COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
C0MC89) 490 final 
Brussels, 17 October 1989 
Proposal for a 
COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) 
laying down health rules for the production and placing on the market 
of melted animal fat, greaves and by-products of rendering for 
human consumption 
(presented by the Commission) 
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 
The Community must adopt measures aimed at establishing the internal market 
during a period expiring on 31 December 1992. The need for free movement of 
products of animal origin must be reconciled with the need to protect public 
health. 
In addition to the health rules for products of animal origin certain rules 
are proposed which are exclusively necessary for the production and placing on 
the market of melted animal fat and other products, derived by rendering of 
meat and intended for human consumption. This to ensure that the conditions 
of collections and transport of the raw materials and their rendering are such 
as to ensure the wholesomeness of the final products. 
The Commission is proposing for the applicatory decisions the Regulatory 
Committee formula. This choise is justified in this case by a desire not to 
disrupt the management process in the veterinary field. It is without 
prejudice to the Commission's preference for the Consultative Management 
formula. 
This proposal appears in the time-table in the Annex to the White Paper on 
completing the internal market. 
Proposal for a 
COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) 
laying down health rules for the production and placing on the market 
of melted animal fat, greaves and by-products 
of rendering for human consumption 
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 Parliament, 
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee, 
Whereas melted animal fats are included in the list of products in Annex II of 
the Treaty; whereas raw materials used for the production of melted animal 
fats constitute a source of income for part of the farming population; 
Whereas, in order to ensure rational development of this sector and to 
increase productivity, rules concerning public health affecting production and 
placing on the market of melted fats, and other products of rendering, must be 
laid down at Community level; 
Whereas the Community is to adopt measures designed to establish the internal 
market progressively over a period expiring on 31 December 1992; 
Whereas it is opportune to apply certain health rules already laid down in 
Council Regulation (EEC) No (products of animal origin)(l); 
whereas it is necessary to lay down additional harmonized health rules for the 
production and placing on the market of melted animal fat and other products, 
derived from rendering of animal tissues; 
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Whereas provisions should be made for procedures establishing close and 
effective cooperation between the Commission and the Member States within 
the Standing Veterinary Committee, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION : 
Article 1 
This Regulation lays down health rules for the production and placing on the 
market of melted animal fat, greaves and by-products of rendering for human 
consumption. 
Article 2 
1. The definitions laid down in Article 2 of Council Regulation (EEC) 
No (Products of animal origin) shall apply. 
2. In addition, for the purpose of this Regulation the following definitions 
shall apply : 
(a) "raw materials" : meat, including bones, obtained from animal species 
referred to in Articles 2(1) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 
(fresh meat)(2) and of Council Regulation (EEC) No (poultry 
meat)(3); 
(b) "melted animal fat" : fat melted down from raw materials; 
(c) "premier jus" ; melted animal fat obtained by rendering at low 
temperature of fresh fat of heart, caul, kidney and mesentery of bovine 
animals; 
(d) "greaves" : the protein containing residue of rendering, after partial 
separation of fat and water; 
(2) 
(3) 
V 
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(e) "by-products" : other products derived during or directly after 
rendering or derived from greaves. 
Article 3 
Melted animal fat, greaves and by-products of rendering shall satisfy the require­
ments laid down in Articles 17 and 18 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 
(products of animal origin). 
Article 4 
In addition to Article 3 melted animal fat, greaves and by-products of rendering must 
have been prepared : 
(a) in an establishment approved by the competent authority. The establish­
ment and centres for collection of raw materials must meet the require­
ments of Chapter I of the Annex; 
(b) in accordance with the additional requirements laid down in Chapter II of 
the Annex. 
Article 5 
1. Veterinary experts from the Commission may, in so far as it is necessary 
to ensure uniform application of this Regulation, make on-the-spot checks; 
they may in particular verify whether approved 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 carrying out their duties. 
The general provisions for implementing this Article shall be determined 
in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 8. 
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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 7, prohibit the placing 
on the market of products coming from an establishment which no longer 
complies with the provisions of this Regulation. 
Article 6 
The Annex to this Regulation shall be amended in accordance with the procedure 
laid down in Article 8. 
Article 7 
1. Where the procedure laid down in this Article is to be followed, matters 
shall be referred without delay by its Chairman, either on his own 
initiative or at the request of a Member State, to the Standing Veterinary 
Committee(hereinafter called "the Committee") set up by Council Decision 
68/361/EEC (A). 
