Regulation (EC) No 1760/2000 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 July 2000 establishing a system for the identification and registration of bovine animals and regarding the labelling of beef and beef products and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 820/97
Date: 2000-07-17
Institutions: Council of the European Union, European Parliament
Subjects: beef, cattle, consumer information, data recording, database, health control, labelling, meat product, product designation

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I

(Acts whose publication is obligatory)

REGULATION (EC) No 1760/2000 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

establishing a system for the identification and registration of bovine animals and regarding the
labelling of beef and beef products and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 820/97

of 17 July 2000

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE
EUROPEAN UNION,

(4)

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community, and in particular Articles 37 and 152 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1),

Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social
Committee (2),

Having regard to the opinion of
Regions (3),

the Committee of

the

Acting in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article
251 of the Treaty (4),

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

Article 19 of Council Regulation (EC) No 820/97 of 21
April 1997 establishing a system for the identification
and registration of bovine animals and regarding the
labelling of beef and beef products (5), states that a
compulsory beef labelling system is to be introduced
and obligatory in all Member States from 1 January
2000 onwards. The same Article also provides that, on
the basis of a Commission proposal, the general rules for
that compulsory system are to be adopted before that
date.

Council Regulation (EC) No 2772/1999 of 21 December
1999 providing for the general rules for a compulsory
beef labelling system (6) provides for these general rules
to apply only temporarily for a maximum period of
eight months, that is to say from 1 February to 31
August 2000.

(3)

For the sake of clarity Regulation (EC) No 820/97
should be repealed and replaced by this Regulation.

(1) OJ C 376 E, 28.12.1999, p. 42.
(2) OJ C 117, 26.4.2000, p. 47.
(3) OJ C 226, 8.8.2000, p. 9.
(4) European Parliament opinion of 12 April 2000 (not yet published
in the Official Journal), Council Common Position of 6 June 2000
(not yet published in the Official Journal) and European Parliament
Decision of 6 July 2000 (not yet published in the Official Journal).

(5) OJ L 117, 7.5.1997, p. 1.
(6) OJ L 334, 28.12.1999, p. 1.

Following the instability in the market in beef and beef
products caused by the bovine spongiform encephalo-
pathy crisis, the improvement in the transparency of the
conditions for the production and marketing of
the
products concerned, particularly as regards traceability,
has exerted a positive influence on consumption of beef.
In order to maintain and strengthen the confidence of
consumers in beef and to avoid misleading them, it is
necessary to develop the framework in which the infor-
mation is made available to consumers by sufficient and
clear labelling of the product.

To that end it is essential to establish, on the one hand,
an efficient system for the identification and registration
of bovine animals at the production stage and to create,
on the other hand, a specific Community labelling
system in the beef sector based on objective criteria at
the marketing stage.

By virtue of
the guarantees provided through this
improvement, certain public interest requirements will
also be attained, in particular the protection of human
and animal health.

As a result, consumer confidence in the quality of beef
and beef products will be improved, a higher level of
protection of public health preserved and the lasting
stability of the beef market will be reinforced.

Article 3(1)(c) of Council Directive 90/425/EEC of 26
June 1990 concerning veterinary and zootechnical
checks applicable in intra-Community trade in certain
live animals and products with a view to the completion
of the internal market (7) states that animals for intra-
Community trade must be identified in accordance with
the requirements of Community rules and be registered
in such a way that the original or transit holding, centre
or organisation can be traced, and that before 1 January
1993 these identification and registration systems are to
be extended to the movements of animals within the
territory of each Member State.

(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

(7) OJ L 224, 18.8.1990, p. 29. Directive as last amended by Directive

92/118/EEC (OJ L 62, 15.3.1993, p. 49).

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(9)

(10)

(11)

(12)

(13)

(14)

Article 14 of Council Directive 91/496/EEC of 15 July
1991 laying down the principles governing the organ-
isation of veterinary checks on animals entering the
Community from third countries and amending Direct-
ives 89/662/EEC, 90/425/EEC and 90/675/EEC (1) states
that the identification and registration as provided for in
Article 3(1)(c) of Directive 90/425/EEC of such animals
must, except in the case of animals for slaughter and
registered equidae, be carried out after the said checks
have been made.

The management of certain Community aid schemes in
the field of agriculture requires the individual identifica-
tion of certain types of livestock. The identification and
registration systems must, therefore, be suitable for the
application and control of such individual identification
measures.

