CELEX: 51991PC0374
Language: en
Date: 1991-10-15
Title: Amendment to the proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION ( EEC ) laying down the health rules for the production and placing on the market of minced meat, meat preparations and comminuted meat for industrial use

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                                         C0M(91) 374 final
                                        Brussels, 15 October 1991
                      AaendMent to the proposal for a
                          COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC)
        aying down the health rules for the production and placing
           on the market of minced meat, meat preparations and
                    comminuted meat for industrial use.
          (presented by the Commission pursuant to Article 149(3)
                             of the EEC Treaty)
 ---pagebreak---  ---pagebreak---                                     i,
                            EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
On 15 February 1990 the Commission submitted to the Council a Proposal for a
Council Regulation laying down the health rules for the production and placing
on the market of minced meat, meat preparations and comminuted meat for
Industrial u s e . ( 1 )
As a result of the opinion delivered by the European Parliament at its meeting
of 12.06.1991, the Commission had decided, in accordance with Article 149(3)
of the Treaty, to amend its original proposal.
(1)   O.J. No. C84, 2.04.1990, p.120
 ---pagebreak---                         Amendment to the proposal for a
                            COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC)
         laying down the health rules for the production and placing on
       the market of minced meat, meat preparations and comminuted meat
                                for industrial use
On 16 February 1990 the Commission submitted the above proposal to the
Council, following the opinion of the European Parliament delivered at its
sitting of 12 June 1991, the original proposal    is amended as follows:
1. The following whereases are added:
   "Whereas the Commission has agreed to submit a proposal to the Council for
   a general framework directive on food hygiene and food safety as soon as
   possible and preferably before the end of 1991;
   Whereas, when considering the completion of the internal market, the
   Community will take as a base a high level of consumer protection, whereas
   there is a need for a campaign to educate the consumer about the special
   hygiene requirements of products of animal origin;"
2. Article 1, paragraph 2 is replaced by the following:
   "2.  This Regulation shall not apply to m m c e d meat and meat preparations
        prepared in retail shops or in premises adjacent to sale points for
        sale directly to the consumer where transport and packaging are not
        involved."
 ---pagebreak--- 3. Article 2, paragraph 5 is replaced by the following:
   "5.    "Products for direct consumption" means minced meat or meat
          preparations intended to be consumed directly without undergoing any
          further treatment, including by the consumer, prior to consumption."
4. Article 4 id deleted.
5. Article 6, paragraph 1 is replaced by the following:
   "1)   Veterinary experts from the Commission shall, in so far as is
          necessary to ensure uniform application of this Regulation, make on
          the spot checks, they shall verify whether establishments are actually
          complying with this Regulation. The Commission shall  inform the Member
          States of the results of the investigations.
         A Member State in whose territory a check is being carried out shall
         give all the necessary assistance to the experts in carrying out their
         dut ies.
         The results of these checks shall be communicated to the undertakings
         concerned."
6. At Annex I, chapter III, the following point 6(a) is inserted after
   point 6.
   "6a. 1. In addition to the general conditions laid down in Article 3,
   minced meat and, insofar as they contain such meat, meat preparations must
   (a) (i) be obtained from chilled fresh meat or from frozen or quick frozen
             boneless meat ;
       (ii) in the case of meat and meat preparations intended for direct
             consumption, be obtained from chilled fresh meat, within a maximum
             of six days after the slaughter of the animal of origin, except in
             the case of beef where nine days will obtain, compliance with this
             requirement being guaranteed by a method of identification to be
             specified by the competent authority;
   (b)   undergo cold treatment referred to in subparagraph (c) within a
         maximum of one hour after cutting into portions and wrapping except
         where processes requiring the lowering of internal temperature of the
         meat during preparation are used;
 ---pagebreak---     (c)   be placed on the marked,
        (i)   either chilled and wrapped for the final consumer and cooled at an
               internal temperature below + 4"C in a period of not more than one
              hour and below + 2"C after two hours,
        (ii) or quick frozen and wrapped for the final consumer, in this case
        they must conform with the Council Directive 89/108/EEC.
    (d)    in the case of meat not for direct consumption, be labelled at point
          of sale: "This product should be thoroughly cooked before
          consumpt ion".
     2.   The additives used must be in conformity with Community rules."
7. At Annex I, chapter III, point 8 the words "boned shin meat" are replaced
    by "carpal and tarsal region".
8. At Annex I, chapter V, point 11 is replaced by the following:
        "11. Establishments which produce the minced meat or meat preparations
              or comminuted meat for industrial use shall be subject to
              inspection by the official service."
9. At Annex I, chapter VI, point 17 is replaced by the following:
        "17. The results of the microbiological tests shall be at the disposal
              of the competent authojity.
              The establishment shall inform the competent authority when the
              standards laid down in Annex  II are reached. The competent
              authority shall take the appropriate measures."
10.     Annex I, Chapter VII, point 19 the following indend is added:
              the percentage of MechanicalIv Recovered Meat contained   in the
              product. "
 ---pagebreak---  ---pagebreak---                                                                       ISSN 0254-1475
                                                                COM(91) 374 final
                                                        DOCUMENTS
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                                Catalogue number : CB-CO-91-430-EN-C
                                                              ISBN 92-77-76221-7
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