European Parliament legislative resolution of 14 March 2007 on the proposal for a Council regulation on the marketing of the meat of bovine animals aged twelve months or less (COM(2006)0487 - C6-0330/2006 - 2006/0162(CNS))
Date: 2007-03-14
Institutions: Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, European Parliament
Subjects: beef, consumer information, labelling, marketing, product designation

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ANNEX V

Criteria for qualified entities referred to in Article 9a

1.
The entity, its Director and the staff responsible for carrying out the checks, may not become
involved, either directly or as authorised representatives, in the design, manufacture, marketing or main-
tenance of the products, parts, appliances, constituents or systems or in their operations, service provi-
sion or use. This does not exclude the possibility of an exchange of technical information between the
involved organisations and the qualified entity.

2.
The entity and the staff responsible for the certification tasks must carry out their duties with the
greatest possible professional integrity and the greatest possible technical competence and must be free
of any pressure and incentive, in particular of a financial type, which could affect their judgment or the
results of their investigations, in particular from persons or groups of persons affected by the results of
the certification tasks.

3.
The entity must employ staff and possess the means required to perform adequately the technical
and administrative tasks linked with the certification process; it should also have access to the equip-
ment needed for exceptional checks.

4.

The staff responsible for investigation must have:

— sound technical and vocational training;

— satisfactory knowledge of the requirements of the certification tasks they carry out and adequate

experience of such processes;

— the ability required to draw up the declarations, records and reports to demonstrate that the inves-

tigations have been carried out.

The impartiality of the investigation staff must be guaranteed. Their remuneration must not

5.
depend on the number of investigations carried out or on the results of such investigations.

The entity must take out liability insurance unless its liability is assumed by one Member State in

6.
accordance with its national law.

The staff of the entity must observe professional secrecy with regard to all information acquired

7.
in carrying out their tasks under this Regulation.’

P6_TA(2007)0068

Marketing of the meat of bovine animals aged 12 months or less *

European Parliament legislative resolution of 14 March 2007 on the proposal
regulation on the marketing of

for a Council
the meat of bovine animals aged twelve months or less

(COM(2006)0487 — C6-0330/2006 — 2006/0162(CNS))

(Consultation procedure)

The European Parliament,

— having regard to the Commission proposal to the Council (COM(2006)0487) (1),

— having regard to Article 37(2) of the EC Treaty, pursuant to which the Council consulted Parliament

(C6-0330/2006),

(1) Not yet published in OJ.

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— having regard to Rule 51 of its Rules of Procedure,

— having regard to the report of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (A6-0006/2007),

1.

2.

3.

Approves the Commission proposal as amended;

Calls on the Commission to alter its proposal accordingly, pursuant to Article 250(2) of the EC Treaty;

Calls on the Council to notify Parliament if it intends to depart from the text approved by Parliament;

Asks the Council to consult Parliament again if it intends to amend the Commission proposal sub-

4.
stantially;

5.

Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council and Commission.

TEXT PROPOSED
BY THE COMMISSION

AMENDMENTS
BY PARLIAMENT

Amendment 1
Recital 5

(5) To improve the functioning of the single market, the mar-
keting of the meat of bovine animals aged twelve months or
less should be organised in such a way as to make it as trans-
parent as possible. This will also enable such production to be
better organised. For that purpose, the sales descriptions to be
used in each language of the Member States for the marketing
of
the meat of bovine animals aged twelve months or less
should be specified. This will also improve information for con-
sumers.

(5) To improve the functioning of the single market, the mar-
keting of the meat of bovine animals aged twelve months or
less should be organised in such a way as to make it as trans-
parent as possible. This will also enable such production to be
better organised. For that purpose, the sales descriptions to be
used in each language of the Member States for the marketing
of the meat of bovine animals aged twelve months or less, or
meat preparations obtained therefrom,
intended for human
consumption, should be specified. This will also improve infor-
mation for consumers.

Amendment 2
Recital 12

(12)
Provision should also be made for the meat of bovine
animals aged twelve months or less to be identified by a letter
representing the category to which they belong, and the age on
slaughter to be indicated on the labels attached to such meat.