It is necessary to ensure the rapid and efficient exchange
of information between Member States for the correct
application of this Regulation. Community provisions
relating thereto have been established by Council Regu-
lation (EEC) No 1468/81 of 19 May 1981 on mutual
assistance between the administrative authorities of the
Member States and the cooperation between the latter
and the Commission to ensure the correct application of
the law on customs or agriculture matters (2) and by
Council Directive 89/608/EEC of 21 November 1989 on
mutual assistance between the administrative authorities
of the Member States and cooperation between the latter
and the Commission to ensure the correct application of
legislation on veterinary and zootechnical matters (3).

the animal, all holdings on its territory and the move-
ments of the animals, in accordance with the provisions
of Council Directive 97/12/EC of 17 March 1997
amending and updating Directive 64/432/EEC on health
problems affecting intra-Community trade in bovine
animals and swine (5), which clarifies the health require-
ments concerning this database.

It is important that each Member State take all measures
that may still be necessary in order to ensure that the
national computerised database is fully operational as
quickly as possible.

Steps should be taken in order to create the technical
conditions
communication
possible by the producer with the database and a
comprehensive use of databases.

guaranteeing

best

the

In order to permit movements of bovine animals to be
traced, animals should be identified by an ear tag applied
in each ear and in principle accompanied by a passport
throughout any movement. The characteristics of the ear
tag and of the passport should be determined on a
Community basis.
In principle a passport should be
issued for each animal to which an ear tag has been
allocated.

(15)

(16)

(17)

(18) Animals imported from third countries pursuant

to
Directive 91/496/EEC should be subject to the same
identification requirements.

(19)

Every animal should keep its ear tag throughout its life.

The current rules concerning the identification and the
registration of bovine animals have been laid down in
Council Directive 92/102/EEC of 27 November 1992 on
the identification and registration of animals (4) and
Regulation (EC) No 820/97. Experience has shown that
the implementation of Directive 92/102/EEC for bovine
animals has not been entirely satisfactory and needs
further improvement. It is therefore necessary to adopt
specific rules for bovine animals in order to reinforce the
provisions of the said Directive.

(20)

(21)

the introduction of an improved identification
For
system to be accepted,
it is essential not to impose
excessive demands on the producer in terms of adminis-
trative formalities. Feasible time limits for its imple-
mentation must be laid down.

For the purpose of rapid and accurate tracing of animals
for reasons relating to the control of Community aid
schemes, each Member State should create a national
computerised data base which will record the identity of

(1) OJ L 268, 24.9.1991, p. 56. Directive as last amended by Directive

96/43/EC (OJ 162, 1.7.1996, p. 1).

(2) OJ L 144, 2.6.1981, p. 1. Regulation repealed by Regulation (EC)

No 515/97 (OJ L 82, 22.3.1997, p. 1).

(3) OJ L 351, 2.12.1989, p. 34.
(4) OJ L 355, 5.12.1992, p. 32. Directive as last amended by the 1994

Act of Accession.

The Commission is examining, on the basis of work
performed by the Joint Research Centre, the feasibility of
using electronic means for the identification of animals.

Keepers of animals, with the exception of transporters,
should maintain an up-to-date register of the animals on
their holdings. The characteristics of the register should
be determined on a Community basis. The competent
authority should have access to these registers on
request.

(22) Member States may spread the costs arising from the
application of these measures over the entire beef sector.

(23)

The authority or authorities responsible for the applica-
tion of each title in this Regulation should be designated.

(24) A compulsory beef labelling system should be intro-
duced which is obligatory in all Member States. Under
this compulsory system, operators and organisations
marketing beef should indicate on the label information
about the beef and the point of slaughter of the animal
or animals from which that beef was derived.

(5) OJ L 109, 25.4.1997, p. 1.

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(25)

(26)

(27)

(28)

The compulsory beef labelling system should be rein-
forced from 1 January 2002. Under this compulsory
system, operators and organisations marketing beef
should,
information
concerning origin,
in particular where the animal or
animals from which the beef was derived were born,
fattened and slaughtered.

indicate on the label

in addition,

Information additional to the information concerning
where the animal or animals from which the beef was
derived were born,
fattened and slaughtered may be
provided under the voluntary beef labelling system.

