COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
C0M(93) 273 final 
Brussels, 15 June 1993 
Proposal for a 
COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) 
AMENDING REGULATION (EEC) N* 3220/84 DETERMINING THE COMMUNITY 
SCALE FOR GRADING PIG CARCASES 
(presented by the Commission) 
-1 ~ 
Explanatory Memorandum 
In November 1984 the Council adopted Regulation (EEC) N° 3220/84 determining 
the Community scale for grading pig carcases. This regulation lays down the 
general rules ensuring uniform grading of pig carcases, particularly in 
order to guarantee producers fair payment based on the weight and the 
composition of the pigs that they have delivered to the slaughterhouses. 
The present proposal aims to adapt, on a technical basis, certain provisions 
laid down in 1984 to recent technical developments. It is in particular 
based on the results of a Community study concerning the harmonization of 
methods for grading pig carcases, carried out between 1990 and 1992 and 
discussed several times with national experts. 
The first amendment concerns the presentation of a "pig carcase" as provided 
for in Article 2 of Regulation (EEC) N" 3220/84. At present this 
presentation includes flare fat, kidneys and diaphragm, several Member 
States derogate, however, from that presentation, because it is commercial 
practice to remove those three parts before weighing and grading. The 
removal of those parts changes the weight, and as a direct consequence the 
lean meat content of the carcase compared to a carcase which includes the 
three parts mentioned. It is therefore proposed to exclude the flare fat, 
kidneys and diaphragm from the standard presentation defined in article 2, 
in order to assure a uniform application of the Community grading scale and 
to make it possible to compare directly grading according to the estimated 
lean meat content. 
For some years several slaughterhouses have, for commercial reasons, 
produced dehided pig carcases. Such carcases do therefore not correspond 
with the standard presentation. This diverging presentation should therefore 
be provided for in the regulation. 
Article 2(3) provides that the total weight of the red striated muscles is 
obtained by a total dissection of the carcase. This method requires 
considerable work and is therefore very expensive. In accordance with the 
results of the Community study it is proposed also to use a partial 
dissection of the carcase on condition that it is based on statistically 
proved method. This amendment should reduce considerably the cost to be 
borne by the industry for the authorization of new classification devices. 
The Community scale for grading pig carcases, set up by Regulation (EEC) 
N° 3220/84 is used for the annual fixation of the basic price, for fair 
payment to pig producers, and in order to make the market more transparent. 
All those elements apply in a uniform manner to the pigmeat sector of the 
Community; it is therefore necessary that the main provisions serving to set 
up the scale and in particular the presentation of a pig carcase as well as 
the definition of the lean meat content should be adopted at Community 
level. 
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COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) N* /93 
AMENDING REGULATION (EEC) N* 3220/84 DETERMINING THE COMMUNITY 
SCALE FOR GRADING PIG CARCASES 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, 
Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) N* 2759/75 of 29 October 1975 on 
the common organization of the market in pigmeatt1), as last amended by 
Regulation (EEC) N° 1249/89<2), and in particular Articles 2 and 4 (5) 
thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
Whereas Article 2 of Regulation (EEC) N° 3220/84 of 13 November 1984<3>, 
as last amended by Regulation (EEC) N* 3577/90<4), defined the 
presentation of a "pig carcase" to be used to establish its weight and its 
lean meat content; whereas a recent Comunity study has shown that the trade 
in several Member States derogates from this presentation regarding flare 
fat, kidneys and diaphragm; whereas this practice leads to a difference in 
the lean-meat content of the carcases from one Member State to another, 
jeopardising the uniform application of the Community grading scale and 
complicating the comparability of the assessement results; whereas it is 
therefore necessary to define more precisely the pig carcase presentation 
by excluding the three parts referred to above; 
Whereas, for commercial reasons, several slaughterhouses are producing 
dehided pig carcases; whereas Member States should be authorised to provide 
for such a presentation on their territory; 
(1) OJ N* L 282, 1.11.1975, p. 1. 