2. The representative of the Commission shall submit to the Committee a draft 
of the measures to be taken. The Committee shall deliver its opinion on 
the draft within a time limit which the chairman may lay down according to 
the urgency of the matter. The opinion shall be delivered by the majority 
laid down in Article 148(2) of the Treaty in the case of decisions which 
the Council is required to adopt on a proposal from the Commission. The 
votes of the representatives of the Member States within the Committee 
shall be weighted in the manner set out in that Article. The chairman 
shall not vote. 
3. The Commission shall adopt the measures envisaged if they are in 
accordance with the opinion of the Committee. 
4. If the measures envisaged are not in accordance with the opinion of the 
Committee, or if no opinion is delivered, the Commission shall, without 
delay, submit to the Council a proposal relating to the measures to be 
taken. The Council shall act by a qualified majority. 
(4) OJ No L 255, 18.10.1968, p. 23. 
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If on the expiry of a period of fifteen days from the date of referral to 
the Council, the Council has not acted, the proposed measures shall be 
adopted by the Commission. 
Article 8 
1. Where the procedure laid down in this Article is to be followed, the 
following provisions shall apply. 
2. The representative of the Commission shall submit to the Committee a draft 
of the measures to be taken. The Committee shall deliver its opinion on 
the draft within a time limit which the chairman may lay down according to 
the urgency of the matter. The opinion shall be delivered by the majority 
laid down in Article 148(2) of the Treaty in the case of decisions which 
the Council is required to adopt on a proposal from the Commission. The 
votes of the representatives of the Member States within the Committee 
shall be weighted in the manner set out in that Article. The chairman 
shall not vote. 
3. The Commission shall adopt the measures envisaged if they are in 
accordance with the opinion of the Committee. 
4. If the measures envisaged are not in accordance with the opinion of the 
Committee, or if no opinion is delivered, the Commission shall, without 
delay, submit to the Council a proposal relating to the measures to be 
taken. The Council shall act by a qualified majority. 
If on the expiry of a period of three months from the date of referral to 
the Council, the Council has not acted, the proposed measures shall be 
adopted by the Commission. 
=) 
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Article 9 
This Regulation shall enter into force on the thirtieth day following that 
of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities. 
It shall apply from 1 January 1993. 
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in 
all Member States. 
Done at Brussels For the Council 
*> 
ANNEX 
CHAPTER I 
REQUIREMENTS FOR ESTABLISHMENTS COLLECTING OR PROCESSING RAW MATERIALS 
1. Centres for the collection of raw materials and further transport to 
processing establishments shall satisfy the general requirements, laid 
down in the Annex, Chapter I, of Council Regulation (EEC) No 
(Products of animal origin) and shall be provided with a cold store to 
store raw materials at an internal temperature of 7°C or less, unless the 
raw materials are collected and rendered within the time limits laid down 
in Chapter II. 
2. The processing establishment must have at least : 
(a) a cold store, unless the raw materials are collected and rendered 
within the time limits laid down in Chapter 11(3); 
(b) a room or place to receive raw materials; 
(c) an installation to facilitate the visual inspection of raw materials; 
(d) if appropriate, an installation to crush raw materials; 
(e) equipment for the rendering of raw materials by heat or pressure or 
other appropriate method; 
(f) containers or tanks in which the fat can be kept in liquid state; 
(g) apparatus for plastification or crystallisation of the fat to 
facilitate market preparation and packaging, unless the establishment 
dispatches liquid melted animal fat only; 
(h) a dispatch room, unless the establishment dispatches melted animal fat 
only by means of tankers; 
(i) water-tight containers for the disposal of raw materials, not fit for 
human consumption; 
(j) if appropriate, suitable equipment for the preparation of products 
consisting of melted animal fat, together with other foodstuffs and/or 
seasonings ; 
(k) in case the greaves are used for human consumption, suitable 
facilities ensuring hygienic collection, wrapping and packaging. 
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CHAPTER II 
ADDITIONAL HYGIENE REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO THE PREPARATION 
OF MELTED ANIMAL FAT, GREAVES AND BY-PRODUCTS 
1. Raw materials shall originate from animals which were after ante and 
postmortem inspection found fit for human consumption. 
2. The raw materials shall consist of adipose tissues or bones found fit for 
human consumption and which are reasonably free from blood and impurities. 
It must not show signs of deterioration and must be obtained under hygienic 
circumstances. 