The system of compulsory labelling based on origin
should be in force from 1 January 2002, it being under-
information on movements made by
stood that
bovine animals in the Community is only required for
animals born after 31 December 1997.

full

The compulsory beef labelling system should also apply
to beef imported into the Community. However, provi-
sion should be made for the fact that not all the infor-
mation which is required for labelling beef produced in
the Community may be available to a third-country
It is therefore necessary to
operator or organisation.
state the minimum information that
third countries
must ensure is indicated on the label.

(29)

For operators or organisations producing and marketing
minced beef who may not be in a position to provide all
the information required under the compulsory beef
labelling system, exceptions ensuring a certain minimum
number of indications must be provided.

(30)

The objective of labelling is to give maximum transpar-
ency in the marketing of beef.

(31)

(32)

The provisions of
this Regulation must not affect
Council Regulation (EEC) No 2081/92 of 14 July 1992
on the protection of geographical indications and desig-
nations of origin for agricultural products and food-
stuffs (1).

For all
indications other than those falling under the
compulsory beef labelling system, a Community frame-
work for labelling of beef should also be provided and,
in view of the diversity of descriptions of beef marketed
in the Community, the establishment of a voluntary beef
labelling system is the most appropriate solution. The
effectiveness of
such a voluntary labelling system
depends on the possibility of tracing any labelled beef

(1) OJ L 208, 24.7.1992, p. 1.

back to the animal or animals of origin. The labelling
arrangements of an operator or organisation should be
subject
to a specification to be submitted to the
competent authority for approval. Operators and organ-
isations should be entitled to label beef only if the label
identifying logo. The
contains their name or
competent authorities of the Member States should be
authorised to withdraw their approval of any specifica-
tion in the event of irregularities. In order to ensure that
labelling specifications may be recognised across the
Community, it is necessary to provide for the exchange
of information between Member States.

their

(33) Operators

and

importing

organisations

into the
Community beef from third countries may also wish to
label their products according to the voluntary labelling
system. Provisions should be laid down to ensure as far
as possible that
relating to
imported beef are of equivalent reliability to those set up
for Community beef.

labelling arrangements

(34)

The change from the arrangements in Title II of Regula-
tion (EC) No 820/97 to those in this Regulation can give
rise to difficulties that are not dealt with in this Regula-
tion. In order to deal with that possibility, provision
should be made for the Commission to adopt the neces-
sary transitional measures. The Commission should also
be authorised to solve specific practical problems where
justified.

(35) With a view to guaranteeing the reliability of

the
arrangements provided for by this Regulation,
is
necessary to oblige the Member States to carry out
adequate and efficient control measures. These controls
should be without prejudice to any controls that the
Commission may carry out by analogy with Article 9 of
Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2988/95 of 18
December 1995 on the protection of
the European
Communities' financial

interests (2).

it

(36) Appropriate penalties should be laid down in the event
of a breach of the provisions of this Regulation.

(37)

The measures necessary for the implementation of this
Regulation should be adopted in accordance with
Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying
down the procedures for the exercise of implementing
powers conferred on the Commission (3),

(2) OJ L 312, 23.12.1995, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regula-

tion (EC) No 1036/1999 (OJ L 127, 21.5.1999, p. 4).

(3) OJ L 184, 17.7.1999, p. 23.

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HAVE ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

TITLE I

Identification and registration of bovine animals

Article 1

1.
Each Member State shall establish a system for the identi-
fication and registration of bovine animals, in accordance with
this Title.

2.
The provisions of this title shall apply without prejudice
to Community rules which may be established for disease
eradication or control purposes and without prejudice to
Directive 91/496/EEC and Regulation (EEC) No 3508/92 (1).
However, the provisions of Directive 92/102/EEC which relate
specifically to bovine animals shall no longer apply from the
date on which those animals must be identified in accordance
with this title.

Article 2

For the purposes of this title:
— ‘animal’ means a bovine animal within the meaning of

Article 2(2)(b) and (c) of Directive 64/432/EEC (2),

the same Member State,

— ‘holding’ means any establishment, construction or, in the
case of an open-air farm, any place situated within the
territory of
in which animals
covered by this Regulation are held, kept or handled,
— ‘keeper’ means any natural or legal person responsible for
animals, whether on a permanent or on a temporary basis,
including during transportation or at a market,

— ‘competent authority’ means

the central authority or
authorities in a Member State responsible for, or entrusted
with, carrying out veterinary checks and implementing this
title or, in the case of the monitoring of premiums, the
authorities entrusted with implementing Regulation (EC) No
3508/92.