(2) OJ N* L 129, 11.5.1989, p. 12. 
(3) OJ N* L 301, 20.11.1984, p. 1. 
(4) JO N# L 353 du 17.12.1990, p. 23. 
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Whereas total dissection as a means to calculate the total weight of the 
red striated muscles amounts to a long and costly process; whereas it is 
therefore justified to permit the use of partial dissection as well 
allowing Member States to adapt more rapidly their grading methods to 
technical progress; 
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION : 
Article 1 
Regulation (EEC) N* 3220/84 is hereby amended as follows : 
1. Article 2 (1) is replaced by the following : 
"1. For the puroposes of this Regulation, 'pig carcase' shall mean the 
body of a slaughtered pig, bled and eviscerated, whole or divided 
down the mid-line, without tongue, bristles, hooves, genital 
organs, flare fat, kidneys and diaphragm. 
With regard to pigs slaughtered in their territory, the Member 
States may be authorized to provide for a different presentation of 
pig carcases if one of the following conditions is fulfilled : 
- if normal commercial practice in their territory differs from the 
standard presentation defined in the first subparagraph, 
- if technical requirements warrant it, 
- if pig carcases are dehided in a uniform and identical manner." 
2. In Article 2 (3), the first subparagraph is replaced by the follwing : 
"3. For the purposes of this Regulation, the lean-meat content of a pig 
carcase shall be the relationship between : 
- the total weight of the red striated muscles provided that they 
are separable by knife, and 
- the weight of the carcase. 
The total weight of the red striated muscles is obtained either by 
total dissection of the carcase or by partial dissection of the 
carcase based on proven statistical methods adopted in accordance 
with the procedure laid down in Article 24 of Regulation (EEC) 
N* 2759/75". 
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Article 2 
This Regulation shall enter into force on 1 January 1994 
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in 
all Member states. 
Done at Brussels, For the council, 
FINANCIAL STATEMENT 
DATE 
1. BUDGET HEADING : Chap. 23 APPROPRIATIONS : 256 Mio ECU 
2. TITLE : 
Draft proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EEC) N* 3220/84 
determining the Community scale for grading pig carcases. 
3. LEGAL BASIS : Council Regulation (EEC) N* 2795/75 as last amended by R. (EEC) 1249/89 
4. AIMS OF THE PROJECT : 
to define more precisely the presentation of a pig carcase 
5. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS PERIOD OF 
12 MONTHS CURRENT FI­
NANCIAL YEAR 
(1993) FOLLOWING 
FINANCIAL YEAR 
(1994) 
5 . 0 EXPENDITURE 
- CHARGED TO THE EC BUDGET 
(REFUNDS/INTERVENTIONS) 
- NATIONAL ADMINISTRATION 
- OTHERS 
5.1 RECEIPTS 
- OWN RESOURCES OF THE EC 
(LEVIES/CUSTOMS DUTIES) 
- NATIONAL p.m. p.m. p.m. 
p.m. p.m. p.m. 
1995 1996 1997 1998 
5.0.1 ESTIMATED EXPENDITURE 
5.1.1 ESTIMATED RECEIPTS p.m. 
p.m. p.m. 
p.m. p.m. 
p.m. p.m. 
p.m. 
5.2 METHOD OF CALCULATION : 
6.0 CAN THE PROJECT BE FINANCED FROM APPROPRIATIONS ENTERED IN THE RELEVANT 
CHAPTER OF THE CURRENT BUDGET ? 
6.1 CAN THE PROJECT BE FINANCED BY TRANSFER BETWEEN CHAPTERS OF THE 
CURRENT BUDGET ? 
6.2 IS A SUPPLEMENTARY BUDGET NECESSARY ? 
6.3 WILL FUTURE BUDGET APPROPRIATIONS BE NECESSARY ? 
OBSERVATIONS X 
ISSN 0254-1475 
COM(93) 273 final 
DOCUMENTS 
EN 02 03 
Catalogue number : CB-CO-93-303-EN-C 
ISBN 92-77-56711-2 
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