Egg products must be stored in the storage rooms referred to in Chapter II, point 1. 
2. Egg products for which certain storage temperatures are required must be maintained at those temper­
atures; the storage temperatures must be recorded, the cooling rate must be such that the product 
reaches the required temperatures as quickly as possible and the containers must be stored in such a way 
that air can freely circulate round them. 
CHAPTER X 
TRANSPORT 
1. Vehicles and containers for the transport of egg products must be designed and equipped in such a way 
that the temperatures required by this Directive can be maintained throughout the period of transport. 
2. Egg products must be dispatched in such a way that they are adequately protected during transportation 
from anything which may be detrimental to them. 
No C 67/20 Official Journal of the European Communities 14. 3. 87 
CHAPTER XI 
MARKING OF EGG PRODUCTS 
Each consignment of egg products leaving the establishment shall bear a label containing the following 
particulars: 
(a) the nature of the products with an indication of the species of origin; 
(b) the official number of the establishment; 
(c) the initials of the producing country, i.e. 
B — D — DK — F — GR — I — IRL — L — NL — P — SP — UK; 
(d) one of the following sets of initials: CEE — EEG — EWG — EEC — E0F or EOK; 
(e) the temperature at which the egg products must be maintained and the period during which their 
preservation may thus be assured; 
(f) the batch number; 
(g) the place of destination. 
The label must be legible, indelible and in easily decipherable characters at least 2 cm high. 
During transportation the particulars referred to under (a), (e), (f) and (g) need not appear on the label if 
they are shown clearly in the transportation documents. 
Information contained in the mark of wholesomeness shall be given in the official language or languages of 
the country of destination. 
Proposoal for a Council Regulation (EEC) amending Regulation (EEC) No 2176/84 on 
protection against dumped or subsidized imports from countries not members of the European 
Economic Community 
COM(87) 57 final 
(Submitted by the Commission to the Council on 23 February 1987) 
(87/C 67/08) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community, and in particular Article 113 
thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
Whereas experience gained from the implementation of 
Council Regulation (EEC) No 2176/84 (') has shown 
that assembly in the Community of products whose 
importation in a finished state is subject to anti-dumping 
duty may give rise to certain difficulties; 
Whereas in particular: 
— where assembly is carried out by a party which is 
related to any of the manufacturers whose exports of 
the like product are subject to an anti-dumping duty, 
and 
O OJNoL201, 30.7. 1984, p. 1. — where the value of the parts used in the assembly 
operation and originating in the country of origin of 
the product subject to an anti-dumping duty exceeds 
the value of all other parts used, 
such assembly is considered likely to lead to 
circumvention of the anti-dumping duty; 
Whereas, in order to prevent circumvention, it is 
necessary to provide for the collection of anti-dumping 
duty on products thus assembled; 
Whereas it is necessary to lay down procedures and 
conditions for the collection of duty in such circum­
stances; 
Whereas the amount of anti-dumping duty collected 
should be limited to that necessary to prevent 
circumvention,