Commission Regulation (EC) No 22/2008 of 11 January 2008 laying down detailed rules for the Community scale for the classification of carcases of ovine animals (Codified version)
Date: 2008-01-11
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: carcase, codification of EU law, fresh meat, market prices, marketing standard, refrigerated product, sheepmeat

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COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 22/2008

of 11 January 2008

laying down detailed rules for the Community scale for the classification of carcases of ovine
animals

(Codified version)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

(3)

Having regard to the Treaty
Community,

establishing the European

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2529/2001 of 19
December 2001 on the common organisation of the market in
sheepmeat and goatmeat (1),

Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2137/92 of 23
July 1992 concerning the Community scale for the classification
of carcases of ovine animals and determining the Community
standard quality of fresh or chilled sheep carcases and extending
Regulation (EEC) No 338/91 (2), and in particular Article 2,
Article 4(3), Articles 5 and 6 and Article 7(2) thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

for

Commission Regulation (EEC) No 461/93 of 26 February
1993 laying down detailed rules for the Community
carcases of ovine
scale
animals (3) has been substantially amended (4).
In the
interests of clarity and rationality the said Regulation
should be codified.

classification of

the

for

provided

2137/92

(EEC) No

improving market

Regulation
a
Community-wide carcase classification standard with
the object of
transparency in the
sheepmeat sector. Detailed rules are required for the
determination of market prices which are established
on the basis of
this classification standard. Provision
should be made for the establishment of market prices
at
commercialisation
process. This point should be at entry to the slaugh-
terhouse. In order to ensure the uniform classification
of the carcases of ovine animals in the Community,
it
is necessary to make the definitions of conformation
classes, fat classes and colour more precise.

appropriate point

in the

the

(1) OJ L 341, 22.12.2001, p. 3. Regulation as last amended by Regu-
lation (EC) No 1913/2005 (OJ L 307, 25.11.2005, p. 2). Regulation
(EC) No 2529/2001 will be replaced by Regulation (EC) No
1234/2007 (OJ L 299, 16.11.2007, p. 1) as from 1 July 2008.
(2) OJ L 214, 30.7.1992, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regu-
lation (EC) No 1791/2006 (OJ L 363, 20.12.2006, p. 1). Regulation
(EEC) No 2137/92 will be replaced by Regulation (EC) No
1234/2007 as from 1 January 2009.

(3) OJ L 49, 27.2.1993, p. 70. Regulation as amended by Regulation

(EC) No 823/98 (OJ L 117, 21.4.1998, p. 2).

(4) See Annex II.

A system of price reporting should be established on the
basis of the classification made at slaughterhouses imme-
diately after slaughtering. This requires proper identifi-
cation of carcases.

Classification should be
carried out by sufficiently
qualified staff. The reliability of classification must be
verified by effective checks to ensure that it is applied
in a homogenous manner.

Regulation (EEC) No 2137/92 provides that on-the-spot
inspections are to be carried out by a Community
inspection group, in order to ensure the uniform appli-
cation of the Community scale for classification in the
Community.

It is necessary to lay down detailed rules for the compo-
sition of the group and implementation of the on-the-
spot inspections.

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in
accordance with the opinion of
the Management
Committee for Sheep and Goats,

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

1.
The market price to be established on the basis of the
Community scale for the classification of carcases of ovine
animals referred to in Article 7(1) of Regulation (EEC) No
2137/92 shall be the price at entry to the slaughterhouse, net
of value-added tax paid to the supplier for lamb of Community
origin. This price shall be expressed per 100 kg carcase weight
presented according to the reference presentation provided for
in Article 2 of that Regulation weighed and classified on the
hook at the slaughterhouse.

2.
The weight to be taken into account shall be the hot
weight of the carcase corrected to take account of weight loss
on chilling. Member States shall inform the Commission of the
corrective factors used.

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In the case where the presentation of carcases after
3.
weighing and classifying on the hook differs
from the
reference presentation, Member States shall adjust the weight
of
factors
provided for in Article 2 of Regulation (EEC) No 2137/92.
Member States shall notify the Commission of the corrective
factors used.

carcase by the

application of

corrective

the

for the purposes of

the categories referred to in
However,
to that Regulation, Member States may report
Annex III
these
prices per 100 kg for the customary presentation of
carcases.
inform the
Commission of the differences between this presentation and
the reference presentation.

In this instance, Member States shall

The identification, referred to in Article 4(2) of Regulation
2.
(EEC) No 2137/92, of carcases or half-carcases classified
according to the Community scale for the classification of the
carcases of ovine animals in participating establishments shall
be carried out by means of a mark indicating the category and
the class of conformation and fat cover.

That marking shall be carried out by stamping, using an
indelible and non-toxic ink following a method approved by
the competent national authorities.