Article 3

The system for the identification and registration of bovine
animals shall comprise the following elements:

(a) ear tags to identify animals individually;

(b) computerised databases;

(c) animal passports;

(d) individual registers kept on each holding.

The Commission and the competent authority of the Member
State concerned shall have access to all the information covered
by this title. The Member States and the Commission shall take
the measures necessary to ensure access to these data for all
parties concerned, including consumer organisations having an
interest which are recognised by the Member State, provided

the data confidentiality and protection prescribed by

that
national

law are ensured.

Article 4

1.
All animals on a holding born after 31 December 1997
or intended for intra-Community trade after 1 January 1998
shall be identified by an ear tag approved by the competent
authority, applied to each ear. Both ear tags shall bear the same
unique identification code, which makes it possible to identify
each animal individually together with the holding on which it
was born. By way of derogation from the above requirement,
animals born before 1 January 1998 which are intended for
intra-Community trade after that date may be identified in
accordance with Directive 92/102/EEC until 1 September
1998.

By way of derogation from the first subparagraph, animals
born before 1 January 1998 which are intended for intra-
Community trade after that date with a view to immediate
slaughter may be identified in accordance with Directive 92/
102/EEC until 1 September 1999.

Bovine animals intended for cultural and sporting events (with
the exception of fairs and exhibitions) may, instead of by an ear
tag, be identified by an identification system offering equivalent
guarantees and authorised by the Commission.

The ear tag shall be applied within a period to be deter-
2.
mined by the Member State as from the birth of the animal and
in any case before the animal leaves the holding on which it
was born. The period may not be longer than 30 days up to
and including 31 December 1999, and not longer than 20 days
thereafter.

However, at the request of a Member State and in accordance
with the procedure referred to in Article 23(2), the Commis-
sion may determine the circumstances in which Member States
may extend the maximum period.

No animal born after 31 December 1997 may be moved from
a holding unless it is identified in accordance with the provi-
sions of this Article.

Any animal

3.
imported from a third country which has
passed the checks laid down in Directive 91/496/EEC and
which remains within Community territory shall be identified
on the holding of destination by an ear tag complying with the
requirements of this Article, within a period to be determined
by the Member State but not exceeding 20 days following the
aforesaid checks, and in any event before leaving the holding.

(1) OJ L 355, 5.12.1992, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regula-

tion (EC) No 1036/1999 (OJ L 127, 21.5.1999, p. 4).

(2) OJ 121, 29.7.1964, p. 1977/64. Directive updated by Directive 97/
12/EC (OJ L 109, 25.4.1997, p. 1 ) and last amended by Directive
98/99/EC (OJ L 358, 31.12.1998, p. 107).

it is not necessary to identify the animal

However,
if the
holding of destination is a slaughterhouse situated in the
Member State where such checks are carried out and the
animal is slaughtered within 20 days of undergoing the checks.

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The original identification established by the third country shall
be recorded in the computerised database provided for in
Article 5 or, if this is not yet fully operational, in the registers
provided for in Article 3, together with the identification code
allocated to it by the Member State of destination.

Any animal from another Member State shall retain its

4.
original ear tag.

No ear tag may be removed or replaced without the

5.
permission of the competent authority.

6.
The ear tags shall be allocated to the holding, distributed
and applied to the animals in a manner determined by the
competent authority.

7.
Not later than 31 December 2001 the European Parlia-
ment and the Council, acting on the basis of a report from the
Commission accompanied by any proposals and in accordance
with the procedure provided for in Article 95 of the Treaty,
shall decide on the possibility of introducing electronic identifi-
cation arrangements in the light of progress achieved in this
field.

Article 5

those animals shall be accompanied by their passports only
when they are moved from the territory of the Member
State concerned to the territory of another Member State, in
which case the passport shall contain information based on
the computerised database.

In these Member States, the passport accompanying an
animal
imported from another Member State shall be
surrendered to the competent authority on its arrival;

— may until 1 January 2000 authorise the issue of collective
animal passports for herds moved within the Member State
concerned provided that such herds have the same origin
and destination and are accompanied by a veterinary certifi-
cate.

