CELEX: 51993PC0273
Language: en
Date: 1993-06-15
Title: Proposal for a COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) AMENDING REGULATION (EEC) N° 3220/84 DETERMINING THE COMMUNITY SCALE FOR GRADING PIG CARCASES

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                                           C0M(93) 273 final
                                           Brussels, 15 June 1993
                            Proposal for a
                      COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC)
    AMENDING REGULATION (EEC) N* 3220/84 DETERMINING THE COMMUNITY
                    SCALE FOR GRADING PIG CARCASES
                    (presented by the Commission)
 ---pagebreak---                                    -1 ~
                           Explanatory Memorandum
In November 1984 the Council adopted Regulation (EEC) N° 3220/84 determining
the Community scale for grading pig carcases. This regulation lays down the
general rules ensuring uniform grading of pig carcases, particularly in
order to guarantee producers fair payment based on the weight and the
composition of the pigs that they have delivered to the slaughterhouses.
The present proposal aims to adapt, on a technical basis, certain provisions
laid down in 1984 to recent technical developments. It is in particular
based on the results of a Community study concerning the harmonization of
methods for grading pig carcases, carried out between 1990 and 1992 and
discussed several times with national experts.
The first amendment concerns the presentation of a "pig carcase" as provided
for in Article 2 of Regulation (EEC) N" 3220/84. At present this
presentation includes flare fat, kidneys and diaphragm, several Member
States derogate, however, from that presentation, because it is commercial
practice to remove those three parts before weighing and grading. The
removal of those parts changes the weight, and as a direct consequence the
lean meat content of the carcase compared to a carcase which includes the
three parts mentioned. It is therefore proposed to exclude the flare fat,
kidneys and diaphragm from the standard presentation defined in article 2,
in order to assure a uniform application of the Community grading scale and
to make it possible to compare directly grading according to the estimated
lean meat content.
For some years several slaughterhouses have, for commercial reasons,
produced dehided pig carcases. Such carcases do therefore not correspond
with the standard presentation. This diverging presentation should therefore
be provided for in the regulation.
Article 2(3) provides that the total weight of the red striated muscles is
obtained by a total dissection of the carcase. This method requires
considerable work and is therefore very expensive. In accordance with the
results of the Community study it is proposed also to use a partial
dissection of the carcase on condition that it is based on statistically
proved method. This amendment should reduce considerably the cost to be
borne by the industry for the authorization of new classification devices.
The Community scale for grading pig carcases, set up by Regulation (EEC)
N° 3220/84 is used for the annual fixation of the basic price, for fair
payment to pig producers, and in order to make the market more transparent.
All those elements apply in a uniform manner to the pigmeat sector of the
Community; it is therefore necessary that the main provisions serving to set
up the scale and in particular the presentation of a pig carcase as well as
the definition of the lean meat content should be adopted at Community
level.
 ---pagebreak---                                      - 2-
                     COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) N*       /93
       AMENDING REGULATION (EEC) N* 3220/84 DETERMINING THE COMMUNITY
                        SCALE FOR GRADING PIG CARCASES
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) N* 2759/75 of 29 October 1975 on
the common organization of the market in pigmeatt 1 ), as last amended by
Regulation (EEC) N° 1249/89< 2 ), and in particular Articles 2 and 4 (5)
thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
Whereas Article 2 of Regulation (EEC) N° 3220/84 of 13 November 1984<3>,
as last amended by Regulation (EEC) N* 3577/90< 4 ), defined the
presentation of a "pig carcase" to be used to establish its weight and its
lean meat content; whereas a recent Comunity study has shown that the trade
in several Member States derogates from this presentation regarding flare
fat, kidneys and diaphragm; whereas this practice leads to a difference in
the lean-meat content of the carcases from one Member State to another,
jeopardising the uniform application of the Community grading scale and
complicating the comparability of the assessement results;    whereas it is
therefore necessary to define more precisely the pig carcase presentation
by excluding the three parts referred to above;
Whereas, for commercial reasons, several slaughterhouses are producing
dehided pig carcases; whereas Member States should be authorised to provide
for such a presentation on their territory;
(1) OJ N* L 282, 1.11.1975, p. 1.
(2) OJ N* L  129, 11.5.1989, p. 12.
