No C 97/12 Official Journal of the European Communities 29.4.81 
Proposal for a Council Directive amending Directive 71/118/EEC on health problems 
affecting trade in fresh poultrymeat 
(Submitted by the Commission to the Council on 19 March 1981) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN 
COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the 
European Economic Community, and in particular 
Article 43 thereof, HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE: 
Article 1 
Directive 71/118/EEC is hereby amended as follows: 
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, in view of the differences obtaining in the 
Member States as regards the practical application of 
Council Directive 71/118/EEC ('), as last amended 
by Directive 80/216/EEC (2), in connection with 
health inspection and health controls, it is necessary 
to incorporate into the present text certain additional 
standards; 
Whereas, given the introduction of the new 
provisions concerning health controls and inspections 
and in view of the fact that in certain Member States 
the production of drawn poultrymeat is still 
important, the date on which the derogation relating 
to slaughter and evisceration comes to an end should 
be postponed; 
Whereas, to prevent major disparities such as might 
distort competition, the systems for financing the 
costs of health controls and inspection should be 
standardized; 
Whereas a procedure ensuring close cooperation 
between the Member States and the Commission 
should be set up for taking decisions relating in 
particular to the changes of the maximum number of 
birds which may be inspected in one hour by one 
veterinarian or by one assistant, 
(') OJNoL55, 8. 3. 1971, p. 23. 
O OJ No L47, 21. 2. 1980, p. 8. 1. The following paragraph is inserted in Article 4: 
'1 a) The number of official veterinarians and 
assistants employed in each establishment 
must be sufficient to ensure that all the 
supervisory and inspection requirements of 
this Directive are met, in particular the ante-
and post-mortem inspection requirements of 
Chapters IV and VI of Annex I. 
The time provided for post-mortem 
inspection of each bird must be sufficient to 
ensure effective inspection in accordance 
with the requirements of Chapter VI of 
Annex I; in particular sufficient time must be 
allowed to permit inspection of all parts of 
each bird. In all cases the number of birds 
which may be inspected by one person 
designated for the purpose may not exceed 
the relevant figure indicated in paragraph 
31a of Chapter VI of Annex I. Ip may be 
decided, if necessary, to amend or extend the 
provisions of paragraph 31a of Chapter VI in 
accordance with the procedure laid down in 
Article 12a, in order to take account of 
changes in the health status of poultry in the 
Community and of technical progress. 
At least whilst slaughter is taking place, the 
official veterinarian mentioned in paragraph 
1 must be present in the slaughterhouse. 
However, in accordance with the procedure 
laid down in Article 12a, special provisions 
may be adopted as regards the presence of 
the official veterinarian during slaughterings 
for slaughterhouses having a slaughter 
capacity not exceeding 1 500 poultry per 
day.' 
2. The following paragraph is added to Article 4: 
'4. All costs resulting from the inspections and 
health controls provided for in paragraph 1, 
including those resulting from the inspections and 
29.4.81 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 97/13 
the controls carried out in the slaughterhouses 
referred to in the second sentence of the third 
subparagraph of paragraph la, shall be charged at 
a standard rate to the product without 
reimbursement from public funds.' 
3. In the first sentence of Article 5a, the phrase 
'particularly those of Chapters I, II and III of 
Annex Y is replaced by the phrase 'particularly 
those of Chapters I, II, III, IV and VI of Annex I'. 
4. In Article 16a (a): 
— in the third indent, '15 August 1981' is replaced 
by'15 August 1986', 
— the following text is added after the last 
sentence of the final indent: 
'Furthermore, they shall send to the 
Commission each year a report on any changes 
in their country as regards derogations relating 
to slaughtering and evisceration; this report 
should reflect the gradual decline in the 
number of slaughterhouses benefiting from the 
derogation, the aim being to arrive at the 
application, not later than 15 August 1986, of 
the provisions of the Directive on slaughtering 
and evisceration to all slaughterhouses 
throughout their country.' 
5. In Chapter V of Annex I, paragraph 23 is 
amended as follows: 
— in the third sentence, 'heart' is inserted after 
'liver', 
— the following is inserted at the end of the third 
sentence: 'If the viscera are detached, it must 
be possible to identify the caracase to which 
they belong, and they must remain in close 
proximity to the carcase until the completion of 
inspection.' 
6. Chapter VI is replaced by the following: 
'CHAPTER VI 
Post-Mortem Inspection 
29. All parts of the bird must be inspected 
immediately after slaughter. 
30. The post-mortem inspection must include: 
(a) visual inspection of the slaughtered bird; 
in particular the examination of: 
— the outer surface of the carcase 
including head and legs, — the viscera; intestines, proventriculus, 
gizzards, liver, spleen, heart, lungs, 
kidneys and, where applicable, 
testicles, ovaries and oviduct, 
— the cavities of the carcase; 
(b) where necessary, palpation and incision of 
the slaughtered bird, 
(c) investigation of abnormalities in 
consistency, colour, smell and, where 
appropriate, taste, 
(d) where necessary, laboratory tests. 
31. The post-mortem inspection must be carried 
out in suitable light; there must be adequate 
space for the post-mortem inspection. 
(a) As regards post mortem inspection, the 
number of birds that may be inspected by 
one officially designated person shall not 
exceed the following figures: 
— 1 200 per hour in the case of table 
chickens and guinea fowl; 
— 600 per hour in the case of laying 
hens, geese, turkeys and ducks. 
The number of veterinarians and assistants 
assigned to post-mortem inspections must 
be sufficient to ensure adequate rest 
periods for all persons involved in this 
inspection. 
In the case of a batch of poultry showing a 
high incidence of disease, the inspectors 
must spend more time on the post-mortem 
inspection.' 
Article 2 
Member States shall bring into force the laws, regu­
lations and administrative provisions necessary to 
comply with this Directive 
— not later than 15 July 1981 as regards the 
provisions of Article 1 (4); 
— not later than 15 August 1982 as regards the other 
provisions. 
They shall forthwith inform the Commission thereof. 
Article 3 
This Directive is addressed to the Member States.