4.
In the case of the death of an animal, the passport shall
be returned by the keeper to the competent authority within
seven days after the death of the animal. If the animal is sent to
the slaughterhouse, the operator of the slaughterhouse shall be
responsible for
to the competent
authority.

returning the passport

In the case of animals exported to third countries, the
5.
passport shall be surrendered by the last keeper
to the
competent authority at the place where the animal is exported.

The competent authority of the Member States shall set up a
computerised database in accordance with Articles 14 and 18
of Directive 64/432/EC.

Article 7

The computerised databases shall become fully operational no
later than 31 December 1999, after which they shall store all
data required pursuant to the said Directive.

1. With the exception of
animals shall:

— keep an up-to-date register,

transporters, each keeper of

Article 6

1.
As from 1 January 1998, the competent authority shall,
for each animal which has to be identified in accordance with
Article 4, issue a passport within 14 days of the notification of
its birth, or, in the case of animals imported from third coun-
tries, within 14 days of the notification of its re-identification
by the Member State concerned in accordance with Article
4(3). The competent authority may issue a passport for animals
from another Member State under the same conditions. In such
cases, the passport accompanying the animal on its arrival shall
be surrendered to the competent authority, which shall return
it to the issuing Member State.

However, at the request of a Member State and in accordance
with the procedure referred to in Article 23(2), the Commis-
sion may determine the circumstances under which the
maximum period may be extended.

2. Whenever an animal is moved, it shall be accompanied
by its passport.

— once the computerised database is fully operational, report
to the competent authority all movements to and from the
holding and all births and deaths of animals on the holding,
along with the dates of these events, within a period fixed
by the Member State of between three and seven days of
the event occurring. However, at the request of a Member
State and in accordance with the procedure referred to in
Article 23(2), the Commission may determine the circum-
stances in which Member States may extend the maximum
period and provide for special rules applicable to move-
ments of bovine animals when put out to summer grazing
in different mountain areas.

2. Where applicable and having regard to Article 6, each
animal keeper shall complete the passport immediately on
arrival and prior to departure of each animal from the holding
and ensure that the passport accompanies the animal.

3.
Each keeper shall supply the competent authority, upon
request, with all information concerning the origin, identifica-
tion and, where appropriate, destination of animals, which he
has owned, kept, transported, marketed or slaughtered.

By way of derogation from the first sentence of para-

3.
graph 1 and from paragraph 2, Member States:

— which have a computerised database which the Commis-
sion deems to be fully operational
in accordance with
Article 5 may determine that a passport is to be issued only
for animals intended for intra-Community trade and that

The register shall be in a format approved by the
4.
competent authority, kept in manual or computerised form,
and be available at all times to the competent authority, upon
request,
for a minimum period to be determined by the
competent authority but which may not be less than three
years.

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Article 8

Member States shall designate the authority responsible for
ensuring compliance with this title. They shall
inform each
other and the Commission of the identity of this authority.

Article 9

Member States may charge to keepers the costs of the systems
referred to in Article 3 and of the controls referred to in this
title.

dure referred to in Article 23(2). These measures concern in
particular:

(a) provisions concerning ear tags;

(b) provisions concerning the passport;

(c) provisions concerning the register;

(d) minimum level of controls to be carried out;

Article 10

(e) application of administrative sanctions;

The measures necessary for the implementation of this Title
shall be adopted in accordance with the management proce-

(f) transitional measures required to facilitate the application

of this title.

TITLE II

Labelling of beef and beef products

Article 11

An operator or an organisation, as defined in Article 12,
which:
— is required, by virtue of Section I of this title, to label beef

at all stages of marketing,

— wishes, by virtue of Section II of this title, to label beef at
the point of sale in such a way as to provide information,
other than that laid down by Article 13, concerning certain
characteristics or production conditions of
the labelled
meat or of the animal from which it derives,

shall do so in accordance with this title.

This title shall apply without prejudice to relevant Community
legislation,

in particular on beef.

Article 12

For the purposes of this title, the following definitions shall
apply:
— ‘beef’ means all products falling within CN codes 0201,

0202, 0206 10 95 and 0206 29 91,

— ‘labelling’ means the attachment of a label to an individual
piece or pieces of meat or to their packaging material, or in
the case of non-prewrapped products the supply of appro-
priate information in written and visible form to the
consumer at the point of sale,

— ‘organisation’ means a group of operators from the same or

different parts of the beef trade.

