No C 83/2 Official Journal of the European Communities 30. 3. 87 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Directive laying down the health rules for fresh meat 
and the level of the fees to be charged in respect of such meat pursuant to Directive 85/73/ 
EEC (') 
(87/C 83/02) 
On 24 November 1986 the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee under 
Articles 43 and 198 of the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community on the 
abovementioned proposal. 
The Section for Agriculture, which was responsible for preparing the Committee's work on the 
subject, adopted its Opinion on 8 January 1987, in the light of the Report by Mr Wick. 
At its 243rd Plenary Session (meeting of 28 January 1987) the Economic and Social Committee 
adopted the following Opinion unanimously. 
1. General comments 
1.1. The Committee welcomes the fact that the 
arrangements for the health inspection of fresh meat 
produced for intra-Community trade are now to apply also 
to fresh meat intended for the Member States domestic 
markets. The Committee notes that this will make it 
possible to bring about free movement of goods within the 
Community, avoid distortions of competition in respect of 
the products in question and create uniform conditions for 
protecting the health of all consumers in the Community. 
1.2. The Committee points out that the Commission 
proposal offers a chance to improve consumer protection, 
and this must be exploited to the full. The Committee 
would like to see the opportunity taken to establish a 
uniform high level of consumer protection in both intra-
Community trade and trade on the Member States 
domestic markets. This must be done without diverging 
from the high standards already established for intra-
Community trade. 
2. Specific comments 
2.1. Article 2, paragraph 1 
It is the Committee's firmly held opinion that the Member 
States must ensure that all fresh meat produced in their 
territory is inspected not only in accordance with Chapters 
V and VII but also in accordance with Chapter VI (post 
mortem health inspection) of Annex I to Directive 64/433/ 
EEC. 
(!) OJ No C 302, 27. 11. 1986, p. 4. The Committee particularly emphasizes the need to 
observe the hygiene provisions of Article 5 of Directive 64/ 
433. 
In this connection the Committee stresses that inspections 
must be ensured throughout the slaughter and cutting 
process. 
2.2. Article 2, paragraph 2 
The Committee considers it necessary to ensure that 
exceptions are allowed only in respect of slaughtering by 
the farmer for his own personal consumption and that the 
Member States do not recognize any other special cases. 
2.3. The Committee regrets that it was not called on to 
give its views on the Directive concerning the level of the 
fees referred to in Article 3. 
2.4. Article 4, paragraph 1 
The Committee calls for clarification of the expression 
'person on whose behalf the slaughter is carried out'. Does 
this mean natural and/or legal persons and does it refer to 
the bailee or the owner ? 
2.5. Article 5 
The Committee regrets that the late submission of the 
proposal (7 November 1986) made it impossible for the 
Member States to meet the deadline (31 December 1986) 
for adopting and bringing into force the laws, regulations 
and administrative provisions necessary to comply with the 
Directive. 
Done at Brussels, 28 January 1987. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Alfons MARGOT