(12)
Provision should also be made for the meat of bovine
animals aged twelve months or less to be identified by a letter
representing the category to which they belong, by their sales
description and by the age on slaughter, which should be indi-
cated on the labels attached to such meat. These indications
should also appear in all of the commercial documents.

Amendment 3
Recital 13

(13) Traders wishing to supplement the sales descriptions pro-
vided for in this Regulation by other voluntary information
should be able to do so in accordance with the procedure pro-
vided for in Articles 16 or 17 of 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 pro-
ducts and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 820/97.

(13) Traders wishing to supplement the sales descriptions pro-
vided for in this Regulation by other voluntary information, for
example the type of feed used, should be able to do so in
accordance with the procedure provided for in Articles 16 or
17 of Regulation (EC) No 1760/2000 of the European Parlia-
ment 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.

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TEXT PROPOSED
BY THE COMMISSION

Wednesday 14 March 2007

AMENDMENTS
BY PARLIAMENT

Amendment 4

Recital 14

(14) To ensure correct use of the information on the labelling
in accordance with this Regulation, the data enabling the cor-
rectness of
the information on the labelling to be verified
should be recorded at all stages of production and marketing.

(14) To ensure correct use of the information on the labelling
in accordance with this Regulation, the data enabling the cor-
rectness of
the information on the labelling to be verified
should be recorded at all stages of production and marketing.
However, some of this information need not be supplied at the
stage when the product is supplied to the final consumer.

Amendment 5

Recital 15a (new)

(15a) The Member States should lay down the system of
penalties applicable to infringements of this Regulation and
ensure that it is implemented. The penalties should be propor-
tionate, but sufficiently dissuasive. They could range from the
re-labelling or return of products to their complete destruction.

Amendment 6

Article 1, paragraph 1, subparagraph 2

It shall apply to the meat of bovine animals aged twelve months
or less produced in the Community or imported from third
countries.

It shall apply to the meat of bovine animals aged twelve months
or less, slaughtered after … (*), whether the meat is produced
in the Community or imported from third countries.

(*) Date of entry into force of this Regulation.

Amendment 7

Article 1, paragraph 2

This Regulation shall apply without prejudice to Council

2.
Regulation (EEC) No 1208/81 (1).

2.
This Regulation shall apply without prejudice to Council
Regulation (EC) No 1183/2006 of 24 July 2006 concerning
the Community scale for the classification of carcasses of
adult bovine animals (1).

(1) OJ L 123, 7.5.1981, p. 3.

(1) OJ L 214, 4.8.2006, p. 1.

Amendment 8

Article 1, paragraph 3

3.
This Regulation shall not apply to the meat of bovine ani-
mals aged twelve months or less for which a protected designa-
tion of origin or geographical indication has been registered in
accordance with Article 7 of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006.

3.
This Regulation shall not apply to the meat of bovine ani-
mals aged twelve months or less for which a protected designa-
tion of origin or geographical indication is registered in accor-
dance with Article 7 of Regulation (EC) No 510/2006.

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TEXT PROPOSED
BY THE COMMISSION

AMENDMENTS
BY PARLIAMENT

Amendment 9

Article 2

‘meat’ means all carcases,
For the purposes of this Regulation,
meat on the bone or boned, and offal, whether or not cut,
obtained from bovine animals aged twelve months or less,
presented fresh, frozen or deep-frozen, whether or not wrapped
or packed.

‘meat’ means all carcases,
For the purposes of this Regulation,
meat on the bone or boned, and offal, whether or not cut,
intended for human consumption, obtained from bovine ani-
mals aged twelve months or less, presented fresh, frozen or
deep-frozen, whether or not wrapped or packed. This Regula-
tion shall also apply to prepared, processed or cooked products
which contain meat.

Amendment 10

Article 3

On slaughter, all bovine animals aged twelve months or less
shall be classified by the operators, under the control of the
competent authority referred to in Article 8(1),
in one of the
categories listed in Annex I.

On slaughter, all bovine animals aged twelve months or less
shall be classified by the operators, under the control of the
competent authority referred to in Article 8(1),
in one of the
categories listed in Annex I. Member States shall take the
necessary measures to ensure compliance with this provision.

Amendment 11

Article 4, paragraph 1, subparagraph 1

1.
The meat of bovine animals aged twelve months or less
shall only be marketed in the various Member States under the
sales description(s)
laid down for each
listed in Annex II
Member State.