SECTION I

Compulsory Community beef labelling system

Article 13

G e n e r a l

r u l e s

1.
Community shall

Operators and organisations marketing beef

in the

label

it in accordance with this Article.

The compulsory labelling system shall ensure a link between,
on the one hand, the identification of the carcass, quarter or
pieces of meat and, on the other hand, the individual animal

or, where this is sufficient to enable the accuracy of the infor-
mation on the label to be checked, the group of animals
concerned.

2.

The label shall contain the following indications:

(a) a reference number or reference code ensuring the link
between the meat and the animal or animals. This number
may be the identification number of the individual animal
from which the beef was derived or the identification
number relating to a group of animals;

(b) the approval number of the slaughterhouse at which the
animal or group of animals was slaughtered and the
Member State or third country in which the slaughterhouse
‘Slaughtered in
is established. The indication shall read:
(name of the Member State or third country)
(approval
number)’;

(c) the approval number of the cutting hall which performed
the cutting operation on the carcass or group of carcases
and the Member State or third country in which the hall is
established. The indication shall read: ‘Cutting in: (name of
(approval number)’.
the Member State or third country)

3.
However, up until 31 December 2001, Member States
where sufficient details are available in the identification and
registration system for bovine animals, provided for in Title I,
may decide that, for beef from animals born, raised and slaugh-
tered in the same Member State, supplementary items of infor-
mation must also be indicated on labels.

A compulsory system as provided for in paragraph 3
4.
must not lead to any disruption of trade between the Member
States.

The implementation arrangements applicable in those Member
States intending to apply paragraph 3 shall require prior
approval from the Commission.

5.

(a) As from 1 January 2002, operators and organisations

shall also indicate on the labels:
(i) Member State or third country of birth;
(ii) all Member States or third countries where fattening

took place;

(iii) Member State or third country where slaughter

took place;

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(b) However, where the beef is derived from animals born,

Voluntary labelling specifications shall

indicate:

raised and slaughtered:
(i) in the same Member State, the indication may be

— the information to be included on the label,

given as ‘Origin: (name of Member State)’;

— the measures to be taken to ensure the accuracy of the

(ii) in the same third country, the indication may be

given as ‘Origin: (name of third country)’.

Article 14

D e r o g a t i o n s f r o m t h e c o m p u l s o r y l a b e l l i n g s y s t e m

and (ii),

By way of derogation from Article 13(2)(b) and (c) and from
an operator or organisation
Article 13(5)(a)(i)
preparing minced beef shall indicate on the label the words
‘prepared (name of
third country)’,
depending on where the meat was prepared, and ‘origin’ where
the State or States involved are not the State of preparation.

the Member State or

The obligation provided for in Article 13(5)(a)(iii) shall be
applicable to such meat as from the date of application of this
Regulation.

However, such operator or organisation may add to the label
of the minced beef:
— one or more of the indications provided for in Article 13,

and/or

— the date on which the meat was prepared.

On the basis of experience, and in the light of requirements,
similar provisions may be adopted for cut meat and for beef
trimmings in accordance with the procedure referred to in
Article 23(2).

Article 15

C o m p u l s o r y l a b e l l i n g o f b e e f

f r o m t h i r d c o u n t r i e s

By way of derogation from Article 13, beef imported into the
Community for which not all the information provided for in
Article 13 is available,
in accordance with the procedure
referred to in Article 17, shall be labelled with the indication:
‘Origin: non-EC’ and ‘Slaughtered in: (name of third country)’.

SECTION II

Voluntary labelling system

Article 16

G e n e r a l

r u l e s

For

labels

containing indications other

1.
than those
provided for in Section I of this title, each operator or organ-
isation shall send a specification for approval to the competent
authority of the Member State in which production or sale of
the beef in question takes place. The competent authority may
also establish specifications to be used in the Member State
concerned, provided that use thereof is not compulsory.

information,

— the control system which will be applied at all stages of
production and sale, including the controls to be carried
out by an independent body recognised by the competent
authority and designated by the operator or the organ-
isation. These bodies shall comply with the criteria set out
in European Standard EN/45011,

— in the case of an organisation, the measures to be taken in
relation to any member which fails to comply with the
specifications.

Member States may decide that controls by an independent
body may be replaced by controls by a competent authority.
The competent authority shall in that case have at its disposal
the qualified staff and resources necessary to carry out the
requisite controls.

The costs of controls provided for in this section shall be borne
by the operator or organisation using the labelling system.