3. (a) For the preparation of melted animal fat, only adipose tissues or 
bones, collected at slaughterhouses, cutting plants or meat processing 
establishments shall be used. Raw materials shall be transported and 
stored until rendering in hygienic conditions and at an internal 
temperature of 7°C or less; 
(b) by way of derogation from (a) raw materials may be stored and 
transported unrefrigerated provided that they are rendered within 12 
hours after the day of slaughter. 
(c) by way of derogation from (a) raw materials, collected at retail shops, 
or in premises adjecent to sales points, where the cutting and the 
storage of meat or poultry meat is performed for the only purpose of 
supplying the final consumers directly, may be used for the preparation 
of melted animal fat, provided they are in satisfactory hygienic 
condition and properly packed. When collected daily the temperature 
requirements laid down in (a) and (b) must be respected. 
If the raw materials are not collected daily it must be refrigerated 
immediately after it has been obtained. 
4. Vehicles and containers for the collection and transport of raw materials 
must have smooth internal surfaces, easy to wash, clean and disinfect and 
vehicles must be adequately covered. Vehicles for refrigerated transport 
must have been designed in such a way that the temperature required can be 
maintained throughout the period of transport. 
4o 
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5. Before rendering raw materials shall be inspected on the presence of meat, 
unfit for human consumption, or extraneous matters. When present these 
must be removed. 
6. Raw materials shall be rendered by heat, pressure or other appropriate 
method, followed by a separation of the fat by décantation, centrifugation 
or filtration. The use of dissolvents is prohibited. 
7. Melted animal fat, which is prepared in accordance with points (1), (2), 
(3), (5) and (6) of this Chapter may be refined in the same or another 
establishment to improve its physico-chemical quality when the fat for 
refining satisfies the standard laid down in paragraph 8. 
AA 
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8. Melted animal fat, depending the type, shall meet the following standard: 
:FFA(m/m% oleic! 
:acid) max 
:Peroxyd max : 
:Moisture and 
:impurities 
:Odour, taste, 
:colour BOVINES : 
Edible Tallow 
.Premier: 
: jus : 
:0.75 : 
:4meq/ 
: kg : Other 
:1.25 
'4 meq/kg : Tallow , 
: for : 
: Refining : 
3,0 ! 
: 6 meq/kg : PIGS 
Edible Lard : 
: 0,75 : 
4 meq/kg 
max 0,5% 
normal Lard for : 
Refining : 
2,0 
: 6 meq/kg OTHER ANIMAL FAT 
Edible : 
1.25 
:4 meq/kg For 
.Refining 
: 3,00 
:10 meq/kg 
9. Greaves, intended for human consumption, shall be stored 
(i) when rendered at a temperature of 70°C or less : at a temperature of less than 7*C 
for a period not exceeding 24 hours or at -18°C or less; 
(ii) when rendered at a temperature of more than 70°C and the greaves have a moisture 
content of 10% (m/m) or more : at a temperature of less than 7°C for a period not 
exceeding 48 hours or at -18°C or less; 
(iii) when rendered at a temperature of more than 70°C and the greaves have a moisture 
content of less than 10% (m/m) : no specific requirement. 
-1Z 
FINANCIAL STATEMENT 
Concerning: Draft proposal for a Council Regulation laying down health rules for the 
production and placing on the sarket of animal fat, greaves and by-products of 
rendering for husan consumption. 
1. Budget heading 
III B I tew 
382 Title 
Inspection In Agriculture 
2. Legal basis 
Article 43 of the Treaty 
3. Classification : Non-coipuIsory expenditure 
4. Purpose / description of the weasure 
Verification of the application of the Regulation (Art. 10) 
5. Method of calculation 
5.1. Fori of expenditure : Mission expenses 
5.2. Coiwunlty contribution : 100 % 
5.3. Calculation 
200 wlssion days per year at ECU 170 per day (current cost of inspections) 
ECU 34,000 per year. 
6. Financial lip Heat Ion as regards operating appropriations 
6.1. Schedule of 
Year appropriations 
C.A. / P.A. (ECU si 11 ion) 
1991 
1992 
1993 
1994 
1995 
Following years 
Total 0,034 
0,034 
0,034 
0.102 
6.2. Financing during current year : NIL 
Observations : 
This proposai also calls for one additional A7/6 post. 
The Budget Coiilttee will decide under which Itew this expenditure will be charged 
when the 1990 draft budget Is drawn up. 
13 

ISSN 0254-1475 
COM(89) 490 final 
DOCUMENTS 
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Catalogue number : CB-CO-89-456-EN-C 
ISBN 92-77-53665-9 
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