1.
The meat of bovine animals aged twelve months or less
shall only be marketed in the various Member States under the
sales description(s) listed in Annex II laid down for each Mem-
ber State. The description(s) shall appear in all commercial
documents.

Amendment 12

Article 4, paragraph 2a (new)

2a.
This Regulation shall only apply where the meat of
bovine animals aged more than eight months is being mar-
keted as other than ‘beef’ (or the equivalent term for adult
beef in other Community languages).

Amendment 13

Article 5, paragraph 1, introductory part

1. Without prejudice to Article 3(1) of Directive 2000/13/EC
of the European Parliament and of the Council and Articles 13,
14 and 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1760/2000, at each stage of
the meat of
production and marketing,
bovine animals aged twelve months or less with the following
information:

traders shall

label

1. Without prejudice to Article 3(1) of Directive 2000/13/EC
of the European Parliament and of the Council and Articles 13,
14 and 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1760/2000, traders shall label
the meat of bovine animals aged twelve months or less with the
following information:

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TEXT PROPOSED
BY THE COMMISSION

Wednesday 14 March 2007

AMENDMENTS
BY PARLIAMENT

Amendment 14

Article 5, paragraph 1, point (a)

(a)

the category identification letter as defined in Annex I to
this Regulation,

(a)

the category identification letter as defined in Annex I to
this Regulation, at each stage of production and marketing
except at the stage when the product is supplied to the
final consumer;

Amendment 15

Article 5, paragraph 1, point (b)

(b)

the sales description in accordance with Article 4 of this
Regulation,

(b)

the sales description in accordance with Article 4 of this
Regulation, at each stage of production and marketing,

Amendment 16

Article 5, paragraph 1a (new)

1a. The information referred to in paragraph 1, points (a),
(b) and (c), shall also appear in all commercial documents.

Amendment 17

Article 5, paragraph 2, subparagraph 2

They may not make an indication of the information referred
to in paragraph 1(a) compulsory unless it is ensured that the
purchaser is provided with the correct information.

deleted

Amendment 18

Article 7, subparagraph 2, point (a)

(a)

an indication of the identification number and the date of
birth of the animals;

(a)

an indication of the identification number and the date of
birth of the animals, solely at slaughterhouse level;

Amendment 19

Article 8, paragraph 1

Before [1 July 2007] Member States shall designate the
1.
competent authority or authorities responsible for checks relat-
ing to the application of this Regulation and inform the Com-
mission thereof.

Before … (*), Member States shall designate the competent
1.
authority or authorities responsible for official checks relating
to the application of this Regulation and inform the Commis-
sion thereof.

(*) Date of entry into force of this Regulation.

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TEXT PROPOSED
BY THE COMMISSION

AMENDMENTS
BY PARLIAMENT

Amendment 20
Article 9a (new)

Article 9a

Penalties

Member States shall lay down the system of penalties to be
applied where checks carried out reveal a failure to comply
with this Regulation. The penalties shall be effective, propor-
tionate and dissuasive. Member States shall notify the Com-
mission thereof not later than … (*) and shall also notify it
without delay of any amendments thereto.

(*) Twelve months from the date of entry into force of

this

Regulation.

Amendment 21
Article 10, paragraph 2

2.
in
Amendments may be made to Annexes I and II
accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 43(2) of
Regulation (EC) No 1254/1999.

deleted

Amendment 22
Annex I, subparagraph 1, point (A)

(A) Category X: bovine animals aged eight months or less

(A) Category V: bovine animals aged eight months or less

Category identification letter: X;

Category identification letter: V;

Amendment 23
Annex I, subparagraph 1, point (B)

(B) Category Y: bovine animals aged more than eight months

(B) Category Z: bovine animals aged more than eight months

but not more than twelve months

but not more than twelve months

Category identification letter: Y.

Category identification letter: Z.

(A) For the meat of bovine animals in category X:

(A) For the meat of bovine animals in category V:

Amendment 24
Annex II, point (A), introductory part

(B) For the meat of bovine animals in category Y:

(B) For the meat of bovine animals in category Z:

Amendment 25
Annex II, point (B), introductory part