Categories shall be designated as follows:

(a) L: carcases of sheep under 12 months old (lamb);

Article 2

(b) S: carcases of other sheep.

1. Member States whose sheepmeat production exceeds 200
tonnes per year shall communicate to the Commission the
confidential list of the slaughterhouses or other establishments
participating for the establishment of prices according to the
Community scale (hereinafter referred to as participating estab-
lishment) together with an indication of the approximate annual
throughput of these participating establishments.

2.
The Member States referred to in paragraph 1 shall
communicate to the Commission each Thursday at the latest,
the average price in euro or in national currency for each
quality of lamb within the Community scales for all partici-
pation establishments recorded during the week preceding the
week in which the information is given, together with an indi-
cation of the size of each quality. However, where a quality
makes up less than 1 % of the total, prices need not to be
reported. Member States
to the
shall
Commission the average price on a weight basis for all classified
lamb in each scale used for price reporting purposes.

also communicate

However, Member States are authorised to subdivide price
reported for each of the classes of conformation and degrees
of fat cover provided for in Annex I on the basis of weight. The
term ‘quality’ shall mean the combination of class of confor-
mation and of fat cover.

3. Member States may authorise the replacement of
the
marking by the use of an unalterable and firmly attachable label.

Article 5

1. Member States shall ensure that classification is carried out
by sufficiently qualified technicians. Member States
shall
a procedure of
determine
such persons by means of
agreement or by designating a body responsible for
this
purpose.

2.
Classification in the participating establishments shall be
checked on-the-spot, without prior warning, by a body
designated by the Member State and independent of the parti-
cipating establishment. These checks must be carried out at least
once every three months in all participating establishments
which operate classification and must relate to at
least 50
carcases selected at random.

However, where the body responsible for checks is the same as
that responsible for classification or where it does not fall under
the authority of a public body, the checks provided for in the
first subparagraph must be carried out under the physical super-
vision of a public body under the same conditions and at least
once a year. The public body shall be informed regularly of the
findings of the body responsible for checks.

Article 3

Article 6

The additional provisions referred to in Article 6 of Regulation
(EEC) No 2137/92 shall be as listed in Annex I hereto for the
classes of conformation and of fat cover. The meat colour,
referred to in Annex III
to Regulation (EEC) No 2137/92,
shall be determined on the flank at the rectus abdominis by
reference to a standardised colour chart.

The Community inspection Group provided for in Article 5 of
Regulation (EEC) No 2137/92 (hereinafter referred to as the
shall be responsible for carrying out on-the-spot
Group)
inspections covering:

Article 4

(a)

application of

the
the
Community classification scale for ovine carcases;

arrangements

relating to the

Classification shall be made at the latest one hour after

1.
slaughtering.

(b) the establishment of market prices according to the classi-

fication scale.

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Article 7

The Group shall be chaired by one of the Commission experts.
Member States shall appoint experts on the basis of their inde-
pendence and ability in matters of classification of carcases and
establishment of market prices.

forward, 30 days before
the

defined by the Commission. To that end, the Member State
detailed
shall
the
to
programme
of
Commission, which may
the
to
programme.

visit,
the
inspection visits
amendments

proposed

request

the

Experts shall not under any circumstances use for personal
purposes or divulge information obtained in connection with
the work of the Group.

The Commission shall

4.
inform Member States, as far in
advance of each visit as possible, of the programme and the
course thereof.

Article 8

On-the-spot inspections shall be carried out by a delegation of
the Group limited to a maximum of seven members. For this
purpose, it shall be composed in accordance with the following
rules:

(a) at least two Commission experts, one of whom shall act as

chairman of the delegation;

(b) one expert of the Member State concerned;

(c) at most four experts from other Member States.

Article 9

1.
On-the-spot inspections shall be carried out at regular
intervals and their frequency may vary in particular according
to the relative volume of sheepmeat production in the Member
State visited or to problems linked to the application of the
grid.

Where necessary, those inspections may be followed by supple-
mentary visits. On such visits, the size of the delegation may be
reduced.

2.
The programme of inspection visits shall be drawn up by
the Commission after consulting the Member States. Represen-
tatives of the Member State visited may attend the inspections.

3.
Each Member State shall organise the visits which are to
be carried out on its territory according to the requirements

5.
On completion of each visit, the members of the dele-
gation and the representatives of the Member State visited shall
meet to consider the results. The members of the delegation
shall
then draw conclusions from the visit concerning the
points referred to in Article 6.

The delegation chairman shall draw up a report containing
6.
details of the visit and the conclusions referred to in paragraph
5. That report shall be sent to the Member State visited without
delay, and to the other Member States thereafter.

Article 10

Travel and subsistence expenses of members of the Group shall
be borne by the Commission in accordance with the rules
travel and subsistence
applicable to the reimbursement of
expenses of persons not connected with the Commission who
are called upon by it to act as experts.

