WRITTEN QUESTION E-1489/03 by Reinhold Messner (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Hygiene rules for slaughter and processing on farms.
Date: 2003-05-02
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: agricultural holding, competence of the Member States, consumer protection, food safety, health control, health legislation, marketing, meat product, slaughter of animals

21.11.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 280 E/153

(2003/C 280 E/170)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1489/03

by Reinhold Messner (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

Subject: Hygiene rules for slaughter and processing on farms

(2 May 2003)

Since the publication of the White Paper on food safety a large number of new regulations have been
introduced in the area of food safety and hygiene.

What rules are currently applicable to the slaughter of animals (cattle, pigs, sheep, goats and fowl) on
farms? What requirements have to be complied with in respect of buildings? What rules are applicable to
processing (sausage products, escalope) on farms? What special rules apply to direct marketing of such
products on farms (guest house or farm shop)?

In respect of which of these rules has the Commission recently put forward legislative proposals or plans
to do so in the near future?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(10 June 2003)

At present the main hygiene rules on slaughter of domestic bovine animals, pigs, sheep and goats, on the
one hand and of poultry, on the other hand, are contained in Council Directive 64/433/EEC of 26 June
1964 on health problems affecting intra-Community trade in fresh meat (1) and in Council Directive 71/
118/EEC of 15 February 1971 on health problems affecting trade in fresh poultrymeat (2), respectively. The
scope of the Directives does not include the slaughter of an animal for private consumption by the farmer
and his immediate family, which may be subject to the national law of the Member State. However, the
production of these meats for human consumption, other than for private consumption, is subject to
meeting the requirements of the Directives.

Lesser conditions, permitting certain simplified structure and infrastructure criteria, apply in respect of
low-capacity slaughtering establishments. However, compliance with the hygiene rules of the Directive is
required and, therefore, public health safety is not compromised. These establishments must be registered
territory under certain conditions. Such meat must,
and may market
in particular, be marked with a national stamp that cannot be confused with the Community stamp.

their meat on their national

Assuming that the sausage goods and the breaded, boned cutlets referred to by the Honourable Member
are not produced by undergoing a treatment which modifies the internal cellular structure of the meat and
causes the characteristics of fresh meat to disappear, such products fall within the definition of ‘meat
preparations’. The rules currently in place for the production of meat preparations are contained in
Council Directive 94/65/EC of 14 December 1994 laying down the requirements for the production and
placing on the market of minced meat and meat preparations (3). Certain production authorisations may be
permitted by the Member States, while ensuring that the health requirements of this Directive are
observed, in order to take account of particular habits of consumption.

No special rules applying to establishments on farms as such are laid down. This means that, provided that
the relevant requirements of the above-mentioned Directives, either for the placing on the Community or
national market are met and that the national rules permit the sale of such meats at farm level, meat may
be produced, cut and stored in approved or registered establishments located on farms.

Equally, no ‘special arrangements’ exist for the direct marketing of these products on the farm, apart from
certain situations concerning direct sale to the final consumer. Cutting and storage of meat, and
preparation of meat preparations for the purpose of supplying the final consumer directly with the
products are exempt from the requirements of the relevant Directive but are subject to the public health
checks provided for in national rules governing retailing. Provisioning restaurants, hotels or premises
outside the farm from the farm in question may not be considered as sales made direct to the consumer.

C 280 E/154

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

21.11.2003

It should also be noted that the terms of Council Directive 93/43/EEC of 14 June 1993 on the hygiene of
foodstuffs (4) apply horizontally to foodstuffs in general. This means that food business operators, including
those covering stages after primary production, such as preparation, processing, storing, handling and
offering for sale or supply to the consumer, must meet the requirements of this Directive to ensure the
safety and wholesomeness of foodstuffs.

The principal objective of the new general and specific hygiene rules is to ensure a high level of consumer
protection with regard to food safety, taking into account certain principles. Pending the adoption,
entering into force and implementation of the draft Regulations making up the proposal, the existing
requirements prevail.

The proposed Regulation of the Parliament and of the Council on the hygiene of foodstuffs (5), as it stands,
includes the principles that the primary responsibility for the food safety rests with the food business
operator and that there is a need to ensure food safety throughout the food chain. The general rules will
apply to all stages of production and processing of
food. However, Member States may, without
compromising food hygiene objectives, adopt national measures adapting the requirements laid down in
the new food hygiene Regulations in order (i) to enable the continued use of traditional methods at any
stage of production, processing and distribution, and (ii) to accommodate the needs of food businesses
situated in regions suffering from special geographical constraints.

The proposed Regulation of the Parliament and of the Council laying down specific hygiene rules for food
of animal origin will not apply to the domestic preparation, handling or storage of food for private
domestic use. Neither will it apply to the direct supply by the producer of small quantities of meat from
poultry and lagomorphs slaughtered on the farm to the final consumer or to local establishments directly
supplying such meat to the final consumer as fresh meat. Member States will be obliged, in respect of such
supply, to establish rules under national law to ensure the achievement of the objectives of the proposed
Regulation. This Regulation, unless indicated otherwise, will not apply to retail. Under Article 10(3) of the
proposal Member States will have the opportunity, without compromising food hygiene objectives,
to adopt national measures adapting the specific requirements set down in Annex III under five sets of
conditions.

(1) OJ P 121, 29.7.1964.
(2) OJ L 55, 8.3.1971.
(3) OJ L 368, 31.12.1994.
(4) OJ L 175, 19.7.1993.
(5) OJ C 365 E, 19.12.2000.

(2003/C 280 E/171)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1490/03

by Olivier Dupuis (NI) to the Commission

(2 May 2003)

Subject: Impact of the war in Chechnya on the Russian economy

In a recent interview for the ‘Ekho Moskvy’ radio station, Mr Khasbulatov, former President of the Russian
Supreme Council, stated that the first three to four months of the second Chechnyan war (August-
November 1999) had cost some USD 3 billion and that the annual cost of the three years of war from
2000-2002 had been USD 10 to 13 billion. As for this year, the cost of the first three months is estimated
at USD 3,5 billion.

Mr Khasbulatov also said that Russia’s overall expenditure for these three-and-a half years of war, i.e. since
the beginning of the second invasion and the occupation of Chechnya in 1999, was USD 40 billion. These
are some of the figures contained in a report drawn up by Mr Ruslan Khasbulatov and Mr Ivan Rybkin
under the title ‘Economic aspects of the war in Chechnya’.