(3) OJ N* L 301, 20.11.1984, p. 1.
(4) JO N# L 353 du 17.12.1990, p. 23.
 ---pagebreak---                                    -3-
Whereas total dissection as a means to calculate the total weight of the
red striated muscles amounts to a long and costly process; whereas it is
therefore justified to permit the use  of partial dissection as well
allowing Member States to adapt more rapidly their grading methods to
technical progress;
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION :
                                 Article 1
Regulation (EEC) N* 3220/84 is hereby amended as follows :
1.  Article 2 (1) is replaced by the following :
    "1. For the puroposes of this Regulation, 'pig carcase' shall mean the
        body of a slaughtered pig, bled and eviscerated, whole or divided
        down the mid-line, without tongue, bristles, hooves, genital
        organs, flare fat, kidneys and diaphragm.
        With regard to pigs slaughtered in their territory, the Member
        States may be authorized to provide for a different presentation of
        pig carcases if one of the following conditions is fulfilled :
        - if normal commercial practice in their territory differs from the
          standard presentation defined in the first subparagraph,
        - if technical requirements warrant it,
        - if pig carcases are dehided in a uniform and identical manner."
2.  In Article 2 (3), the first subparagraph is replaced by the follwing :
    "3. For the purposes of this Regulation, the lean-meat content of a pig
        carcase shall be the relationship between :
        - the total weight of the red striated muscles provided that they
          are separable by knife, and
        - the weight of the carcase.
        The total weight of the red striated muscles is obtained either by
        total dissection of the carcase or by partial dissection of the
        carcase based on proven statistical methods adopted in accordance
        with the procedure laid down in Article 24 of Regulation (EEC)
        N* 2759/75".
 ---pagebreak---                                    - H--
                                 Article 2
This Regulation shall enter into force on 1 January 1994
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in
all Member states.
Done at Brussels,                          For the council,
 ---pagebreak---         FINANCIAL STATEMENT
                                                                        DATE
1.  BUDGET HEADING     : Chap. 23                       APPROPRIATIONS : 256   Mio ECU
2.  TITLE :
    Draft proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EEC) N* 3220/84
    determining the Community scale for grading pig carcases.
3.  LEGAL  BASIS : Council Regulation (EEC) N* 2795/75 as last amended by R. (EEC) 1249/89
4.  AIMS OF THE PROJECT      :
    to define more precisely the presentation of a pig carcase
5.  FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS                   PERIOD OF        CURRENT FI-     FOLLOWING
                                             12 MONTHS        NANCIAL YEAR   FINANCIAL YEAR
                                                                 (1993)          (1994)
5.0    EXPENDITURE
      - CHARGED TO THE EC BUDGET               p.m.              p.m.            p.m.
        (REFUNDS/INTERVENTIONS)
      - NATIONAL ADMINISTRATION
      - OTHERS
5.1   RECEIPTS
      - OWN RESOURCES OF THE EC                p.m.              p.m.            p.m.
        (LEVIES/CUSTOMS DUTIES)
      - NATIONAL
                                        1995           1996           1997         1998
5.0.1   ESTIMATED EXPENDITURE           p.m.         p.m.           p.m.           p.m.
5.1.1   ESTIMATED RECEIPTS              p.m.         p.m.           p.m.           p.m.
5.2   METHOD OF CALCULATION :
6.0   CAN THE PROJECT BE FINANCED FROM APPROPRIATIONS ENTERED IN THE RELEVANT
      CHAPTER OF THE CURRENT BUDGET ?
6.1   CAN THE PROJECT BE FINANCED BY TRANSFER BETWEEN CHAPTERS OF THE
      CURRENT BUDGET ?
6.2   IS A SUPPLEMENTARY BUDGET NECESSARY ?
6.3  WILL FUTURE BUDGET APPROPRIATIONS BE NECESSARY ?
OBSERVATIONS X
 ---pagebreak---                                                                      ISSN 0254-1475
                                                               COM(93) 273 final
                                                      DOCUMENTS
EN                                                                         02 03
                                 Catalogue number : CB-CO-93-303-EN-C
                                                             ISBN 92-77-56711-2
Office for Official Publications of the European Communities
L-2985 Luxembourg