2.
The approval of any specification shall be subject to the
assurance of the competent authority, obtained on the basis of
a thorough examination of its components as referred to in
paragraph 1, of the proper and reliable functioning of the
labelling system envisaged and, in particular, of any specifica-
tion which does not ensure a link between, on the one hand,
the identification of the carcass, quarter or pieces of meat and,
on the other hand, the individual animal or, where this is
sufficient to enable the accuracy of the information on the label
to be checked, the animals concerned.

Specifications which provide for labels containing misleading
or insufficiently clear information shall also be refused.

3. Where the production and/or sale of beef takes place in
two or more Member States, the competent authorities of the
Member States concerned shall examine and approve the speci-
fications submitted in so far as the elements contained therein
relate to operations taking place within their respective terri-
tories. In such case, each Member State concerned shall recog-
nise the approvals granted by any other Member State
concerned.

If, within a period to be fixed in accordance with the procedure
referred to in Article 23(2), counting from the day following
the date of submission of the application, approval has not
been refused or given, or supplementary information has not
been asked for, the specification shall be considered to be
approved by the competent authority.

4. Where the competent authorities of all the Member States
concerned approve the specification submitted, the operator or
organisation concerned shall be entitled to label beef, provided
that the label contains its name or logo.

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the
By way of derogation from paragraphs 1 to 4,
5.
Commission, in accordance with the procedure referred to in
Article 23(2), may provide for an accelerated or simplified
procedure for approval in specific cases, in particular for beef
in small retail packages or prime beef cuts in individual
packages, labelled in a Member State according to an approved
specification and introduced into the territory of another
Member State, provided that no information is added to the
initial

label.

6.
A Member State may decide that the name of one or
more of its regions may not be used, in particular where the
name of a region:

— could give rise to confusion or difficulties in checking,

— is reserved for beef in the framework of Regulation (EEC)

No 2081/92.

Where authorisation is given, the name of the Member State
shall appear alongside the name of the region.

inform the Commission of

7. Member States shall
the
implementation of this Article and in particular of the indica-
tions set out on the labels. The Commission shall inform the
other Member States within the Management Committee for
Beef and Veal referred to in Article 23(1)(b) and, where neces-
sary, in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article
23(2), rules relating to those indications may be laid down and,
in particular,

limits may be imposed.

Article 17

V o l u n t a r y l a b e l l i n g s y s t e m f o r b e e f

f r o m t h i r d

c o u n t r i e s

1. Where the production of beef takes place, in full or in
part, in a third country, operators and organisations shall be
entitled to label beef according to this section if, in addition to
complying with Article 16, they have obtained for their specifi-
cations the approval of the competent authority designated for
that purpose by each of the third countries concerned.

2.
The validity within the Community of an approval
granted by a third country shall be subject to prior notification
by the third country to the Commission of:

— the competent authority which has been designated,

— the procedures and criteria to be

followed by the

competent authority when examining the specification,

— each operator and organisation whose specification was

accepted by the competent authority.

The Commission shall
Member States.

transmit

these notifications to the

granted by that third country shall not be valid within the
Community.

Article 18

S a n c t i o n s

Without prejudice to any action taken by the organisation itself
or the independent control body provided for in Article 16,
where it is shown that an operator or organisation has failed to
comply with the specification referred to in Article 16(1), the
Member State may withdraw the approval provided for in
Article 16(2) or
to be
respected if its approval

impose supplementary conditions
is to be maintained.

SECTION III

General provisions

Article 19

D e t a i l e d r u l e s

The measures necessary for the implementation of this title
shall be adopted in accordance with the management proce-
dure referred to in Article 23(2). These measures concern in
particular:

(a) definition of the size of the group of animals, referred to in

Article 13(2)(a);

(b) definition of the minced beef, beef trimmings or cut beef

referred to in Article 14;

(c) definition of specific indications that may be put on labels;

(d) measures required to facilitate the transition from the
application of Regulation (EC) No 820/97 to application of
this title;

(e) measures required to resolve specific practical problems.
Such measures, if duly justified, may derogate from certain
parts of this title.

Article 20

D e s i g n a t i o n o f c o m p e t e n t a u t h o r i t i e s

Member States shall designate the competent authority or
authorities responsible for implementing this title, no later than
14 October 2000.