Article 11

Regulation (EEC) No 461/93 is repealed.

References to the repealed Regulation shall be construed as
references to this Regulation and shall be read in accordance
with the correlation table in Annex III.

Article 12

This Regulation shall enter into force on the 20th day following
the European
that of
Union.

its publication in the Official

Journal of

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

Done at Brussels, 11 January 2008.

For the Commission
The President

José Manuel BARROSO

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1. Conformation

ANNEX I

Development of carcase profiles, and, in particular the essential parts (hindquarter, back, shoulder).

Conformation class

Additional provisions

S
Superior

E
Excellent

U
Very good

R
Good

O
Fair

P
Poor

Hindquarter: double muscled. Profiles extremely convex
Back: extremely convex, extremely wide, extremely thick
Shoulder: extremely convex and extremely thick

Hindquarter: very thick. Profiles very convex
Back: very convex, very wide and very thick to the shoulder
Shoulder: very convex and very thick

Hindquarter: thick. Profiles convex
Back: wide and thick to the shoulder
Shoulder: thick and convex

Hindquarter: profiles mainly straight
Back: thick but less wide to the shoulder
Shoulder: good development, but less thick

Hindquarter: profiles tending to slightly concave
Back: lacking width and thickness
Shoulder: tending to narrow. Lacking thickness

Hindquarter: profiles concave to very concave
Back: narrow and concave with bones apparent
Shoulder: narrow, flat and bones apparent

2. Degree of fat cover

Amount of fat on the external and of the internal parts of the carcase.

Class of fat cover

Additional provisions (1)

1.
Low

2.
Slight

External

Traces of or no fat visible

Internal

Abdominal

Traces of or no fat visible on kidneys

Thoracic

Traces of or no fat visible between ribs

External

A slight layer of fat covers part of the carcase but may be less
evident on the limbs

Internal

Abdominal

fat or
Traces of
envelops part of the kidneys

slight

layer of

fat

Thoracic

Muscle clearly visible between ribs

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Class of fat cover

Additional provisions (1)

3.
Average

External

A light layer of fat covering most or all of the carcase. Slightly
thickened fat zones of the base of the tail

Internal

Abdominal

Light layer of fat envelops part or all of
the kidneys

Thoracic

Muscle still visible between ribs

4.
High

External

A thick layer of fat covering most of all of the carcase but may be
thinner on limbs and thickening on shoulders

Internal

Abdominal

Kidney is enveloped in fat

Thoracic

Muscle between ribs may be infiltrated
with fat. Fat deposits may be visible on
the ribs

5.
Very high

External

Very thick fat cover
Patches of fat sometimes visible

Internal

Abdominal

Kidneys enveloped in thick layer of fat

Thoracic

Muscle between ribs infiltrated with fat.
Fat deposits visible on ribs.

(1) The additional provisions for the abdominal cavity do not apply for the purposes of Annex III to Regulation (EEC) No 2137/92.

ANNEX II

Repealed Regulation with its amendment

Commission Regulation (EEC) No 461/93

(OJ L 49, 27.2.1993, p. 70)

Commission Regulation (EC) No 823/98

(OJ L 117, 21.4.1998, p. 2).

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ANNEX III

Correlation table

Regulation (EEC) No 461/93

This Regulation

Article 1(1) and (2)

Article 1(1) and (2)

Article 1(3), first and second sentences

Article 1(3), first subparagraph

Article 1(3), third and fourth sentences

Article 1(3), second subparagraph

Articles 2 and 3

Article 4(1)

Articles 2 and 3

Article 4(1)

Article 4(2), first and second subparagraphs

Article 4(2), first and second subparagraphs

Article 4(2), third subparagraph, introductory sentence

Article 4(2), third subparagraph, introductory sentence

Article 4(2), third subparagraph, first indent

Article 4(2), third subparagraph, point (a)

Article 4(2), third subparagraph, second indent

Article 4(2), third subparagraph, point (b)

Article 4(3)

Articles 5, 6 and 7

Article 4(3)

Articles 5, 6 and 7

Article 8(1), introductory part

Article 8, introductory part

Article 8(1), first indent

Article 8(1), second indent

Article 8(1), third indent

Article 8(2)

Article 8(a)

Article 8(b)

Article 8(c)

—

Article 9(1), first subparagraph, first sentence

Article 9(1), first subparagraph

Article 9(1), first subparagraph, second and third sentences Article 9(1), second subparagraph

Article 9(1), second subparagraph

Article 9(2)

Article 9(3)

Article 9(4)

Article 9(5)

Article 10

—

Article 11

Annex

—

—

Article 9(2)

Article 9(3)

Article 9(4)

Article 9(5)

Article 9(6)

Article 10

Article 11

Article 12

Annex I

Annex II

Annex III