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)

12.1.2008 EN Official Journal of the European Union L 9/6
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
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
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) Commission Regulation (EEC) No 461/93 of 26 February 1993 laying down detailed rules for the Community scale for the classification of carcases of ovine animals (3) has been substantially amended (4). In the interests of clarity and rationality the said Regulation should be codified.
(2) Regulation (EEC) No 2137/92 provided for a Community-wide carcase classification standard with the object of improving market 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 the appropriate point in the commercialisation process. This point should be at entry to the slaughterhouse. 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.
(3) A system of price reporting should be established on the basis of the classification made at slaughterhouses immediately after slaughtering. This requires proper identification of carcases.
(4) 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.
(5) 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 application of the Community scale for classification in the Community.
(6) It is necessary to lay down detailed rules for the composition of the group and implementation of the on-the-spot inspections.
(7) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Sheep and Goats,