Article 21

Where, on the basis of the above notifications, the Commission
reaches the conclusion that
the procedures and/or criteria
applied in a third country are not equivalent to the standards
set out in this Regulation, the Commission shall, after consulta-
tion with the third country concerned, decide that approvals

At the latest by 14 August 2003, the Commission shall submit
a report to the European Parliament and the Council, together,
if necessary, with appropriate proposals regarding extending
the scope of this Regulation to processed products containing
beef and beef-based products.

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TITLE III

Common provisions

Article 22

Article 23

1. Member States shall take all the necessary measures to
ensure compliance with the provisions of this Regulation. The
controls provided for shall be without prejudice to any controls
which the Commission may carry out pursuant to Article 9 of
Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2988/95.

Any sanctions imposed by the Member State on a holder shall
be proportionate to the gravity of the breach. The sanctions
may involve, where justified, a restriction on movement of
animals to or from the holding of the keeper concerned.

Experts from the Commission, in conjunction with the

2.
competent authorities:

(a) shall verify that the Member States are complying with the

requirements of this Regulation;

1.

The Commission shall be assisted:

(a) for the implementation of Article 10, by the European
Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund Committee
referred to in Article 11 of Council Regulation (EC) No
1258/1999 (1);

(b) for the implementation of Article 19 by the Management
Committee for Beef and Veal set up by Article 42 of
Council Regulation (EC) No 1254/1999 (2);

(c) for the implementation of Article 22 by the Standing Veter-
set up by Council Decision 68/

inary Committee
361/EEC (3).

2. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Articles 4 and
7 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply, having regard to the
provisions of Article 8 thereof.

(b) shall make on-the-spot checks to ensure that the checks are

carried out in accordance with this Regulation.

The period referred to in Article 4(3) of Decision 1999/468/EC
shall be set at one month.

3.
A Member State in whose territory an on-the-spot check
is made shall provide the experts from the Commission with
any assistance they may require in the performance of their
tasks.

The outcome of the checks made must be discussed with the
competent authority of the Member State concerned before a
final report is drawn up and circulated.

the outcome of
4. Where the Commission deems that
checks so justifies,
it shall review the situation within the
Standing Veterinary Committee referred to in Article 23(1)(c).
It may adopt the necessary decisions in accordance with the
procedure laid down in Article 23(3).

5.
The Commission shall monitor developments in the
situation: in the light of such developments and in accordance
with the procedure laid down in Article 23(3) it may amend or
repeal the decisions referred to in paragraph 4.

6.
Detailed rules for the application of this Article shall be
adopted, where necessary, in accordance with the procedure
referred to in Article 23(3).

3. Where reference is made to this paragraph, Articles 5 and
7 of Decision 1999/468/EC shall apply, having regard to the
provisions of Article 8 thereof.

The period referred to in Article 5(6) of Decision 1999/468/EC
shall be set at three months.

4.

The Committees shall adopt their rules of procedure.

Article 24

1.

Regulation (EC) No 820/97 shall be repealed.

References

2.
to Regulation (EC) No 820/97 shall be
construed as references to this Regulation and shall be read in
accordance with the correlation table set out in the Annex.

Article 25

into force on the third day
This Regulation shall enter
following the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the
European Communities.

It shall be applicable to beef from animals slaughtered on or
after 1 September 2000.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, 17 July 2000.

For the European Parliament

The President

N. FONTAINE

For the Council

The President

J. GLAVANY

(1) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999, p. 103.
(2) OJ L 160, 26.6.1999, p. 21.
(3) OJ L 255, 18.10.1968, p. 23.

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ANNEX

Correlation table

Regulation (EC) No 820/97

This Regulation

Article 1

Article 2

Article 3

Article 4

Article 5

Article 6

Article 7

Article 8

Article 9

Article 10

Article 11

Article 12

Article 13

Article 14(1)

Article 14(2)

Article 14(3)

Article 14(4)

Article 15

Article 16(1)

Article 16(2)

Article 16(3)

Article 17

Article 18

Article 19

Article 20

Article 21

Article 22

Article 1

Article 2

Article 3

Article 4

Article 5

Article 6

Article 7

Article 8

Article 9

Article 10

—

Article 11

Article 12

Article 16(1)

Article 16(2)

Article 16(5)

Article 16(4)

Article 17

Article 16(3)

Article 16(3)

Article 13(2) (a)

Article 18

Article 19

—

Article 20

Article 22

Article 25